I drove up from the coast to play Sacom Tuyen Lam last month, and the temperature drop alone was worth the trip — here’s everything you need to know about this Sacom Tuyen Lam golf review before you book.
At a glance:
- Course: Sacom Tuyen Lam Golf Club & Resort — designed by Ekistics (Canada), shaper Ronald Leck
- Location: Tuyen Lam Lake, Dalat City, Lam Dong Province
- Par / Holes: 72 / 18
- Green fee: promotional listings around 825,000–999,000 VND ($33–$40) — confirm current rate before booking
- Best for: cool-climate golf, elevation-change strategy, pine-forest scenery
Sacom Tuyen Lam Golf Club Review 2026: Vietnam’s Highland Golf Experience
This Sacom Tuyen Lam golf review covers the one course in Vietnam where you’ll want a light jacket on the first tee. Sitting on the eastern shore of Tuyen Lam Lake at roughly 1,500 meters elevation, Sacom Tuyen Lam Golf Club & Resort is routed through two pine-covered valleys about 15 km from central Dalat and 21 km from Lien Khuong Airport. Opened as a 9-hole layout in 2013 and expanded to the full 18 by late 2014, it’s part of a larger resort development that includes two hotels and roughly 400 villas. If Da Nang golf is about ocean wind, Sacom Tuyen Lam is about altitude, fog, and tight, tree-lined fairways — a genuinely different test.
Course Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Designer | Ekistics (Canada), shaper Ronald Leck — note: a few directories credit Robert Bicknell instead; the two most detailed course reports I found agree on Ekistics/Leck, so that’s what I’m going with |
| Par / Holes | 72 / 18 |
| Yardage | Listed between 7,035 and 7,228 yards depending on source (6,609m from the back markers on the most detailed spec sheet I found) — verify the card at the pro shop |
| Course Rating / Slope | 72.5 / 134 (from the back tees, per published listings — not independently confirmed on my round) |
| Opened | 9 holes 2013, full 18 late 2014 |
| Grass | Bent grass greens, Bermuda grass fairways |
| Style | Parkland/valley routing, significant elevation change |
| Elevation | ~1,500m — Vietnam’s coolest golf climate |
Course Layout & Design
Ekistics routed Sacom Tuyen Lam through two valleys rather than flattening the site, and that decision defines the whole round. The layout has been described as “very European” in feel — narrow, tree-framed corridors instead of the wide, forgiving fairways you get at most Vietnamese resort courses. Newly planted pine trees divide several holes, and as those trees mature the course is only going to get tighter. Elevated tee shots into tight landing zones are the theme — this isn’t a course where you reach for driver on every par 4.
Water hazards and well-placed bunkers show up throughout, and several holes route around the lower slopes toward Tuyen Lam Lake itself, with pine forest and mountain ridgelines framing almost every shot. It’s the most visually distinct golf course I’ve played in Vietnam — less about a signature closing stretch and more about the whole round feeling like it belongs in the mountains, not the tropics.
The pine forest itself is worth a mention beyond scenery. Tuyen Lam Lake sits inside a protected watershed area, and the resort’s decision to route holes around existing tree cover rather than clear-cutting for sightlines is the right call environmentally as much as aesthetically — mature pine forest at this elevation holds soil and moderates runoff into the lake in a way a stripped, wide-open layout wouldn’t. I’d rather see more Vietnamese courses build around their terrain like this than bulldoze it for a cleaner logo shot.
The elevation change here does something no coastal Vietnam course can — it makes club selection genuinely hard to eyeball. A downhill shot that looks like a 7-iron plays like an 8, and I got burned twice before I started trusting the numbers over my eyes. My rangefinder’s slope function earned its keep on every approach — without it I was guessing at 1,500 meters, and guessing is expensive on a course this tight. Bring a rangefinder with slope, or lean on your caddy — they read this terrain daily and I didn’t.
Growing up playing municipal courses in Southern California, the closest thing I had to this kind of elevation golf was a handful of rounds in the San Bernardino foothills — enough to know that altitude math doesn’t come naturally, it has to be relearned every time. Standing on the first tee at 1,500 meters with pine trees instead of palms framing the fairway, it didn’t feel like the Vietnam I usually write about. It felt closer to home than any coastal round has, which is its own reason to make the trip.
