With my American golf exploration reaching saturation levels, I have begun to set my sites on interesting international golf destinations. Aside from the obvious destinations like Scotland, Ireland and Australia there were few that piqued my interest more than Vietnam. With sandy soil and 2.030 miles of coastline, Vietnam is poised for a boom in golf tourism.
When Scott Resch from Asia Golf Trips reached out with an opportunity to experience Vietnam, I was instantly curious. Scott has started a Vietnam golf tourism company and he offers a luxury golf experience at the very best hotels and golf courses in Vietnam. The prospect of experiencing Vietnam was tantalizing but it was Scott’s passion and genuine joy about his new venture that truly excited me. Scott loves golf, he loves Vietnam and he puts together one hell of a golf trip.
Stop 1: Saigon and The Bluffs Grand Ho Tram
Flying into Ho Chi Minh City is an excellent way to start the trip. First you get to yell “Good Morning Vietnam!” out of your hotel window and then you get a heavy dose of culture and some pretty interesting options to explore in the city. The hotels on this trip were all five star and the first was one of Saigon’s most notable. The Caravelle Saigon was a hub of communication during the war and is now one of the city’s finest.
It was pleasant to arrive after a long flight and have some time to to unwind and a cool city like Saigon to explore at a leisurely pace before tackling the golf.
Back in 2015, The Bluffs Grand Ho Tram was named the “Worlds best New Golf Course.” Sadly, I wasn’t there for the official vote and I was eager to visit and validate the lofty ranking. I am able to confirm that this Greg Norman links style design certainly does a great job of keeping its foot on the gas. There are very few golf holes that don’t hold your interest from a strategic or visual perspective. The course is fun to play and I was impressed from the very first hole. This Vietnam golf trip was going to be fun.
The photo above gives the viewer a great idea of the potential with the coastline in Vietnam. The sandy soil and sea views provide the perfect setting for world class golf. The Bluffs Grand Ho Tram uses this terrain to its success.
The Bluffs Grand Ho Tram finishes with a serious test on the 18th hole. This beast played a critical role in Sergio Garcia’s win at the 2015 Ho Tram Open. It will undoubtedly play a critical role in your final score.
One of the most unique things about golf in Vietnam are the caddies. My particular experience has been limited to American and European caddies, but the caddies in Asia bring a special touch to the game.
Caddies are almost always female.
Caddies are always well dressed.
Caddies take their job very seriously.
Caddies are passionate about delivering a quality service.
“They genuinely love their jobs and want to see their players succeed and have fun. It’s obvious, and that’s refreshing.”
Stop 2: Hòi An with Hoiana Shores Golf Club & Danang Golf Club
Things picked up a notch after we boarded a quick flight to Danang and found ourselves on the streets of Hoi An. Aside from the golf, I would have come to Vietnam just for the experience of walking the streets of Hoi An. There are unique street vendors everywhere and a plethora of opportunities for entertainment and dining. It is a truly unique experience that that must be explored.
Our hotel was just a short river walk away from the action in Hoi An. The Anantara Hoi An Resort provides an ideal jumping off point for a sunset cruise or bicycle ride ride as you explore the rich cultural heritage of the area. As with all of the hotels on this journey, the Anantara Hoi An Resort was first class. Even though we were close to the action on the streets it felt like we had our own little oasis.
After taking in the streets of Hoi An it was time to get serious and take on the shores of Hoi An at Hoiana Shores. We headed over to the Robert Trent Jones Jr golf course and observed a promising sandy landscape with an ominous sky. I snapped several photographs before the skies opened up with a serious but brief downpour. We huddled in the clubhouse for cover.
Just as we had conceded that this was not going to be our day for photographs. The skies showed promise. “Hey, this could get good.” Several moments later the sun popped through the clouds and illuminated the sandy dunes and the rippled turf grass. “Hot Fire!” I screamed as I scampered from dune to dune to capture the magic. Please enjoy the fruits of this spectacular sunset below.
The sunset even offered up a Vietnamese rainbow. After focusing mostly on United States rainbows for decades, I can tell you that Vietnamese rainbows have at least 25% more vibrance. You simply cannot call yourself a rainbow enthusiast until you have experienced a Vietnamese rainbow.
I managed some more normal pictures the next morning as we took to the business of playing Hoiana Shores. This golf course is as much fun to play as it is to look at. The golf holes have a sandy links feel to them and every hole is a fun and scenic challenge. The dunes provide just the right amount of penalty for a wayward shot and a well struck ball is rewarded with an ideal angle. It is high quality golf at Hoiana Shores and perhaps the best in Vietnam.
The splendid par 3 17th at Hoiana Shores
The finishing holes are especially strong at Hoiana Shores and the course has the same finishing routing as Chambers Bay. RTJ Jr has simply replaced the Puget Sound with the East Vietnam Sea. Since Chambers Bay is one of my favorite golf courses, I was in familiar and happy territory.
Stop 3: Danang Golf Club
With our headquarters at the Anantara Resort in Hoi An we had another option for golf at Danang Golf Club. We decided to take advantage of the Jack Nicklaus Design. There is also a Greg Norman design at the club that is notably better, but it was under construction and we pulled the trigger on the Nicklaus design. The experience was worth it when we reached the 18th hole.
