Destination Golf Asia 2023 | Page 9

DESTINATIONGOLF . TRAVEL
As Vietnam ’ s official golf ambassador , what would you say to tour operators and international golf vacationers about the country ’ s golf and culture ? Serving as Vietnam ’ s Tourism Ambassador has been one of the distinct honors of my career . Golf is a global language and Vietnam has seen tremendous growth over the past decade . The country has the potential to reach new heights in attracting new tourism , even more direct foreign investment and , with the support of the government , continue to grow the next generation of Vietnamese golfers to support a sustainable long-term plan for the country . The courses we have designed and built to date in Vietnam are directly tied to this mission and I am excited to continue to showcase the wonderful people and magnificent landscape of Vietnam and help position the country to prosper for generations to come .
Many of SE Asia ’ s courses are relatively new . Would it be fair to say the course conditions and club facilities are on par with say Dubai ’ s golf courses ? We assume you have been able to use some of the latest equipment and turf , and drainage techniques on these courses . The major equipment manufacturers and product vendors in the golf industry have all established a solid presence in SE Asia and provide tremendous support to golf course owners and managers as well as designers and builders throughout the region , but there has been somewhat of a learning curve where maintenance standards are concerned . This is certainly to be expected in the emerging locations within SE Asia , but historically , there have always been challenges with convincing developers and owners that golfers will pay a premium to play courses that are constructed to high standards and kept in top condition . The good news is that more owners are recognizing that golfers , both domestic based and tourists , are willing to pay a premium for this and it has created somewhat of an upper echelon of courses throughout the region . Several studies have shown that these courses that are driving more rounds and revenue , so it ’ s hard to ignore the data .
One example of this is at our course in
Danang , Vietnam – The Norman Course at BRG Danang – which has always been ranked among the top courses in the region . The BRG Group recently invested back into the course and completed a full restoration . The result is that it plays even better than the day we opened it in 2009 , which is the way a golf course should evolve . BRG also recently completed a second 18-hole course at the resort by Nicklaus Design , so it is the only property in SE Asia with a ‘ Norman / Nicklaus ’ offering .
We see the bar being raised each year with design , construction , and maintenance standards in SE Asia and I expect that to continue much as it has in the UAE and many other emerging golf markets throughout the world .
Many of the courses in Vietnam are resort orientated . Do you think this is the future way forward to encourage young families to enjoy a holiday altogether ? Most of the golf resorts that exist today in Vietnam are well-planned and have amenities geared toward every member of a vacationing family . Golf has been a big part of that strategy and I expect that trend to continue , particularly with the increasing number of women and youth golfers in SE Asia . Vietnam ’ s biggest draw is its 3,000 + kilometers of magnificent coastline . When you add world-class golf courses , spas , lodging , and entertainment to that environment and give tourists the opportunity to experience the food , culture , and wonderful people of Vietnam you have a destination that is truly unique to the world .
Finally , as a conservationist have you enjoyed using the natural habitat when creating your courses in Vietnam ? To me , golf course design is more than simply taking a piece of land and altering the landscape to fit a pre-conceived design concept . Designing a course takes a lot of patience and a commitment to leaving the site in better environmental shape than you found it . That ’ s why my design team and I spend so much time studying the virgin site and laying out several different golf course routings before we begin any detailed design work – to ensure that the final course layout fits with the given terrain and doesn ’ t appear contrived or man-made . When we complete a golf course , it is my hope that people will look at it and say that it appears to have been part of the landscape for many years . ■
9