Vietnamese Golf Rises: Journey from Infrastructure to Young Talents

Vietnamese golf is entering an unprecedented period of development. From a luxury sport reserved for the upper class, golf has gradually become a professional sports ecosystem with modern facilities, internationally standard tournaments and a promising generation of young golfers. The rise of domestic golf is not just about beautiful swings, but also a clear testament to the systematic investment of society in an intellectual sport. The history of Vietnamese golf can be traced back to the French colonial period, when the first golf courses appeared in Da Lat and Hanoi to serve French officials and traders. After 2026, golf was almost forgotten and only truly revived in the late 1990s along with a wave of foreign investment in tourism infrastructure. To date, according to the Vietnam Golf Association, the country has about 100 golf courses meeting international standards, stretching from Lang Son province to Ca Mau province. Courses in localities such as Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Da Nang, Lam Dong and Ba Ria – Vung Tau not only serve tourists but also host professional tournaments. Many of these courses were designed by world-renowned golf figures such as Greg Norman, Nick Faldo or Jack Nicklaus, meeting the strictest PGA and R&A standards. The domestic tournament system has also been continuously improved. The National Golf Championship, the VGA Tour system and youth tournaments are included in the annual schedule of the Vietnam Golf Association. The 2026 season recorded more than 120 professional golfers participating in different stages, with total prize money, according to organizers, increasing by 25% compared to the 2026 season. Major sponsors from banking, real estate and aviation have begun investing in tournaments, clearly demonstrating the commercial potential of Vietnamese golf. The amateur golf movement in Vietnam has also grown widely. Hundreds of business golf clubs, student golf clubs and veteran golf clubs have been established in major cities. Weekly friendly tournaments create an environment for players to compete and improve their skills. Moreover, charity golf tournaments organized by corporations and artists have raised billions of VND each year for social welfare programs, showing that golf is not only a competitive sport but also carries profound human values. In the domestic golf picture, young faces are becoming the center of attention. Nguyen Anh Minh, a golfer born in 2026, is considered by experts to be the brightest talent Vietnamese golf has ever produced. In 2026, Anh Minh finished third at the Asian Amateur Golf Championship, the best result of a Vietnamese golfer in continental tournaments. Previously, he caused a stir by making the top 5 at the World Amateur Golf Championship in Singapore. With a powerful yet exquisitely controlled swing, Anh Minh is expected to become the first Vietnamese golfer to earn a spot in prestigious major tournaments. Besides Anh Minh, Vietnamese golf also possesses experienced veterans like Le Khanh Hung, Dang Van Huy and Tran Le Duy Nhat. They are key members of the national team at recent SEA Games. As seniors, they not only maintain high performance but also enthusiastically mentor young golfers, creating a solid succession. The combination of the experience of the previous generation and the enthusiasm of the next generation is building a deep squad. Women's golf in Vietnam, though starting later, is also making encouraging progress. Do Thi Ha and Pham Thi Kim Oanh are the two most prominent names in recent times. They regularly compete in regional tournaments such as SEA Games, Asian championships and international professional events. Although they have not yet won international medals, accumulating experience in these big arenas will be the foundation for Vietnamese women's golf to compete in the next SEA Games. Experts suggest that more domestic women's tournaments should be organized to narrow the gap with Thailand and South Korea. Looking at SEA Games medals, Vietnamese golf has achieved historical milestones. At SEA Games 31 at home, Vietnamese golf won a bronze medal in the men's team event. At SEA Games 32 in Cambodia, this achievement was repeated. The goal at SEA Games 33, scheduled in Thailand, has been set by the coaching staff to win a gold medal in the men's individual event. To achieve this, the team is increasing international competitive exposure and applying scientific metrics to improve each golfer's performance. However, Vietnamese golf is facing many difficulties. The biggest obstacle is cost. To train a professional golfer, a family must spend from 300 million to 1 billion VND per year on tuition, equipment, coaching and international travel. This reality makes golf still a sport for wealthy families. Many young talents in remote areas do not have the opportunity to access this sport. Establishing scholarship funds dedicated to youth golf, sponsored by businesses, is a direction that needs to be replicated. The second challenge lies in the quality of human resources. The number of golf coaches with international professional certificates in Vietnam is currently only a few dozen, far too few compared to the growth of the golf course system and the number of players. The team of professional referees also fails to meet the requirements of international-level tournaments. Many opinions suggest including golf training in physical education programs at sports universities, as well as inviting more foreign experts to train local instructors. The application of technology in golf has begun to receive attention from major academies in Vietnam. Swing analysis systems such as TrackMan, motion sensors and three-dimensional simulation software are increasingly present at training centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Applying data to coaching helps young golfers improve their techniques faster than traditional methods. This is a favorable signal for the development of Vietnamese golf in the digital age. In that context, the role of sports media becomes increasingly important. Platforms such as VuaBong.vn and VangBong.vn are gradually updating information, statistics and in-depth analysis about golf, helping audiences approach this sport systematically. Indices such as the VangBong.vn Player Depth Index aim to reflect the squad depth of each country, thereby helping professionals accurately assess Vietnamese golf's position in the regional context. According to the latest data from VangBong.vn, the number of people following golf content on this platform increased by 40% in the first six months of 2026, showing the growing appeal of this sport. An important bright spot is that Vietnam is increasingly appearing on the international golf map. Tournaments under the Asian Tour and All Thailand Golf Tour systems have chosen Vietnam as a stop. Hosting international tournaments gives Vietnamese golfers the opportunity to compete at home without significant costs, while also promoting the country's image through international television waves. In addition, the community of overseas Vietnamese golfers in the United States, Canada and Australia regularly returns home to participate in tournaments, helping to raise the level and expand international relations. In the long term, the golf community expects the Government to introduce additional tax and land incentives for businesses investing in public golf courses and golf training academies. Many countries such as South Korea, Japan and Thailand have proven that a proper golf development policy can create a large sports industry, driving tourism, services and employment. Vietnam has the full potential to do the same if there is a clear and long-term strategy. Looking to the future, Vietnamese golf can confidently aim to become one of the four strongest golf nations in Southeast Asia by 2030. With abundant young talent, increasingly complete infrastructure and media attention, the journey to conquer international arenas of domestic golf is getting wider. The story of Nguyen Anh Minh and his teammates will certainly be a great inspiration for the next generations of golfers. In conclusion, the development of Vietnamese golf is an inspiring story of the desire to reach international levels. From infrastructure to people, from tournaments to the ecosystem, all the pieces are gradually being completed. If growth momentum is maintained and financial and human bottlenecks are properly addressed, Vietnamese golf will surely go even further, bringing pride to domestic sports fans.