Hoiana Shores Golf Course: A Course That Requires Patience, But Definitely Offers Excellent Rewards
- Gunnar Kobin
- Mar 24
- 5 min read
Hoiana Shores Golf Course stands right next to The Bluffs in Ho Tram as THE links of Vietnam
Hoiana Shores Golf Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and he expressed that he would ‘kill for a site like this’. Normally, when this kind of praise is given, it is just an attempt to sell the course to the masses, but when you are standing on the 16th tee, looking at the East Sea, you start to appreciate the merits of praise like this.
Certainly the best conditioned course I played in Vietnam.
The Journey
There is a 45 minute drive to the course from Danang and it is a close enough drive to Hoi An that if you time it right, you can fit the round in an then go to the old town for the evening. The massive resort complex that surrounds the golf course includes hotels, beaches, and an entire put-together operation. Regardless of this, you won't feel overcrowded on the golf course. The clubhouse made an impressive first statement and then you get to enjoy the real value of the trip and go play the golf course.
What It Feels Like
Now picture an links course, say, on the west coast of Ireland. Now picture it transplanted to Vietnam. Same wind, but instead of a grey overcast, they have a tropical oven. Welcome to Hoiana Shores. Turf super firm underfoot. Lawn is hard. Greens are the kind that always seem to bounce and release rather than hold. Isn't it time to hit it way past the hole? Most places in the world, the ground game isn't just an option. Here, on a large number of holes, it is the only option.
The sandy waste areas stretch out spaciously, creating a slightly desert-like effect to Ireland's west coast. Then the wind comes off the water and reminds you where you are. It is somewhere that has not been engineered. It is somewhere that just withdrew the vegetation and grass on a long buried links course.
When it comes to playing the tee, the fairways offer generous space to extend one's drive. The same, however, cannot be said for the greens. Large, and raised, sly nuances, and tricky, undulating surfaces will break many hearts. Getting the green is an accomplishment in and of itself. Second chances will get you in trouble. If the holes are not cleared, pitching and chipping will mean a surface that is not very forgiving. Every hole will test your short game.
The conditions of the course are the best I have seen in this trip. The fairways were in perfect condition, and the greens were fast and true. A course that is very well prepared makes every shot feel deserved. Bad shot? The groundskeeper is not to blame.
The Narrative Structure
When playing Hoiana Shores, one of the first things you notice is that the course has a narrative, and unlike most courses in Vietnam, this narrative is good. It is a course that builds to, and reaches, a climax.
The first nine holes of the course are fun golf. The course is links style but feels like an inland course. The golf is engaging and the holes are fun to play. As you make your way toward the back nine, you get a glance of the ocean and after that, it’s just another view. The course then pulls you back inland for the rest of the back nine. Several good holes. If you have played Hoiana before, you probably find yourself wishing you could skip to some of the holes that you know are coming.
The 15-17 holes are all on the ocean. Each hole is a difficult test of proper club selection. The East Sea and the Cham Islands are right on the horizon from the fairways. I played a lot of fantastic courses in Vietnam, but the way these last three holes are set up makes them some of the best. They are the best because of how they are built up from the first hole to the 15th.
Built with a similar design philosophy as Pärnu Bay Golf Links in Estonia, Baltic's course designer Lassi Pekka Tilander get players to experience a few inland holes, before arriving at the stunning coastal holes which ultimately justify the entire round. Until those coastal holes open up, players will feel like every hole is the main event, but with a lot more thought in the design, the entire course delivers a story that extends beyond just the round of golf.
What to Know Before You Play
Rewarding players will be the thought behind the design of the course at Hoiana. The generous width of the fairways may lead to a simple strategy, but that is far from the case. The angles to the greens, the prevailing wind, and the features of the greens will all provide challenges and perhaps even punish players who are not on the correct side of the fairway.
No Weakness. Targeting the flag on the raised front of the green with a long iron or hybrid is not a smart play. Those who ignore the ground game often achieve a better score than those who do. ---
The Clubhouse
Excellent. The kind of place that goes beyond creating an image and actually builds a brand. The locker rooms are spacious and well designed, and the lounge is the kind of place you want to stick around for a drink after your round instead of rushing to your car, The system from arrival, bag drop, and check-in is as smooth as other area courses would love to have. It is clear you have an eye for detail. Nothing was done half-a__ed.
Location Location Location
As you organize a Vietnam golf trip, a primary focus should be on the courses you will be playing and establishing a clear benchmark to Hoiana and The Bluffs. Although both courses are in the same vicinity, there are no rivalries. Hoiana has more dramatic elevation and more raw physical isolation, while the Bluffs boasts high, strong, and more physical isolation. Hoiana is more conditioned, more intelligent with the routing, and above all, offers a great experience from the moment you arrive to the moment you walk off the 18th.
They have set the parameters for all the other golf courses in Vietnam's central coast.
The Recommendation
Having knowledge about what is ahead is crucial for 15, 16, and 17. Don’t rush the course and let the buildup work to your advantage. Trust the approached shots and the ground game. Don’t fight it. Hoiana Shores is the best golf course in central Vietnam. The design of the course with the intelligent choice of the coastal location, the clubhouse and the surroundings results in a golf experience that deserves the recognition.
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