Game on

It's not just a golf course, either, but 172 hectares of land that support a rare ecosystem. The HKGC is home to 46% of the total number of old and valuable trees (OVTs) in Hong Kong. There are 409 OVTs at the facility and, of those, 114 are rare and protected species. The site is also home to a huge variety of birds, insects, reptiles, and other wildlife, including a resident colony of common birdwing butterflies – Hong Kong's only protected insect species – and the globally endangered Reeves' terrapin. Other at-risk species include the brown fish owl, the red muntjac deer, the Chinese water snake and somanniathelphusa zanklon (a freshwater crab endemic to Hong Kong). As such, the club takes families and children on nature trails to experience the rich biodiversity on its land.

"The culture should be accessible to everyone," says Doo. "We're seeing greater numbers of younger people all the time. We have huge charity fundraising days in our club, and we give all the universities and Community Chest subsidised rates. For corporations, we have specific golf days to facilitate their business. We're trying to strike a balance. Hong Kong needs a top-class, top-tier course to host international events and simultaneously allow the general public to have a very accessible facility."

Here's to increased public participation, a great day out in nature for children and adults, and the next 130 years of the HKGC.