Onward and Upward

So why has Vietnam emerged as the world’s golf maverick, developing courses and infrastructure at a frenetic pace while everywhere else has slammed on the brakes?

For a start, upwardly mobile Vietnamese have taken to golf only in the past 20 years - at least 30 years later than most western countries; second, high quality golf infrastructure has been limited until the past decade; third, a foreign tourism boom since the early 2000s has brought an influx of North Asian and western golfers; and finally, the government has now given formal blessing to golf course development in designated areas, mostly on the coast.

Luu Duc Quang, the youthful chairman of Biscom, the management company of FLC golf courses, says Vietnam’s large coastline is mostly unsuitable for farming, but with an appealing year-round climate and considerable natural beauty offers some of Asia’s best opportunities for resort development.

“Golf is a perfect way to add to the value of real estate in these areas,” he says.