Like to know a little more about golf in and general information about Vietnam?
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A Brief History of Vietnam
If you think golf can only be played in a very relaxed environment, you could only be so amazed at the rate of
development of golf currently taking place in this country if you knew the turmoil that the country has gone
through. Yes, we are talking about the war with the Americans too, and NO we are not talking about that war alone
but the entire period of continuous wars that had so much unsettled the country and its people for the last
millenium and more! Did you mention your golf booking, Sir? It must have been temporarily bumped out of the
priority list because a war had just set in...Let's see..if we could locate your booking slip in the post-war
archive...but which war?
The Bronze Age? Probably not. The Dong Son culture of the Bronze Age in the 3rd. Century B.C. can be taken as the
point of emergence of the country as such of Vietnam. From the 1st. to the 6th. Century A.D., the country was
roughly divided into halves with the north closer to the culture of the further north while the south saw the infuence
of Hindu culture in the Kingdoms of Funan and Champa, near present day Danang/Nha Trang area. This period of a
divided country was followed by a thousand-year of a loose colonisation by the various dynasties of China.
Roughly at the turn of the second millenium Vietnam got its 'independence' but wars did not end there, for
otherwise with a litte luck, we could possibly have located your golf booking slip. For the next few centuries,
the country took a border expansion drive to include the Mekong-Cuu Long delta in the south while continuously
repelling the marauding Chinese in the north to keep their present day border intact.
In the middle of the Nineteenth Century, the French, with good excuses of course, invaded and colonized the country
which together with Cambodia and Lao became part of French Cochinchina. And thus began the war of resistence
against the colonialists.
It wasn't until the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and the Geneva Accords in 1953/4 that forced the exit of the French
who nonetheless, under the big picture of the Cold War, left behind a less than desirable political legacy of a
communist north and a pro-West south.
For the next two decades or so, the divided Vietnamese people of the north and the south played proxies on their own land
to the various world powers and fought among themselves apparently in their independent pursuit of a political ideology defined by
Communism and Capitalism. The Tet Offensive of 1968 and the Paris Peace Agreement signified the victory of the
communist north under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh and the nation celebrated, only to discover almost immediately
that the political trophy so hard won now rang hollow in terms of an ideology that seemed to have endured well
past its expiry date!
The end of the Cold War meant a change in direction for many countries previously in close association with the
Soviet Union. It was no exception for Vietnam and the country has since embarked on a path of openness to the
outside world.
And golf, in all probability, is no longer seen as a decadence. All are welcome!
Golf Courses in Vietnam:
Ocean Dunes Golf Club of Phan Thiet, Vietnam -
Ocean Dunes Golf Club openned in 1996 and immediately set the standard in Southeast Asia for links-golf. Laid out
by Masters and British Open champion Nick Faldo, it winds through a pleasing obstacle course of windswept
dunes and shimmering water hazards, with coastal breezes shaping its character on a day-by-day basis. It is an
outstanding natural course with the sand dunes, sea breeze, beach vegetation and sea views determining
the routing and it's arid look. It has the feel and the playability of early Scottish seaside courses in a tropical
climate, according to designer Faldo. Measuring 6,746 yards, this Par-72 18-hole is a sister-course to the Dalat
Palace Golf Club up in the highlands.
An Update on Golf Scene in Phan Thiet:
A newly created links golf course will open its first 9 holes in May 2008.
Sea Links Golf & Country Club - Phan Thiet-Mui Ne, a Ronald Fream-designed
18-hole course will be the latest to add to the string of golf courses mushroomed in Vietnam in recent years.
Situated on a cliff and sandy dunes, it will cover 130 hectares and at some point, over 50 meters above sea level
providing some spectacular views of the ocean below. The course will 'exceed global standards' and 'impress...golfers
instantly' and the complex will also include a 'state of the art 5* hotel', so says the promotions.
Watch this space for more update! (Dated: 7th. February 2008 - Lunar Tet)
Dalat Palace Golf Club of Vietnam -
An architect from its colonial office dreamed of building a golf course early in the nineteen-twenties but it
wasn't until much later into the decade and not least with support from the country's most prominent golfer, the
last Emperor of Vietnam, the late Bao Dai, that the dream came to fruition. Billy Casper, to add to the fairy tale
background of this facinating golf course, played here
during the Vietnam War, just months before heading home to beat Arnold Palmer in the US Open of 1966. Today,
measuring 7,010 yards and over-looking the Xuan Huong Lake, it is one of the top-rated courses in Vietnam and famed
for its classic design, the hilly and challenging terrain and its impeccably maintained Bentgrass condition.
