In the previous month’s Ryder Cup, Team Europe secured a resounding victory over the US, a triumph that prominently showcased the leadership skills of Captain Luke Donald. His adeptness at strategic planning had been evident for some time in Central Vietnam’s Vietnam Golf Coast (VGC), where the Ba Na Hills Golf Club stood as his inaugural and, thus far, his sole global golf course design.
Gary Dixon, the general manager of Ba Na Hills Golf Club and a key figure in VGC, emphasized the pride felt by everyone associated with the club towards Luke. According to him, Luke’s captaincy exhibited the very same qualities that characterized his design at Ba Na Hills: a course where patience and clever tactical thinking could yield substantial rewards. These attributes were clearly on display in Rome as Team Europe tactically outperformed and outplayed the American team.
In stark contrast, Team US appeared disorganized and ill-prepared, particularly during an initial 0-4 foursomes session reversal that set the tone for the rest of the event. Team Europe, on the other hand, operated as a harmonious unit, culminating in their comfortable victory over the US with a score of 16.5-11.5. Renowned Team Europe stars such as Rory McIlroy, Bob McIntyre, and Shane Lowry all acknowledged the thoroughness and attention to detail that set apart Luke Donald’s captaincy.
This sense of completeness also characterized Donald’s lone global golf course design, nestled amidst the rolling foothills of Central Vietnam’s dramatic coastline. Luke marveled at the unparalleled topography of Vietnam, with its courses intricately woven around mountains, sandy soils along the ocean, and awe-inspiring landscapes.
Ba Na Hills Golf Club made ingenious use of the striking terrain, incorporating natural elevation changes, ravines, streams, and mountain vistas into the design. The front-nine featured numerous highlights, including the picturesque par-3 8th hole, while the closing stretch of the course proved even more captivating as it meandered through the surrounding hillside, offering breathtaking views along with exceptional golf. The short 16th, with its island green, and the subsequent dogleg par 4 with water guarding the green, were particularly eye-catching.
Luke’s enthusiasm for the golf opportunities in Central Vietnam, complemented by the allure of endless beaches, world-renowned cuisine, and luxury resorts, boded well for the destination as golf travel was poised for a resurgence. Superb courses such as Ba Na Hills Golf Club and Laguna Golf Lang Co, designed by Sir Nick Faldo, stood out as some of Asia’s finest.
These two venues recently earned recognition, ranking among the top 11 resorts in Asia according to Golf.com, a leading golf publication that also featured premier golf destinations in Korea, China, Thailand, and Indonesia. Not only did these clubs secure places among the best in the region but they also secured spots in the overall Top 100 Golf Resorts in the World standings.
Furthermore, Central Vietnam boasted other golf courses designed by luminaries such as Greg Norman, Colin Montgomerie, Robert Trent Jones Jr., and Jack Nicklaus. Stephen Banks, Director of Golf at Laguna Golf Lang Co, emphasized the exceptional golf offerings in Central Vietnam, with Luke’s success as Team Europe Ryder Cup captain serving as a testament to the caliber of experiences available to visiting golfers in the region.
