Da Nang an 80-kilometre stretch of coastline on Vietnam’s eastern shores is home to seven wonderful golf courses – with two of them, Laguna Golf Lăng Cô and Legend Da Nang Golf Resort, Asian Tour Destination venues. Jonathan Ponniah reports on the dunes, paddy fields and beaches of this prime strip of golfing neverland.

1: Vast Variety

Variety, they say, is the spice of life. The same is true for a golf getaway – and Da Nang, in central Vietnam, serves up a delectable mix of golf that whets the appetite and satisfies all cravings.

There are currently no less than seven golf courses in greater Da Nang, along an 80-kilometre coastal stretch from Lăng Cô in the north to Hoi An in the south, with more set to open over the next few years.

From rugged links style courses to parkland layouts and even a highland course, there’s something to suit all preferences in the area known collectively as the Vietnam Golf Coast.

Lady golfer teeing off at the Legend Da Nang Golf Resort’s Norman Course

2: World-Class Designers

Headlining the Da Nang golf portfolio are two Asian Tour Destinations venues, offering layouts designed by three of the biggest names in golf – Laguna Golf Lăng Cô’s Sir Nick Faldo Signature Course, and the Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus 18s of the Legend Da Nang Golf Resort.

The beachside par-four 9th hole of Laguna Golf Lăng Cô

Laguna Golf Lăng Cô’s par-71 layout challenges golfers with sprawling waste areas, massive boulder outcrops and huge, undulating greens, while paddy fields and a beach-fronting stretch midway through add stunning visual aesthetics.

The Legend Da Nang’s links-style Norman Course is reminiscent of traditional Scottish links golf and the sand-belt courses of Norman’s native Australia, featuring wide, rolling fairways, sculptured bunkers, heavily contoured greens and sandy dunes.

The water-laden 18th hole of the Nicklaus Course at Legend Da Nang Golf Resort

The fully floodlit Nicklaus Course plays to a total par of 73, with five par-fives on the scorecard, and has a distinctly Floridian look with lush, tree-lined fairways and scenic water hazards bordered by wooden bulkheads.

Close to The Legend Da Nang is Montgomerie Links Golf Club and its linksy 18 holes designed by Scottish legend Colin Montgomerie, while about half an hour’s drive inland is Luke Donald’s Ba Na Hills Golf Club set in scenic highlands. Da Nang’s current golf inventory is rounded off by two relatively new courses to the south of Hoi An Ancient City – Robert Trent Jones Jr II’s Hoiana Shores and Vinpearl Golf Nam Hoi An.

3: Amazing Hospitality

The central Vietnamese are naturally friendly folk, and they take whatever they do for a living very seriously.
Whichever course you play, the golf experience is enhanced by this trademark efficiency and hospitality. From the reception staff to the well-trained caddies, there is a genuine warmth and an infectious enthusiasm for even the most mundane of services.

Service with a smile at Laguna Golf Lăng Cô

Laguna Golf Lăng Cô’s Director of Golf, Stephen Banks, noted: “What makes Laguna Golf Lăng Cô really special is the people, the gentle nature and hospitality of the associates who work here. You go into the locker room, you go to the bag drop area, it’s just very warm, welcoming and accommodating,” noted Banks.

4: Fabulous Facilities

Complementing the world-class golf are excellent facilities, with each club offering the full range of services and amenities. For those who wish to hit a few balls and hone the short game before teeing off, the practice areas and driving ranges are also of the highest standards.

The Legend Da Nang’s 4,000 square metre clubhouse is one of the best in the region, with a well-thought flow and full sports, leisure and conferencing facilities.

Legend Da Nang Golf Resort’s massive pro-shop

Laguna Golf Lăng Cô has a compact and charming clubhouse, enhanced by full resort facilities and bespoke accommodation as it forms part of Laguna Lăng Cô Resort.

If you’re in Da Nang without your golf set, fret not as branded rental clubs are readily available. The well-stocked pro-shops offer the latest equipment and accessories, along with club logo merchandise items which make great souvenirs or gifts.

5: Culinary Delights

Nothing works up an appetite quite like a round of golf and, to satisfy the palettes and fill the tummies of hungry golfers, the cuisine served at every clubhouse in Da Nang is absolutely lip-smacking.

Enjoy a hearty bowl of Phở Bò (beef soup noodles) after a round!

From traditional Vietnamese favourites such as Phở Bò (beef soup noodles) and Cơm Gà (chicken rice) to Western staples, you can expect and enjoy a sumptuous and ample meal to fuel up for the next round.

For coffeeholics, each meal can be perfectly rounded off with the robust local drip brew. Those who prefer something a little more intoxicating can down a few of the local lagers such as Larue and 333!

6: Off Course

If you’re thinking of bringing non-golfing family or friends to Da Nang, rest assured that there’s much more to see and experience than golf. Straddling the mouth of the Han River as it empties into the sea, the vibrant city offers something for everyone with its sumptuous cuisine, bustling markets and street coffee culture.

Rustic Hoi An makes for a great day outing

Excursions are also easily arranged to popular tourist spots such as the Son Tra Peninsula, Ba Na Hill Station and Hoi An. If you only have time for one, opt for Hoi An Ancient City which is less than half an hour away. Beautifully conceived and crafted, the former port city has a colourful history reflected in its rustic mix of old Chinese shophouses, stately French colonial building, colourfully lit canals and ornate bridges.

For golfers though, golf is and always will be the main course!
Main picture: Postcard par-three – Laguna Golf Lăng Cô’s 8th hole