If you are planning your first ever Vietnam Golf Holiday, the southern and central coast is where you should go. The area has witnessed an explosion in golf courses in the last decade with some outstanding layouts opening for play. It all started with Danang, which is already an established golf destination, but other locations are catching up too. These include Quy Nhon, about six hours drive south of Danang and Nha Trang, about six hours drive from Saigon. Recently, I played at the three golf courses in Nha Trang – Diamond Bay, Vinpearl and KN Golf Links. I have to say, that all three captured my imagination, which augurs fantastically well for Nha Trang. But, it was the Greg Norman designed KN Golf Links near the Cam Ranh international airport that blew my mind.
Minutes from the Airport
I had read and heard good things about this golf course in Nha Trang opening up. To clarify, it is not strictly Nha Trang, it is Cam Ranh, but just a 35-minute drive from town. However, it is just ten minutes from the Cam Ranh international airport, the gateway to Nha Trang. This was a quick Vietnam golf holiday, for just 2 nights and covering the 3 Nha Trang golf courses. Having played Diamond Bay Golf Club and Vinpearl Golf Club on the first 2 days, I’d planned to save the supposedly “best” for last. The proximity to the airport was another factor in such planning. To play early and jump on the noon Bangkok Airways flight, to catch up with friends visiting the Big Mango.
The Dunes and the Ocean
I was early for my tee-time but did not waste time to get on the course. The idea was to play and finish early and have a relaxing end to this Vietnam golf holiday. Soon, I was on the first tee, overlooking the sandy coastal landscape and the glistening blue ocean. Of the three golf courses in Nha Trang, it was immediately apparent that the course condition here, was the best. Thoroughly inspired, I pushed my drive to the sandy waste, prompting my caddy, Yen to ask me to hit another. I grudgingly obliged but repeated the offence. Since there wasn’t a point in hitting any more, we proceeded and thankfully found both. The first one, was caught in a thick shrub in the sandy waste, a key feature of the layout. A lesson learnt early in the round – you had to stay away from the sandy waste.
Greg Norman Shines On
Lesson learnt doesn’t mean I could do anything about it. Knowing is one thing, executing is another. And even if it wasn’t a completely wayward shot, there was a good chance it would find the bunker. I am pretty sure I left the fairways in the same mint condition I found them. After all, when you are not hitting off them, you are not likely to disturb them. The quality of my golf did not take away from admiring the quality of the golf course. Not a blade of grass seemed out of place. Clearly, this was the best of the Nha Trang golf courses, a compelling inclusion in a Vietnam golf holiday. And this is not for the condition alone. Greg Norman has clearly outdone his past efforts, with this most recent design on Vietnam’s golf coast.
The Vistas, The Sandy Waste, The Wind and…
KN Golf Links is about the vistas, the layout, the sandy waste, the wind and the course condition. With 5 sets of tees, there is enough flexibility to suit players of various levels. Thrills abound on the golf course, with plenty of shot-making needed to score well. The elevated greens, which in some cases are ensconced within dunes, need work getting on to. If you play well, you will be delighted. Regardless, you will not forget the stretch of holes from the 5th to the 9th. Or for that matter the closing stretch from the 16th to 18th. The first one for the layout, the second one for the views. In fact, the view from the 18th made up for my disaster on the best golf course in Nha Trang. Enough to make me come back here for another Vietnam golf holiday? Yes, possibly & soon!
KN Golf Links is the reason to choose Nha Trang. This goes beyond it being the best of the golf courses in Nha Trang. And with direct daily flights from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, it’s not hard to get to. Also, with the Diamond Bay and Vinpearl to complement, a Vietnam golf holiday in Nha Trang is an attractive option.
To play at the KN Golf Links, write to us, www.golftripz.com/contact-us