Indeed, Dalat Palace is one of the few courses in South East Asia with Bentgrass, thanks to the highlands' cool
climate.
Additionally, if there is a special feature other than the good condition of the course that seperates this course with the many
others, it will have to be the carefully designed lengths of the holes. Try it and you will discover; at the end of
the day all the clubs in the bag will have at some point been used. Four different tee areas on each hole allow
the player to determine his/her own index (or the degree of challenge). Such is the freedom to difficulty, and hence
lies the real challenge.
Hanoi
Tam Dao Golf Resort of Hanoi -
Set in the beautiful Tam Dao mountain area, 45 and 65 kilometers northwest of Noi Bai Airport and Hanoi respectively,
this 18-hole Par-72 6,600-meter championship golf course designed by IMG consists of lakes, running streams and
strategic bunkering all together providing a challenging layout for golfers of all levels. The course is covered
with Salam Paspalum on the fairways and Sea Isle 2000 Paspalum for the greens.
Chi Linh Star Golf and Country Club of Hanoi -
About one hour's drive from Hanoi on the way to Halong Bay, the country club spreads over a huge and
magnificent valley nestling beside a large lake and surrounded by hectares of rolling forest hills. The entire
complex of golf courses and resort includes two 18-hole courses, a five-star hotel, 300 villas and a wide
range of sporting and recreational facilities.
Designed by Australian Independent Golf Course Services, it is the premier golf club in the north of Vietnam.
The Course features a 36-hole golfing challenge constructed and designed to international standards.
Kings' Island Golf & Country Club of Ha Tay, Hanoi -
This course is the first in Vietnam, some claim. Situated in Ha Tay province, Kings' Island Golf is an international, 36-hole
golf club located 36 km west of Hanoi and 45 km from Noi Bai International Airport. The course is built along the
shores of Dong Mo Lake/Reservoir in the Kings' Valley and thus the name. Access to the course is by boat.
The majestic Ba Vi Mountain Range and over 1,000 hectares of water surface ensure that the course is one of the most
scenic golf destinations in Southeast Asia.
The course, covering over 300 hectares, consists of two 18-hole courses seperately designed and built. The Lake View
Course, as the name suggests, has water as its main feature. Not least designed by Robert MacFarland, nature
herself has created a superb setting for this very challenging 6,454-yard Par-72 course with more than 10 holes
heavily guarded by water hazards. The Mountain View Course, designed by Pacific Coast Design Pty. Ltd. of Australia,
takes maximum advantage of the natural layout of the mountain and surrounding trees. Measuring 7,000 yards,
this course is suitable for all levels.
Dam Vac Golf & Country Club of Hanoi -
Dam Vac Golf & Country Club was designed to create a unique golfing experience in a peaceful setting in harmony
with its natural surroundings. The course, approximately 40 km from Hanoi and covering some 90 hactares, blends well
with the lake which is the main feature of the entire complex and was created by the completion of the Dam Vac Reservoir
in the Vinh Phuc Province. An abundance of palm and evergreen trees provide a picturesque setting to entice any
golf enthusiast to challenge his/her physical and mental abilities.
The special attractions of this Graham Taylor-designed course has to be the 'beach' bunkers which share the borderline with
the water of the lake thereby allowing the water to meet the sand at some part. Depending on your luck, a normal
well-practised bunker play could well
turn into a mess of sand-mud if the ball would so unkindly land on some damp patches. The greens are generally large
but the treacherous slope could prove decisive on many holes.
Hanoi International Golf Club of Vietnam -
If you are interested in the layout of a golf complex quite unlike most others, this is it. Designed by Susumu
Fujiwara and assisted in administration by the Hirao Country Club of Aichi Prefecture of Japan, this course has its
clubhouse smacked right in the middle of the course so as to provide a panoramic view of the entire complex. It
is, quite expectedly, a Japanese investment and is popularly known in the fraternity as simply 'The Hanoi Golf
Club'. The course is less than an hour's drive from Hanoi City centre, and if you wish you could be at the first tee
15 minutes after successfully emerging from the immigration check at the Noi Bai International Airport of the
capital city.
Covering 108 hectares and measuring 7,076 yards, this 18-hole Par-72 course is built at the foot of the low-lying
nearby mountains with gentle slopes over the 20-meter elevation difference between the highest and the lowest points.
