Golf is a fairly recent "novelty" sport in Vietnam. Hanoi's first course, about an hours' drive north-west from the capital, was laid out by some foreign nationals working there about 20 years ago.
Recently, the Melbourne based firm, Pacific Golf Design, designed and constructed a second 18 on some nice undulating land adjacent to the very ordinary original 18.
At the present time there are about 8 courses planned for North Vietnam, many of them pencilled in along the road to the world heritage listed Halong Bay.
In central Vietnam, there is already a number of good courses, notably two designed by Nick Faldo.
More courses are in the planning stages for the area surrounded by Hoi An and Danang, and farther south along the coast at Nha Trang, and lastly in the far south, not far from the Mekong Delta at Vung Tau.
Most Vietnamese don't play golf, as the country is still in recovery mode from the long occupation by the French followed by 16 years of the "American War" as it is referred to here in Vietnam.
The courses are generally populated by visiting Australians, Japanese and lately, a good number of Taiwanese, Singaporeans and Malaysians.
Vietnam is a country of puzzling contrasts. In the south there is a full-blown capitalist economy, whilst in the communist dominated North, the guiding hand of the socialists is evident everywhere.
Whenever the economy of the south becomes too full on, the interventionist hands of the government in Hanoi always comes into play.
Hence I say "on the drawing boards" when referring to planned developments, as the only certainty in Vietnam is uncertainty.
For those of you who might venture this way (as unlikely as it would be!) I would advise you to bring your clubs, as you will not be disappointed.
And don't let the signs at the entrance to the clubs put you off which generally read: "18 holes: 970,000 dn".
Currently $US1 buys 16,117 Vietnamese dong, therefore your green fee is a bargain $US60, which includes a compulsotry caddy and unfortunately - an equally compulsory cart.