Joleen Tan competes at the 2025 Singapore Sling. Photos: Redha Fahmi #113258

(Written by Lance Dubos #21590 — Singapore Country Coordinator)

The 2025 Singapore Sling, held January 11-12 in the “Lion City”, set a few records, not all of them good. Players endured over 250 mm (10 inches!) of rain as an unprecedented monsoon surge settled over the city starting on Friday and lingered through the weekend.

Despite the conditions, the new Tanglin Hill Pop Up layout drew rave reviews from locals and visitors alike. Measuring 7,403 feet (2,256 meters) with over six floors of elevation change, the Shane Egeland #20875 design challenged players on length, precision and shot selection. In the longer term the Singapore Flying Disc Association hopes to make this showcase course permanent.

Transplanted Louisianan & TD Lance DuBos

The tournament, in its seventh year, also featured the highest number of Singaporean players ever. One reason for this was the recent decision to include disc sports in the 2025 South East Asia Games to be held in Thailand in December. Flying disc sports were recently recognized by the Singapore National Olympic Committee, so the Singapore Flying Disc Association and SG Disc Golf Club set the Sling as the first tournament in trials to select the national team representatives.

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Nevertheless, MPO was dominated by a visitor from across the border and the Strait of Johor in Malaysia, teenager Jean Poignee #117011, who ran away from the pack in the downpour on Saturday, recording a 1028-rated round, leaving him 9 strokes clear of the field and the only player under par. He played a more conservative round on Day 2 and finished 8 strokes ahead of Malaysian James Lai #129558. American visitor and 2024 champion Richard Creelman #132871 claimed the final podium spot.

Matt Han, Joel Goh and Justin Tan throw at the Tanglin Hill Pop Up course.

James Lai, Jean Poignee and Richard Creelman at the 2025 Singapore Sling.

The weather relented somewhat on Sunday, and several divisions saw exciting battles. In MA1, Justin Tan #189338 came from 5 strokes back to win by 3, also grabbing the lead in the national team trials. MP40 required a playoff between Leslie Anklovitch #104114 and Greg James #153623, won by Anklovitch on the fifth hole when he turned his Envy through the gap on 18 to 3 feet, a “holy shot” in miniature. Joanne Soh #299303, a long-time stalwart in the Singapore ultimate scene with multiple WFDF world championships under her belt, took home the gold in FA3 along with the lead in the national team trials, just 3 strokes ahead of fellow national ultimate player Joleen Tan #298038. Both ladies were competing in their first, though certainly not last, disc golf tournament. In MA3, a handful of ultimate converts weathered the storm, with Joel Goh coming out on top. The second largest division in the event with 10 players was MA40, won by visitor Jonas Jansson #221340, who is contesting all 6 events in the burgeoning South East Asia winter tour encompassing Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia.

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While Singapore is primarily known as an international and multicultural business hub, its hawker stalls food scene is an epicurean delight influenced by many cultures, including China, India, and Malaysia.  These attractions and the allure of playing disc golf in the tropics in the midst of the northern winter should convince more flying disc travelers to put the 2026 Singapore Sling on their bucket lists!