DONG HOI, Vietnam — Schmidt-Curley Design [SCD] has been brought in to oversee an ambitious new 10-course project on a 2,000-hectare site of sandy coastline.
Located in Quang Binh Province on the north central coast of Vietnam, the major new golf complex is being developed by the FLC Group.
As well as 10 full-length, 18-hole courses the masterplan includes a short course, golf academy and expansive practice areas.
Speaking to Golf Course Architecture about his ambitions and visions for the project, SCD Principal Brian Curley said: “I cannot recall any project of this size and scale with so much to offer for easy, natural golf.
“Three courses are located at the lower portion of the site, near the beach, offering some beachfront holes in very nice dunes, and will be incorporated with a residential and resort component. The remaining courses will be pure golf with no development component.
“This site is tremendous in scale, all sand-based, and offers a very friendly natural terrain and a fair amount of beachfront.
“We have rarely been given a site with such great quality nor a vision of such an expanse of pure golfing experiences.
“We are under way on the first two courses, but the intention is to bring most or all of the remaining courses to a start soon – likely within the next two years.”
SCD, a long-time member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation, has designed more than 150 layouts in 25 countries. High-profile credits include 10 of the 12 courses at Mission Hills Shenzhen and all 10 at Mission Hills’ Hainan Island resort.
“This is exciting for me as, given the recent activity in China, many of our creations of the past few years have gone unopened and unnoticed – or completely demolished,” said Curley, who is bullish for the prospects of golf in Vietnam.
He added: “Unlike in China where courses popped up everywhere with no permitting process, there is a defined and observed permitting process in Vietnam. This will keep the reins on development and ensure it happens at a more sustainable pace.
“What this means in terms of the exact number of new courses is hard to say. I think there will be a good stream of work, but not at a frantic pace that will see multiple architects working in the country.”
Contact:
Spencer Robinson at spencer.robinson@agif.asia
