10 reasons why Vietnam is a great place to play golf

Most golfers are pretty well travelled and they are also creatures of habit and tend to go for what they know rather than try something new.  Over the past 10 years or so Thailand has dominated the market for golf holiday tourism and golfers come back year after year to enjoy the great golf and other attractions.  Over the past few years some of the neighbouring countries have started to focus on the potentially lucrative market and Vietnam is undergoing a golf courses building boom unlike anywhere else in Asia.

 Here we give you 10 great reasons why you should choose Vietnam for your next golf holiday. 

1: Exceptional Golf Courses

Most of the world’s leading golf courses designers have set off to Vietnam to leave their mark on this rapidly expanding market.  Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and many others have built some unique and challenging courses all over Vietnam.

There is an embarrassment of riches in Danang which is home to four signature courses.   Danang Golf Club is a superb links-style course designed by Greg Norman with some wonderful holes, especially those close to the ocean.   Next door Colin Montgomerie has built another fabulous course and a little further north Nick Faldo has built Laguna Lang Co Golf Club between the hills and ocean.  Last but not least Luke Donald has chosen Danang to build Ba Na Hills, his first signature course and the first floodlit course in Danang.

Hanoi has around 20 golf courses within reach of the city and the recently opened Skylake Golf complex offers two breath-taking golf courses and King Island Country Club with its two courses remains a firm favourite.  Jack Nicklaus has recently opened Legend Hill and there are many other great and accessible courses here.

Ho Chi Minh has at least 10 courses which are suitable for international visitors and the recently opened Tan Son Nhat Course is proving very popular as is Jeongsan Country Club which is located on an island in the middle of the Mekong River.

2: Friendly and knowledgeable caddies

Caddies are available and usually compulsory at all golf courses in Vietnam. They are exceptionally good and they will really add to your enjoyment of the course.  Surprisingly the English standards are probably better than Thailand and they are just as much fun.  Don’t forget to tip them and US10-15 is considered normal.

3. Good value

A round of golf in Vietnam is around US$60 midweek including a caddie and shared cart and this rises to US$100 at weekends and on public holidays.  A meal for two at a mid-range restaurant costs less than US$20 and a beer around US$1.50.  Taxis are also very cheap and the price for the first km is around US$0.50¢.  A recent survey estimated that the cost of living in Vietnam is about 10% cheaper than Thailand.  Anyway you will alwasy feel rich in Vietnam because you will get more than 20,000 dong for every US$!

4: Variety

Vietnam is quite a large country and stretches around 1,000 km from north to south with many different climates and terrain.  You will find golf courses like Phoenix Golf Club which winds its way through the spectacular limestone cliffs outside Hanoi.  King Island Golf Club is built on an island and you need to take a short speedboat ride to reach the course.  The former French hill station in Dalat is home to three golf courses including the oldest golf course in Vietnam.  Dalat Palace Golf Club is very reminiscent of playing in Europe and is always much cooler.  In Danang and Phan Thiet you will play alongside the giant sand dunes which add to the links feel of the courses in this area. In Nha Trang you can play alongside beautiful white sand beaches and if you really want to try something different the island of Phu Quoc off the south coast has one of the best golf courses in Vietnam.

5. Great Food

Vietnamese food is famous the world over – not as hot and spicy as Thai food but more fragrant with a heavy emphasis on fresh ingredients and a bowl of fresh herbs is always placed in the middle of the table.  In the major cities you can still see the French influence with fresh baguettes on offer.  If you happen to be near the beach, then you can sample the wonderful fresh seafood at very attractive prices.

6. Great Climate

There are considerable variations in the weather patterns throughout the country and when it's raining in one place then it’s often sunny elsewhere.  November to April is the best time to visit Hanoi although it can get quite cold at times with temperatures ranging from 17-22⁰C.  Danang is at its best from February to May.  Although the winter season is best you can actually play golf in Ho Chi Minh all year round.  For the full story on the best time to visit Vietnam you can read our article here.

7. Easy to get around

The hula dancing air hostesses in Vietjet

Vietnam is improving the infrastructure all the time with new airports and roads being built and although the traffic in the centre of the major cities can be crazy at times it is gradually improving.  There are plenty of internal flights and more and more low cost airlines offering excellent value.  Taxis are abundant and cheap but there is no mass transit system as yet although this is bound to come. 