The design concept is to make the course more easily manageable and the play enjoyable for all levels of golfers and
this is
evident in the generous fairways and the space in between them. The front nine is relatively flat with wide open
fairways where OB's are hardly visible thereby making it particularly suitable for 'hard drives' off the tee, or in
the designer's own words:
"...to rip it!", if you can that is. The back nine however adds more variety in
the uphill and downhill holes all requiring careful selection of suitable clubs for more accurate placement shots.
The greens are large and undulating so to serve a fitting test for a championship course.
Ho Chi Minh City
Song Be Golf Resort of Ho Chih Minh City -
Conveniently located just north of Ho Chi Minh City, Song Be Golf Resort is only about half-an-hour's drive from the
city centre and Tan Son Nhat Airport. This 18-hole Par-72 6,270m golf course received the USGA course rating in late
1995 and thus became Vietnam's first international standard golf course.
Covering over 100 hectares of land surrounded by the lush green of fruit gardens and coconut plantations, this course
features numerous lakes and undulating greens. In fact, nearly half the course has water hazards as the main obstacle;
together with the rest it offers an interesting mix of challenges. Designed by IGCC of Australia, this course has
as a tradition only female caddies and it is a walking course. The fairway grass is Zoysia Strain and the greens are
turfed with Tifdwarf 328.
Bo Chang Dong Nai Golf Resort of Ho Chi Minh City -
They say, the Bo Chang Dong Nai Resort offers visitors some of the best scenery of southern Vietnam in its 27-hole
golf course. Well, we only believe what we see for real. Located just about an hour's drive from downtown Ho Chi Minh
City, the Bo Chang course is divided into three 9-hole courses, namely the A Course (3,427-yard), the B Course
(3,444-yard) and the C Course (3,510-yard). The complex covers about 250 hectares and is surrounded by countryside
scenery. The main feature of the course is in the numerous lakes and ponds inevitably providing some natural and strategic
water hazards. Otherwise, there is an abundance of tropical flora and fauna lining the sides of the fairways to muse
errant shots.
The Long Thanh Golf Club of Ho Chi Minh City -
Voted 'The Best Golf Course in Vietnam' by regular golfers of the country, The Long Thanh Golf Club is situated
about 40 minutes' drive from the center of Saigon. Currently there are 36 holes open for play. More development are
in the pipeline according to the official website of this family-run golf and resort investment business.
Unlike others, this course appears to have a continuous 36 holes all lined up if you can last the distance. Designed
by Ronald Fream, each hole has its own characteristic shape and offers superb view of the surrounding. Oil palm trees
are the mainstay of the greenery and many line the sides of the fairways. Paspalum grass is used for the fairways
while the greens are turfed with Tifdwarf. To make a more complete pleasure in playing the game here, the rough is
regularly kept short so that balls could be easily found! Says alot of the personal touch and considerateness of a
family-run golf course doesn't it?
Vietnam Golf & Country Club of Ho Chi Minh City -
This is the first 36-hole golf club in Vietnam and is widely regarded as the country's
premier course, according to some source. Well, when in doubt, check the distance! Located about 20 km from the
centre of Ho Chi Minh City, this golf club is also the nearest from the city amongst all.
Covering some 300 hectares of land, the entire complex is made up of two 18-hole courses, namely the East Course
(6,950 yards) and the West Course (7,100 yards), delicately carved out of the existing woodland with minimal changes
to the original landscape and terrain. The West course which opened first in 1994, was designed by Taiwanese
architect Chen King Shih. This Par-72 Championship Course hosted the Vietnam Open (part of Asian Tour Circuit) in
1995 and 1997. The course winds its way through the trees leaving little space on the ground and many hazards waving
at the tree tops. Understandably it demands good judgement and accurate tee shots for strategic placements. The greens are turfed with Bermuda
Tifeagle which provides for good putting surface all year round.
Lee Trevino designed the East Course which opened three years later. This course has a links-style layout featuring
wide rolling fairways with the Bermuda Tifdwarf-covered greens heavily protected by many well positioned bunkers.
It staged the ASEAN Charity Golf Tournament in 1999 in aid of the Ho Chi Minh Hospital.
Vungtau Paradise Golf Resort of Ho Chi Minh City -
More than three kilometres of sparkling white beach, constant soothing breeze coupled with a
spectacular ocean view from the tee, a challenging 27-hole championship golf course and more - all these combine to
provide a great golfing experience as well as entertainment for anyone visiting this fabulous resort. Popular
with both locals and foreigners, Vungtau Paradise Golf Resort is a Par-72 6,830-yard regulation course designed by
Taiwanese architects. Touted as the first seaside course in Vietnam, its main feature lies in its making use
of the vast openness for a links-style layout.
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