Tiger Tales

On The Birdie Trail

Vietnam’s alluring array of golf courses remains largely undiscovered. Duncan Forgan dusts off his clubs to criss-cross the nation on his own personal golfing odyssey

As I pull in to the driveway of Vietnam Golf and Country Club, on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, the beautifully manicured fairways and greens are bathed in an irresistible glow. I am about to start a golfing odyssey that will take me thousands of kilometres through one of the most alluring countries in the world.

I have long been aware that South-East Asia possesses some sublime golfing real estate. In Thailand, you can barely take a short tuk-tuk ride without stumbling on a course while Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and even the Philippines also have a wealth of top layouts. Vietnam, however, is an unknown entity to me. The liberal in me is slightly uncomfortable with the appropriation of the wartime route used by the North Vietnamese to move troops and supplies to sell a pastime well-known for being somewhat bourgeois. However, at the same time I cannot help but salivate at the prospect of playing fairways that wind through jungle, between shimmering lagoons and along the shores of the South China Sea. Vietnam’s tragic recent history only adds to the intrigue. How will it feel to play a game more closely associated with Uncle Sam than Uncle Ho in a battle-scarred and fiercely proud country? I’m about to find out.

Designed by American “major” winner Lee Trevino, the East Course at Vietnam Golf and Country Club is a gentle test with wide fairways that offer a margin of error as generous as a burger addict’s waistline. Unfortunately, nearly every shot I hit skids off the nether regions of my clubs and into water hazards and bushes. A firmly struck six-iron brings a birdie at the short 17th, but in truth, it is an inauspicious start. Solace awaits up a narrow alley in Ho Chi Minh City’s backpacker district, Pham Ngu Lao, where some cold Saigon beers and a US$2 (A$2/S$3) seafood banquet served at a dinner table of Lilliputian dimensions help to restore equilibrium.

The next day I strike out north. The first stop is the course at Long Thanh where I pair up with José, a Spanish expat who now lives in Ho Chi Minh City, where he runs a shoe export business. Neither of us hit top form around the testing Hill Course and the multitude of Korean tourists betting their way around the links makes for a rate of progress that would shame a narcoleptic sloth. It is, however, interesting to hear José’s take on the game in Vietnam. “It’s getting there for sure,” he tells me. “And there are some interesting courses in the pipeline. But more has to be done to encourage local participation. At the moment it’s just for the rich and if that continues the game will get a bad reputation among the people.” It’s not hard to see his point. A round of golf in Vietnam averages about US$90 (A$98/S$126). Compared to “green fees” in the developed world, this represents decent if not amazing value. Judged in the context of a country where the majority of the population gets by on less than US$200 (A$217/S$279) a month, the cost seems slightly less egalitarian.

That evening, after a three-hour drive to the seaside resort of Mui Ne, I find myself enjoying the sunset over the South China Sea in a mood of anticipation. After two days of serviceable, yet not earth-shattering golf I am looking forward to putting my wobbly game under a more exacting spotlight at the Nick Faldo-designed Ocean Dunes course in Phan Thiet.

General Manager Kurt Greve greets me at the club. “You’ve got a great morning for it,” he says. “But it’s going to get pretty hot.” By the time I have completed the front nine his prophecy is borne out. The course itself is a cut above. Splendid holes include the 2nd, a dogleg par four with a death-or-glory carry over sandy scrub, the 5th, a long par five with water all down the right, and the signature 9th, a spectacular par three played through a funnel of pine trees towards a green raised high above the beach. However, the temperature has sent my sweat glands into overdrive. It is only now that I appreciate how hard the petite female caddies work to make the customers feel better about themselves. “You are a very handsome man,” says Van as I squint at her, my red face drenched in liquid, and ask for my putter. Beauty is clearly in the eye of the beholder.

Later, I put José’s concerns about costs to Kurt. Although he is conscious that efforts need to be made to make golf accessible to ordinary Vietnamese, he believes that the industry is on the right track. “At the end of the day we at the clubs have to make a profit,” he says. “We deliver an incredible product in an incredible country at a very fair price. The fact of the matter is that most people who play the game here are tourists and expats who have that little bit more disposable income and we cater to that demand.

“At the same time we want to do our bit for the country we operate in. We are major employers, we train our employees to a high professional standard and we are looking to introduce a golf academy to give locals the chance to sample the game for themselves. Sure you can pick out negatives if you really want to, but there are lots of positives, too.”

The weather is more to my taste up in the hills at Dalat Palace Golf Club, the oldest club in Vietnam. The course, originally laid out in 1922 with the endorsement of Vietnam’s last emperor Bao Dai, himself a keen golfer, is a beauty. The holes are inventive and demanding, the twists and undulations are breathtaking and the landscaping is exquisite with bougainvillea and mimosa combining with lagoons and mature trees to create an atmosphere of bucolic peace.