Signature Holes
Hole 3 — Par 4, Short Dogleg
Multiple course reports single this hole out, and after playing it I understand why — the green is tucked into its own small dell, boxed in by pines on both sides. It’s short by modern standards, but the approach window is narrow enough that length off the tee barely matters. Precision over power, on a hole that looks harmless on the scorecard.
Hole 4 — Downhill Par 3
A drop-shot par 3 where the elevation change makes distance control the whole challenge. At altitude and with a downhill lie, the ball carries further than it looks — I came up long twice in the same round misjudging it.
Hole 8 — Par 4, Split Fairway
A genuine strategic decision off the tee — two distinct fairway options, each setting up a different angle into the green. The kind of hole that rewards course knowledge on a second visit more than raw execution on the first.
Facilities & Clubhouse
- Clubhouse: On-site, with restaurant, pro shop, and locker rooms — functional rather than lavish, which tracks with the resort’s overall low-key feel compared to the big Da Nang coastal properties.
- Practice Facilities: Driving range and practice areas on site — worth arriving early for given the altitude affects ball flight differently than what most visitors are used to.
- Night Golf: Listed as available at this course — unusual for a mountain layout and worth asking about directly when booking, since I didn’t test it myself.
- On-Site Accommodation: Part of the broader 2-hotel, ~400-villa resort development, plus spa and massage services.
The post-round clubhouse meal here leans into Dalat’s reputation as Vietnam’s produce basket — expect fresher greens and strawberries on the menu than you’d see at any coastal course, plus a bowl of hot pho that actually makes sense to order given the mountain chill instead of feeling redundant in 35°C coastal heat. It’s simple resort dining, not a destination restaurant, but the altitude makes a hot bowl of soup feel earned in a way it never does after a Da Nang round.
Caddie & Service Quality
Caddies are standard here as at every Vietnamese course, and on a routing this tight through pine corridors, a good caddy earns their tip fast — local knowledge of exactly where the tree line actually stops matters more here than on a wide-open resort layout. User-reported service scores I found while researching this piece land around 4/5 across condition, facilities, pace of play, and service — consistent with what I saw on my round, if not quite the polish of the top Da Nang properties.
Pack a layer. Dalat sits around 1,500 meters, and morning fog off Tuyen Lam Lake means a 7 AM tee time can start in the low teens Celsius even when Da Nang is already sweating at sea level. It burns off by mid-morning, but the first few holes will feel like a different country.
Green Fees & Booking
| Item | Approximate Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Green fee | ~825,000–999,000 VND ($33–$40) | Promotional listings found during research — treat as indicative, not guaranteed; rates vary by season and booking channel |
| Golf cart | 400,000 VND (single rider) | Per round |
| Club rental | ~800,000 VND | Full set, per round |
| Caddy tip | 200,000–300,000 VND ($8–$12) | My standard rate network-wide; adjust for a good read |
I could not verify a single authoritative current green fee schedule for this course — the numbers above come from booking-platform listings, not the club’s own current rate card. Call the pro shop or confirm through your booking channel before you travel.
How to Get There
Sacom Tuyen Lam sits about 15 km from central Dalat and 21 km from Lien Khuong Airport — roughly a 30–40 minute drive depending on traffic through the city. There’s no direct international connection to Dalat, so most visitors route through Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi on a domestic connection first. Taxi or a pre-arranged driver is the standard way in; I wouldn’t count on ride-hailing coverage being as reliable here as it is in Da Nang or Nha Trang.
Best Time to Play
| Period | Conditions | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Dec–Mar | Dry season, cool mornings, best visibility over the lake | Best |
| Apr–May | Warming up, still dry, fewer crowds than peak winter | Good |
| Jun–Sep | Wet season — Dalat gets regular afternoon rain | Riskier — book morning tee times |
| Oct–Nov | Transitional, generally still workable in mornings | Fair |
Dalat’s highland climate means this course plays cool year-round compared to anywhere on the coast — that’s the entire reason to make the trip. Morning tee times dodge both the fog and, in wet season, the afternoon rain pattern that’s common at altitude.
