Published July 17, 2008 on July 30, 2018

Vital Boost for Vietnamese Golf

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Vietnamese golf has been developing rapidly with an increasing number of golf courses mushrooming in the former war-torn country. Flagstick, a golf course construction company is instrumental in the development of the new golf courses in Vietnam together with their representative office – Flagstick Asia Hanoi Vietnam, which was opened in 2016.

“These continue to be exciting times for golf’s development in Vietnam and Flagstick is delighted and honoured to be so prominently involved,” said Martin Moore, President of Flagstick.

The Fall of 2017 saw the opening of the 18-hole Schmidt-Curley Design FLC Halong Bay Golf Club & Resort, while the first nine holes of the Nicklaus Design 18-hole course at BRG Danang Golf Club celebrated its grand opening in April 2018.

Just 20 minutes from Ha Long City and three hours from Hanoi, the FLC Halong Bay layout boasts stunning scenic ocean views over the famous UNESCO world heritage site.

Together with Schmidt-Curley Design, Flagstick succeeded in turning a difficult, rocky and hilly site into one of the most visually stunning courses in Asia.

A million cubic metres of cut-and-fill transformed the site that sits above the old town of Ha Long Bay and overlooks the spectacular limestone karst-riddled bay into what Curley describes as ‘a world-class destination resort in the heart of the city, providing a very unique golfing experience’.

Of the construction, Curley said: “It’s rare to have to infill so much and to play along ridges. But I’m excited about the way the course has shaped up.”

Meanwhile, the Nicklaus Course at BRG Danang Golf Resort is another unique offering with wooden walls framing many of the holes and separating the greens from the surrounding lakes. Inspired by the Florida-style courses that used genuine wooden bulkheads, the course also offers enticing beachfront scenery and complements the club’s original 18-hole Greg Norman Golf Course Design.

Flagstick also played an integral role in the opening of a trio of new courses in Vietnam in 2015 – BRG Legend Hill Golf Resort and FLC SamSon Golf Links as well as FLC Quy Nhon Golf Links. All were collaborations with Nicklaus Design.

From start to finish the original course at Quy Nhon, located in Vietnam’s central province of Binh Dinh, was constructed within a five-month period. Sitting to the south of the first 18 on a large sand dune with panoramic ocean views, construction on the Schmidt-Curley Design second 18 holes was completed in a record time of four months.

Moore said: “It was a remarkable effort. To achieve this new record, we mobilised a team of six shapers and other experienced construction specialists to conquer the challenge. All irrigation materials, including the pump station, were air-freighted from the United States.”

The latest example of Flagstick’s reputation for the speed and quality of its work is evident at FLC Quang Binh, a 36-hole project that is on course for completion in just nine months.

Grassing on the first of the two Curley-sculpted courses was completed in June with the layout scheduled to open in August.

Meanwhile, the second 18-hole course is currently under full construction with the unveiling due in September.

Moore, whose company has more than 100 golf developments in 16 different countries to its credit, said: “Given the volume of work we have been conducting in Vietnam, it made perfect sense for us to open a Flagstick Asia Hanoi Vietnam representative office. The office has enabled us to serve our growing Vietnam clientele more effectively and more efficiently.

“Flagstick is proud to have achieved this milestone of 20 years in business. During these past two decades, we have worked in more than a dozen countries in collaboration with many of the game’s most distinguished golf course architects.

“As a company, Flagstick’s commitment to the golf industry remains undiminished and we very much look forward to a continued involvement in Vietnam and Asia for many years to come.”

Flagstick is also currently involved with the construction of the Gulf National Golf Club, north of Bangkok. A Kyle Phillips Golf Course Design, construction on the 18-hole layout is due to be completed in April 2019.