The Singapore Polo Club is one of the oldest sporting and social clubs in Singapore. Founded in 1886 by the officers of the King’s Own Regiment, the 1st Battalion, the Club has a distinguished heritage and remains rich in its traditions of camaraderie and sportsmanship.
Polo, considered the “Game of Kings”, was played in the centre of the old Singapore Race Course, now known as Farrer Park. However, there were golfers who shared the use of the Race Course grounds and, naturally enough, conflicts arose between the golfers and polo players.
The Singapore Polo Club moved to its first home at Balestier Road in 1914. But this proved unsuitable due to its limited size. With the support from an increased military garrison and financial aid from the Singapore Turf Club, three acres of land were allocated at Mount Pleasant Road and the current site of the Club was established and open for play by 1941.
During World War II, the Japanese Imperial Army converted the grounds into a gun emplacement area and later, it was transformed into a squatter’s camp. After the war, it took the efforts and influence of Lord Mountbatten to reestablish the Polo Club. A dedicated polo player himself, his participation along with other royal dignitaries ensured that polo retained its social status among the elite of Singapore.
Today, the Singapore Polo Club remains committed to its original charter – that of providing members with the facilities to enjoy polo – and has evolved to include riding and other sporting and social amenities. It is now recognized as the premier equestrian lifestyle club in Singapore and one of the top facilities of this kind in the region.