Nearby Courses & Combine With Dalat
Sacom Tuyen Lam sits alongside two other Dalat courses — Dalat Palace and The Dalat at 1200 CC — which I haven’t reviewed individually yet, so I won’t rank them against each other here. For the full regional picture, including weather patterns and how Dalat compares to Nha Trang golf as a highlands-vs-coast pairing on the same trip, see the Dalat Golf Guide. For how this course stacks up nationally, check the Best Golf Courses in Vietnam rankings.
Getting to Dalat & Booking Your Trip
Since Dalat isn’t on most golfers’ first-trip itinerary, logistics matter more here than at the Da Nang courses. I book ground transport and day tours around Dalat through Klook’s Dalat activities and transfer listings — useful for pairing a round here with the flower gardens or Elephant Falls on a non-golf day. For accommodation near Tuyen Lam Lake, GetYourGuide’s Dalat listings cover the resort-area hotel options if you’d rather not stay on-site at the golf resort itself.
FAQ
Where is Sacom Tuyen Lam Golf Club located?
On the eastern shore of Tuyen Lam Lake, about 15 km from central Dalat and 21 km from Lien Khuong Airport, in Lam Dong Province.
How many holes and what’s the par at Sacom Tuyen Lam?
18 holes, par 72. Yardage is listed anywhere from 7,035 to 7,228 yards depending on the source — confirm the scorecard on arrival.
Who designed Sacom Tuyen Lam Golf Club?
The most detailed course reports credit the Canadian firm Ekistics, with shaper Ronald Leck. A few directories list a different designer — I couldn’t fully resolve the discrepancy, so take the Ekistics credit as the better-sourced answer rather than a certainty.
Is Sacom Tuyen Lam colder than coastal Vietnam golf courses?
Yes, noticeably. At roughly 1,500 meters elevation, Dalat golf plays cool year-round with foggy mornings — a genuinely different climate from Da Nang, Nha Trang, or Phu Quoc.
What’s the best time of year to play golf at Sacom Tuyen Lam?
December through March for the driest, clearest conditions. June through September brings Dalat’s wet season, so book morning tee times if you’re visiting then.
How much does it cost to play Sacom Tuyen Lam?
Promotional listings I found while researching this piece show green fees around 825,000–999,000 VND ($33–$40), plus a 400,000 VND cart fee and roughly 800,000 VND for club rental if you need clubs. I couldn’t verify a current official rate card, so confirm before you book.
Are there other golf courses near Sacom Tuyen Lam?
Yes — Dalat Palace and The Dalat at 1200 CC are both in the same area, giving you three courses within a short drive if you’re building a multi-round Dalat trip.
Dave’s Final Verdict
Sacom Tuyen Lam won’t out-condition Hoiana Shores or out-scenery the coastal courses, and the clubhouse is more functional than luxurious. But it’s the only round in Vietnam where altitude, fog, and pine forest do the work that ocean wind and dune bunkers do everywhere else — and at a green fee well under half of what the premium Da Nang courses charge, it’s a legitimate reason to add a highland detour to a Vietnam golf trip rather than a curiosity to skip. Play it for the climate and the routing, not for resort polish.
⛳ Dave’s Scorecard: Layout: 7/10 | Conditioning: 6/10 | Value: 8/10 | Vibes: 9/10
Sources consulted for this review include published course listings from golfsavers.com, thetravellinggolfer.com.au, 1golf.eu, golftripz.com, and Vietnamese-language booking platforms golfbooking.com.vn and golf-booking.vn. I did not independently verify green fee pricing, course rating/slope, or the designer attribution against the club’s own current materials — treat those figures as sourced-but-unconfirmed and check directly before booking.
Learn more about the region at Da Lat on Wikipedia.
Related: Dalat Golf Guide | Nha Trang Golf Guide | Best Golf Courses in Vietnam
Hit ’em straight.
— Dave 🏃