With events in limbo, Singapore's top golfer Gregory Foo does part-time teaching

Singapore

A cold wind is hitting Singapore's hottest property in golf. As a result of the chill, Gregory Foo, the country's leading professional golfer based on the ongoing FTAG-sponsored Singapore Pro Series, faces a big dilemma.

With the Covid-19 pandemic wrecking the local and regional golf schedule, the top-ranked local golfer has to mix playing with teaching in order to earn a living.

The 27-year-old subscribes to the belief that a teaching professional will find it hard to become a recognised player.

But with opportunities to earn money through playing golf being so limited, he recently accepted the offer from Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC) to do part-time coaching for club members - be they juniors or social players - so that he can supplement his income as a player.

The club, of which he is a member, has opened up this avenue to Foo and another professional golfer Marc Ong, 26, so that both parties can benefit from this scheme. They join club coaches Daren Lim, Goh Kun Yang and Justin Tang.

The other local playing professionals who conduct some teaching are Mardan Mamat (Warren Golf & Country Club), Joshua Shou (Singapore Island Country Club) and Quincy Quek (Safra, Changi).

TMCC members can benefit with private or group lessons and Foo and Ong can earn some pocket money to help them tide through this difficult period until tournaments, like those on the Asian Tour restart in the region. Foo will also teach at Sembawang, while Ong has classes at Warren.

Foo, who has a degree in sports science and management from the Nanyang Technological University and holds a SG-Coach Level 1 Integrated Curriculum, said the amount he earns depends on the number of students, lesson hours and the playing time.

The two local events that have been keeping Singapore's professionals busy are the Singapore Pro Series and the Singapore Professional Golfers' Association Order of Merit events.

The third leg of the Singapore Pro Series scheduled for this month has been postponed to end-June. The SPGA event that was scheduled for May 20 was cancelled because of the government's Phase Two (Heightened Alert) restrictions.

Foo says he is working out a teaching schedule with TMCC bearing in mind that his own practice sessions are a priority.

He practises daily, tries to play three or four times a week and does gym work at Athletic Inc at Tanjong Pagar under the watchful eyes of instructor Charles Davies, a former professional golfer.

Foo sets aside 30 to 40 hours a week for his own workout sessions and puts a cap on the hours for his teaching schedule.

At some point, he hopes to make it on a Challenger event in the region, Europe or even the US.

He takes a cue from another leading pro, Choo Tze Huang, who is currently on a six-month, 11-event playing tour in Japan in the secondary Japan Golf Tour Organisation schedule.

Choo, who has just completed his two-week quarantine, is staying with two Thai players, Natipong Srithong and Rattanon Wanachansri, in an apartment just outside Tokyo.

The trio have their first event, the 15-million yen (S$0.18 million) Taiheiyo Club Challenge Tournament in Saitama starting on May 26.