The air of joie de vivre seems to help my game, too. On my first outing I perform admirably, but when I squeeze in another nine holes before making the long trip to Hanoi I am on fire — two birdies helping me to an unprecedented score (for me) of one under par. “I think you will keep this scorecard,” guesses my caddy correctly.

After failing to recapture the magic at the enjoyable Lakeside Course at the King’s Island Club just outside the capital, I take a break from golf to explore the city’s famous Old Quarter. I haggle for the perfect pair of mod Cuban heels, edge my way between squirming baskets of fish and frogs at an outdoor market and escape from the incessant hum of motorbikes to enjoy a potent iced coffee on the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake. Later, I finish the day in decadent fashion with a steak at the stately Press Club, and cocktails at the hip Angelina Bar at the Metropole Hotel.

With 90 holes, countless bogeys and a colourful collection of expletives behind me, I reach the historic old trading port of Hoi An desperate to end my trip on a sporting high. My next port of call, the Montgomerie Links – designed by European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie – is a fitting venue for an unspectacular yet solid display marred only by a minor meltdown in a particularly penal greenside bunker. Carved out of a grove of casuarina trees in a stretch of dunes set back from China Beach, the setting is stunning and the course is certainly the most demanding I have played so far.

In May it welcomes an illustrious next-door-neighbour in the form of the Danang Golf Club. This course, designed by Aussie legend Greg Norman, is similar in style to the Montgomerie Links but rustic bunkers and fewer water hazards give it a more natural look. It will also feature a practice facility with swing studios and a custom club-fitting lab — both firsts for Vietnam.

Although the final touches are still being applied at the time of my visit, it doesn’t take much imagination to see that the course is likely to be a glittering addition to Vietnam’s golfing portfolio. That is a point reiterated strongly by the course’s general manager, Howie Roberts. A former golf pro himself, Howie has been based in Asia for eight years, working first at the Vietnam Golf and Country Club and then in Indonesia. The tantalising project at Danang lured him back to Vietnam and his enthusiasm for his work is palpable. “This is going to be one of the best courses in Asia,” he beams. “We don’t expect it to be that busy in the first year, but once our reputation grows – as it will – we really believe this will become a “must-play” for golfers visiting the region. The fact that we have another world-class course next door will make this part of Vietnam a real hub for the game in this country.”

I get to play the closing few holes with Howie. “Slow down, you are swinging way too fast,” he scolds as I head towards the end of my expedition in the same ignominious fashion with which I began it. We reach the short 16th. The green sits invitingly amid the dunes and the ocean crashes onto the white sands beyond. “The best par three in Asia,” beams Howie like a proud parent. I concentrate hard and send my tee-shot sailing to within five feet. There may be another two holes left to play, but for me the Trail has just come to the best conclusion possible.

GETTING AROUND:

Want to make the most of your golfing odyssey? Here’s some tips:  

Vietnam’s public transport system is cheap, extensive and generally very good. Trains serve the coastline connecting Ho Chi Minh City, Danang and Hanoi. The journey between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi costs about US$68/A$74/S$95 for a berth in Soft Sleeper Class. Buses are also generally a very good value and can be used to access golf destinations such as Phan Thiet and Dalat where trains don’t run.  

Private transport is a bit more tricky as self-drive is not possible. Budget (www.budget.com. vn) is the best known of the rental companies and offers special multi-destination golf packages through its website.  

Alternatively,another option is to book your trip through one of Vietnam’s growing number of specialist golf tour operators. Vietnam Golf Vacation (www.. vietnamgolfvacation.com) and Welcome Vietnam Tours (www.. welcomevietnamtours.com) are among those offering packages.

FIND IT:

*Vietnam Golf and Country Club, The Club House, Long Thanh My Ward, District 9, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: +84 (0)8 6280 0101, www.vietnamgolfcc.com4
* Long Thanh Golf Resort, Phuoc Tan Village, Long Thanh District, Dong Nai Province, tel: +84 (0)61 512 512, www.longthanhgolfresort.com.vn
* Ocean Dunes, 1 Ton Duc Thang St, Phan Thiet, tel: +84 (0)62 382 3366, www.vietnamgolfresorts.com
* Dalat Palace Golf Club, Phu Dong Thien Vuong St, Dalat, tel: +84 (0)63 382 1201, www.vietnamgolfresorts.com
* Kings’ Island Golf Course, Dong Mo, Son Tay, Hanoi, tel: +84 (0)343 368 6555, www.kingsislandgolf.com
* Montgomerie Links, Dien Ngoc Commune, Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province, tel: +84 (0)510 394 1942, www.montgomerielinks.com