I shot my first round in Vietnam on a Tuesday morning in January 2020 at Montgomerie Links in Da Nang. 82, with a double bogey on 17 because I couldn’t read the grain on the Bermuda greens. By the time I finished the 19th hole beer, I knew I wasn’t going back to California.
Who I Am
My name’s Dave Nguyen. I’m 41, Vietnamese-American, grew up in San Jose, California. Spent fifteen years in tech — product management at two companies you’ve heard of and three you haven’t. Took early retirement in 2020 when the numbers finally worked out, moved to Da Nang, and started playing golf four to five times a week.
Current handicap: 6.2. Rounds played in Vietnam since 2020: over 180 and counting. Home course: Montgomerie Links, though I’ll play anywhere within a two-hour drive of Da Nang that has decent conditioning.
Why Vietnam Golf
Here’s the thing about golf in Vietnam that most Americans don’t get until they experience it: you’re playing pro-caliber courses — layouts designed by Nicklaus, Norman, Faldo, Dye — at a fraction of US prices. A round at BRG Da Nang, which is legitimately comparable to Torrey Pines South in terms of ocean views and course quality, costs about $65 including caddie. Try getting that deal anywhere on the US West Coast.
Add in the caddie culture (your caddie here reads greens better than most club pros I’ve played with in the States), the food, the weather, and the fact that you can play year-round — it’s a no-brainer for any serious golfer.
What This Site Is
Best Golf Vietnam is the resource I wanted when I first moved here. Not a booking engine. Not a marketing site. Just honest, data-driven reviews from someone who’s played these courses repeatedly, in different seasons, at different skill levels.
Every course review includes:
- Layout score, conditioning score, value score, vibes score — all based on multiple rounds
- Per-round pricing with the date I last verified it
- Comparisons to US courses — so you know exactly what you’re getting
- Caddie tips — because the caddie experience is half the game here
- 19th hole report — post-round food and drink matters
⛳ Scorecard Note: I don’t rate courses I’ve played fewer than three times. First impressions are unreliable — you need multiple rounds in different conditions to give an honest assessment.
The Viet-Kieu Perspective
Coming back to Vietnam after twenty years in the States gives me a dual perspective that I think is genuinely useful. I understand what Western golfers expect — pace of play, course maintenance standards, booking systems. And I understand the Vietnamese side — the culture, the negotiation, the incredible hospitality that makes golf here special.
I’m not a golf journalist. I’m not a tour operator. I’m just a guy who plays a lot of golf in Vietnam and figured other people might want to know what he’s learned.
Learn more about golf in Vietnam on Wikipedia
Got questions? Drop me a line.