8. Coffee coffee coffee

Although you will find Starbucks in Vietnam this does not really fit with the Vietnamese coffee culture.  They prefer to go for the filter coffee which you will find being served on every corner and if you are feeling hot then you can try the iced version which is often mixed with condensed milk.  So take some time – grab a local coffee and watch the world go by.

9. Wonderful Beaches

After a round of golf there is nothing better than to chill out on a white sand beach. Danang is a world class beach resort with some wonderful hotels along the beach.  If you are into water sports, then Nha Trang is the place to head but the ultimate beach escape is Phu Quoc Island – an idyllic location to play golf and relax. 

10. Spectacular Scenery and sights

If you are visiting Vietnam for the first time, then you should really take some time to see some of the local sights.  You must visit the ancient Chinese fishing port of Hoi An which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a short distance from Danang.   You should also visit and see the spectacular limestone islands rising out of Halong Bay.  Other classic excursions include a cruise along the Mekong Delta or a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels

I am sure you agree that Vietnam has plenty to offer the travelling golfer: great golf courses, superb food, attentive caddies, great beaches and wonderful sights. What are you waiting for?

Tour starts: Ho Chi Minh City   |   No of Nights: 8 nights   | No of Rounds: 5

Our Golf Tour Includes:

• All accommodations
• Daily breakfast
• All green fees
• 1 caddy per golfer at each golf course
• Compulsory twin sharing golf cart at Tan Son Nhat Golf Club, Twin Doves Golf Club
• All sightseeing tours and admission fees
• All airport, land, and golf transfers
• All transfers by private VIP mini-coach
• Local knowledge, expertise, suggestions, and support throughout trip
• 24/7 golf hotline staffed by knowledgeable service personnel
• All taxes and service charges
  
  Our Golf Tour Excludes:

Vietnam Golf & Country Club is the first 36-hole golf club in Vietnam and is widely regarded as Vietnam’s Premier Golf and Country Club.

Located just 20 kilometres from the centre of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Golf and Country Club is also the nearest golf club to the city.

Set amongst 300 hectares of land, two great golf courses have been carved out of the existing woodland with minimal land movement, leaving you feel that the land was always destined to be a golf course, so natural is the lay-out and design.

The West course first opened in December 1994 and was designed by Taiwanese architect Chen King Shih. It hosted the Vietnam Open (Asian PGA Tour Event) in 1995 and 1997.

The course winds its way through the trees offering challenging tee shots to the tree lined fairways before playing to the softly contoured Bermuda TifEagle greens, which provide beautiful putting surfaces all year round.

Lee Trevino, six-time Major Champion Winner (US Open 1968,1971, USPGA Championship 1974, 1984 and The Open Championship 1971 and 1972), designed the East Course which opened in September 1997. The East Course offers more generous fairways than the West Course but is protected by well positioned bunkers, water hazards and undulating Bermuda TifDwarf greens.

Whichever course you decide to play, you will leave Vietnam Golf & Country Club with many fond memories of the golf course and the whole experience…

Long Thanh Golf Club & Residential Estate Description:
(beautiful Ron Fream design considered the South's #1 course)

The Long Thanh Golf Club offers 36 holes of golf in the former rice paddies and scenic countryside surrounding Saigon. The Ho Chi Minh City golf course is located 30 kilometers north of the city on a bluff with unobstructed views back towards the Vietnamese capital.

Both the Hill and Lake course are well maintained throughout the year and the golf courses are a longtime favorite among locals. Many expatriates and Vietnam golf visitors prefer Long Thanh Golf Club over its more famous neighbor Vietnam Golf & Country Club.

The Hill Course features rolling fairways and large undulating greens. Large oil palms frame each hole. The Lake Course is characterized by many high lipped bunkers and water hazards on almost every hole to catch errant shots. Both courses feature Paspalum grassed fairways and tee boxes. Putting greens use Tifdwarf Bermuda grass which can roll anywhere from 8 to 10. This combination of grasses matches other top courses in the region. The rough at Long Thanh is cut relatively short and poses no real challenge.

All 36 holes have their character shape, and this wide variety makes for good challenges for both serious amateurs and professional golfers. Higher handicappers might prefer the Lake Course, however, which is relatively flatter.

Hole 13, a par-3 on the Hill Course is the signature hole and features a choice two greens equally good. Both require accurate tee shot as there is out-of-bounds over putting surface. The shorter putting area is possibly even more difficult surrounded by the 'Great Wall of Long Thanh,' with club selection being of prime importance, as there is water guarding the front and a rock face behind the green. This is a once seen never forgotten hole.