We made new friends on the tee box at Danang and despite the language barrier, we were bonded by the golf experience. Since we had started on the 10th hole, our finishing hole was the par 3 9th and there was talk on the tee of an ace. I fired one right at the flag that caused some ruckus but came up about 5 feet short. Scott sent one pin high but about 5 feet left of the target.
Mr Tan took the tee and delivered what looked like perfection. We weren’t sure that the golf ball had dropped from our vantage point, but we definitely saw it disappear. We weren’t positive that Mr Tan had made an ace until our caddie ran up excitedly to confirm that the ball was actually in the hole. It was the very first ace on the 9th hole at Nicklaus’ Danang Golf Club. Our caddie’s reaction was truly priceless.
She ran up there so fast that I barely had time to capture her reaction. @AsiaGolfTrips pic.twitter.com/L7Ga1Zfcuq
— Patrick Koenig (@patrickjkoenig) July 14, 2024
Stop 4: The Imperial City of Hué
One of the best things about the game of golf is that it brings you to some pretty amazing locations. Scott with Asia Golf Trips made sure that we took a moment at every location to look beyond the golf course. After settling into our 5 star accommodations at Azerai La Residence in Hué we met up with another expert guide and one of Scott’s friends named Lan. Lan was our local expert for The Imperial City of Hué and she showed us around one of Vietnam’s most historic and compelling locations.
The Azerai La Residence in Hue shines even on an overcast morning.
The Imperial City of Hue is also known as The Citadel and it dates back to 1803 when it was the capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen Dynasty. The city remained the seat of power in Vietnam until the French imposition of the 1880’s. Years later it would serve as a major battle site during the Vietnam War. Out of the 160 buildings at The Citadel only 10 remained after the conflict was resolved. The majority of the buildings have been restored but bullet holes still remain as a sign of the past.
The entire 1.2 square mile complex is a true pleasure to explore. With ornate gates and gardens around every corner, The Citadel was a beautiful and historic walk that offered a peak into the history and pride of Vietnam. I believe this to be one of the finest walks and experiences in all of Vietnam.
Stop 5: Laguna Lang Co
When it comes to orchestrating the perfect golf trip, Scott is no amateur and he wisely saved one of the best locations for last. As usual, Scott had everything flowing in the right direction.
To start things off, my room at Laguna Lang resort was spectacular and even featured my own personal pool. If the golf was even half as good as the accommodations, we were in for a bang up finale.
The Nick Faldo design does not disappoint. On the 3rd hole you will be treated to one of the more unique tee shots as you play your drive over an old terraced rice paddy. If that does nothing for you, your second shot you will be overseen by the course’s permanent residents, a herd of half a dozen water buffalo. The mighty beasts are friendly but displayed a complete lack of interest in my powerful 3 wood approach.
The 8th hole features a striking par 3 infinity green that looks over the Chan May Bay. If the view wasn’t enough, the golf hole also features the opportunity to earn a complimentary flight back to Vietnam. As usual, I hit my approach to 10 feet and missed the putt.
The 9th hole is a short par 4 but the visual treats lurk to the left on Laguna’s 19th hole. The original plans called for additional holes of golf to be built but the par 3 above is currently the only additional hole on the property. The seaside treat is a treasure to look at, but you will have to convince your caddies to let you play it. Since we had a large gap behind us, we were able to swing it. The sand crabs made sure that we kept up with the pace of play.
The remainder of the back nine plays back and forth through the sandy terrain against a dramatic jungle mountain backdrop. The setting alone makes this round of golf worth the price of admission. This was the only golf course on the trip that we played twice and the second time around was just as adventurous and enjoyable as the first time.
Stop 6: The airport and a ride back home
My time in Vietnam had come to a close and I had a brief moment to reflect on the trip before embarking on a journey back to California.
I have taken many golf trips all across the world in my lifetime and some experiences will certainly stand out from others. My time in Scotland and Ireland will always stick out as memorable and my trip Around The World with Troon was insane. However, this trip to Vietnam with Asia Golf Trips was special for many reasons.
Aside from the people that I met and the places that I discovered here are my takeaways from Scott and the Asia Golf Trips experience.
There are zero things to worry about. Culture, currency, conundrums. Scott has it covered.
Scott has a passion for golf and the country of Vietnam and it makes a great impact on your experience.
Flexibility is built into the plan. When shit hits the fan, the fun meter goes up.
Want something, just voice your opinion and Scott almost always makes it happen.
Scott is a rad ass dude. Don’t underestimate the importance of a guaranteed All Star performance.
“I’ve been playing golf in Vietnam since 2006 and I always look forward to it. Because every time I do, I come away with an incredible memory. I launched this business though because I want others to feel what that’s like. And it’s been such a rush to see their reactions and open a door for them they never knew existed. ”
If you are looking to create your own Vietnam experience, I would highly encourage you to get in touch with Scott here. Just tell him that Large Marge sent you and you will be in good hands.