Vietnam - Asia's Top Golfing Hub

There has been a meteoric surge in Vietnam's popularity as a golfing destination over the last several years.

And in this regard, there are a few things definitely worth mentioning. The International Association of Golf Tour Operators dubbed the country as the "Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year" only 10 years ago. Five short years later, the World Golf Awards crowned it "Asia's Best Golf Destination." It took another two years, but in 2019 Vietnam was named the "World's Best Golf Destination" by the World Golf Awards. No surprise here!

To keep up with the trend, over 80 golf courses were opened and operational across the country in 2020, at least a third of which are of worldwide five-star grade and connected to premium lodges. By 2025, the number of golf courses in Vietnam is projected to reach 200, attracting 300,000 golfers, including locals, expats, and tourists.

At the same time, Golf in Vietnam is expanding rapidly, as in 2019 Forbes magazine named the country “the world's biggest golf market” and world-renowned architects are constantly constructing brand new courses.

The weather is mild enough to allow for sporting events to be held all year round, and the scenery is already beautiful, so architects and landscape artists need only work in harmony with their surroundings to create breathtaking works of art across the fields.

A wonderful golf vacation may be had in any month of the year in Vietnam, thanks to the country's wonderful warm climate. Vietnam has a 3,260-kilometer coastline and a very varied topography, with almost three-quarters of the nation being mountainous. Golf courses may be built across varied landscapes provided by the entire territory of the country.

It's dry and chilly in the north from November to April, which makes for ideal playing conditions. From February through May, the weather in central Vietnam is cold and dry. As the climate of Ho Chi Minh City and the rest of southern Vietnam is very constant, it makes for a great location for sporting events any time of year. If you're looking for a place to cool down, try the hills. Places like Dalat will have pleasant mist and mountain winds. Warm weather characterises daily life in the tropics. Throughout the months of May through November, precipitation is more common, although even then, it usually consists of just a few hours of torrential rain that swiftly disappears to reveal clear sky.

So every corner of Vietnam has at least one golf course.

Coastal communities like Danang have some of the greatest nightlife in the country. Hoiana Shores is distinguished by meandering sand dunes and stupendous fading ocean vistas. Two further courses in this seaside city that are worth playing are Danang Golf Club and Montgomerie Links. Dalat Palace Golf Club, located in the mountains of central Vietnam, is the ideal facility for golf courses because of its field's grass density and possibility to be tightly mown, while thriving in colder temperatures, and there is no other location in Vietnam that provides such a welcoming setting.

The presence of well-known golf course designers is a major factor in making Vietnam a desirable golf tourist destination. In addition to the aforementioned Danang Golf Club, Greg Norman is responsible for the creation of several more nationally acclaimed courses.

The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip is often referred to be Norman's "masterpiece" in Vietnam. Located approximately an hour and a half south-east of Ho Chi Minh City, in a little fishing village known as Ho Tram, this course has been recognised as the "World's Best New Golf Course" by the World Golf Awards.

The holes at The Bluffs are cut through sand dunes that may reach heights of 50 metres, while the course itself is laid out on a seaside plateau. With its undulating terrain and varied elevations, this course offers breathtaking vistas of the East Sea. A premium resort and entertainment complex named The Grand Ho Tram is connected to The Bluffs, and it has a casino and an exquisite seaside eatery.

Greg Norman is also responsible for the design of the KN Golf Links course in Nha Trang, featuring sand dunes, panoramic vistas of the course, green fairways and bunkers.

Some of the country's finest golf courses may be found in Hanoi. Peter Rousseau's 18-hole par 72 Van Tri course has intricate patterns and water creeks on several holes to up the difficulty level. Due to the limited volume of players, ensured by the policy of exclusivity, the course is always in flawless shape.

Sky Lake Resort and Golf Club, located just 45 kilometres from the heart of Hanoi, is the fifth finest course in Vietnam and the greatest championship layout. Courses at the club were created by Korean architect Ahn Moon Hwan. While the Sky Course winds through somewhat tamed woodland, it is not as easy as the longer and more difficult Lake Course. The hilly 36-hole resort offers breathtaking views of a massive natural lake, making it an ideal getaway for families.

In terms of golfing destinations, Vietnam tops the charts in both Asia and the rest of the world.

Those who go to Vietnam already know that the country is a fantastic place to play golf, but that's not all. Vietnam's golf tourism has been recognised on a global scale, with the country taking home several global prizes.

Vietnam was named "Asia's Best Golf Destination" for the sixth year in a row at the 9th annual World Golf Awards, held on November 15, 2022 in Abu Dhabi. Thailand, long known as a fantastic golf tourist destination, Japan, with over 2,000 outstanding and elite courses, and Korea, where golf is so wildly popular that courses are erected next to each other to accommodate the enormous amount of players, all make this victory even more impressive. This triumph is a clear indication of Vietnam's continued success in the sector and a boon for the country's future.

 

Source: breakingtravelnews.com