Another great hole at Long Thanh is the par-5, 14th hole on Hill Course. The longer you hit the ball, the tighter the fairway gets. If you can't reach the green in two shots, the lay-up shot requires real accuracy as there is out-of-bounds on the right and a lake on the left. There are frequently some big scores on this hole.

Both the Lake and Hill Courses are walking courses with single or shared golf carts being optional. Caddies, of whom 50% are male, are very good as most are long-standing employees at Long Thanh and some are even single handicappers themselves.

The Long Thanh Golf Club and Residential Estate have also spared no expense to build an elaborate clubhouse. The locker and changing rooms might be the plushest in Saigon. Ask for a shoe shine after your round. The pro shop is adequate, but often only stocked with a fleeing selection of merchandise. The main restaurant serves a fine selection of both Vietnamese and Western food for golfers after their rounds in both indoor and outdoor setting. It might be better however if the restaurant were more centrally located to take advantage of the excellent views of the Saigon skyline.

Tan Son Nhat Golf Course Description:

Tan Son Nhat Golf Course is a public golf course located 4 kilometers from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. Built across 156 hectares, the 36-hole Tan Son Nhat Golf Course borders the Tan Son Nhat Airport – the busiest in Vietnam.

Nelson & Haworth Golf Course Architects designed a top course out of the surrounding flattish land. Significant earth mounding, many water hazards, large bunkers, and undulating greens characterize every hole. Paspalum turf used on the tees, fairway, rough, and greens ensure top year-round playing conditions. The Saigon golf course is a modern city layout, and Vietnam's most populated city's skyline is viewable from practically every hole.

Course A plays away from the clubhouse and in an area designated for apartments, villas and an on-site hotel. Course B, C, and D all start at the clubhouse. Each nine is equally challenging and well-maintained the par-5’s play long and mostly into the wind. Avoid the greenside bunkers on the par-3’s for good par opportunities.

The Tan Son Nhat clubhouse is one of the largest in Asia and can accommodate not only golfers, but large banquets weddings, and other official functions for up to 5,000 guests at a time. The on-site restaurant serves tasty Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese and western dishes at very reasonable prices, with Korea dishes the specialties.

Other faculties including pro shop, driving range, chipping and putting areas, locker rooms, and changing areas are all first rate. Tan Son Nhat Golf Club runs under the supervision of the Vietnam Ministry of Defense. Golf carts are mandatory and relegated to cart paths only, although prices are reasonable and golfers can still choose to walk the fairways while caddies drive. Speaking of caddies, they are all male army recruits with an excellent service mindset, though limited English skills.

Song Be Golf Resort

Twin Doves Golf Club Description:
(exclusive well-maintained members course)

The Twin Doves Golf Club offers a 27-hole international standard championship members golf course. Located 1.5 hours from Saigon, the Twin Doves parkland course is broken into three nines named Luna, Mare, and Sole. The Saigon golf course is one of the best-conditioned layouts in the Saigon area and makes excellent use of Paspalum turf and extensive landscaping.

With the views of rural Vietnam, the Luna Course comprises many small hills, fruit orchards, and neighboring forests. The mounding and land shapes combine to form challenging hazards. Five of the holes are connected by rolling hills and the rest are separated by  tree-lined fairways.

The Mare Course is more natural with all holes flanked by creeks and trees. Fairways are narrow, and accurate shot making is critical to score well. Most of the greens are multi-tiered and guarded by water hazards, making shot accuracy once again paramount to a good score. The Mare Course is the most exciting of the 3 nines.

The Sole Course features island green, beach bunkers, and plays around a blue lake. This makes the nine both visually appealing and challenging. Also unique to this nine is the presence of seven par-4’s and only one each, par-3 and par-5.  Most golfers prefer to avoid the Sole Curse for this unconventional routing.  In any case, this nine is still attractive with a series of natural water hazards and challenges.

As expected of a private members club the Twin Doves facilities are all 5-star. Locker rooms, practice areas, and probably the best pro-shop in Saigon all enhance the enjoyment of golf at twin Doves. The international restaurant serves a variety Vietnamese, Asian, and Western fare but specializes in Korean dishes for most of the membership. Open air overlooking the golf course as well as air-conditioned dining options are provided to ensure enjoyment by all visiting Saigon golfers. 

Policies

Flexibility is our strongest point. You can amend your booking when it is made. Just contact us at info@vietgreentravel.com or golf@vietgreentravel.com  with your booking number. Our reservations team is glad to amend your booking accordingly.