The flight from Ho Chi Minh City is a short one, but it is hard to believe that when you land in Dalat that this is still Vietnam. The heat and humidity present in most of the country make way in the mountains for cool temperatures and soft breezes. The ride from the airport to the city of Da lat is a long and picturesque one, winding through the mountains on recently paved highways. Signs for future developments line the roads. After arriving in the city of Da lat, almost immediately you realize that the country’s oldest golf course, Dalat Palace Golf Club, is right in the center.
It’s amazing that this course has survived and is the gem that exists today. The city plans for Dalat in 1922 by the French architect Ernest Hebrard included a golf course at its center. The last Emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai, who spent time in France was reported to love the game and may have been the inspiration and impetus for the course. Sometime around 1931 the eight hole course called Ville de Delat was built as his playground.
In a 1930 publication, Colt and Alison list Ville de Dalat as one of their designs. It’s unlikely that they visited the site but they may have contributed to the routing.
Bao Dai left the country in 1945 and the course sat vacant until it was saved by a Vietnamese dentist in the 1950’s. Finding the course routing was a challenge and he relied on aerial National Geography Institution photos to bring the course back to life. He added a ninth hole in 1959.
The course was in play until 1975 and was turned into a park until its second rebirth in 1993 by one of the founders of DHL. A second nine was built, pine trees were added and the course became an 18-hole layout. The back nine had Thai design involvement and according to a former owner “was awful, just awful.” The pine trees, which are not native, grow to 100 feet in the Pacific Northwest but top-off around 15 feet here in Dalat. IMG did the final redesign of the course that exists today.
This course and the city of Dalat have seen the Emperor, French elite, Japanese occupation forces, and American GI’s and diplomats pass through.
The first nine holes of the course and a few on the back were outstanding and the experience was something special. Played and walked over the course of a weekend as long as daylight allowed. Pictures below.
The small putting green off of the first tee.
The humble, historic clubhouse
The course was quiet on my first day there, but a couple was posing for wedding photos. The best man was hitting golf balls at the range in his tux. Classic.
1st hole, par 3 opener
2nd, par 4 383 yards
2nd approach
Par 3 5th 234 yards
Sixth hole, par 5. An outstanding par 5 that rewards accuracy.
Approach, 6th
The par 4 7th- two options from the tee, lay up to the left and have a medium iron in or carry 220 on the right from the back tee. Great hole.
8th, par 4, 430. It's a bit difficult to notice in the photos but the fairway bumps and slopes the entire hole. Walking down to your drive, it feels like this hole has been here forever.
13th, par 4
Par 5, 14th, 556 Strangely the cool weather, tower in the background, and the pine trees lining the fairway reminded me and made me a bit nostalgic for western PA golf.
16th, approach. Par 4 434
18th, par 5. The tree in the center is absolutely in play on your tee shot.
Finally, I have to say I spent the weekend with the funniest and most knowledgeable caddy I've ever had. Vui has been here since the beginning, well...of this phase- 1993.
So...that's it from Vietnam. Hopefully I'll be able to get a round in at Kawana in Japan in a few weeks. I'll post pictures if there is interest.
Late April will spend some time on the Monterey Peninsula. Have an ongoing letter writing campaign in an attempt to walk CPC but to no avail. Will play Pebble for the first time though.