Bin Thuan is a coastal province at about 200 kms north of Ho Chi Minh City
with about 200 kms of sandy beaches. Phan Thiet is the county town one of
the most ancient place in Vietnam where the Chams, first inhabitants,
settled and left some towers reminding their presence, and where Ho Chi Minh
has been a young teacher.
Ocean Dunes Golf Club
The Ocean Dunes Golf Club in Phan Tiet has been designed by the
three times Masters champion Nick Faldo in the years 1996/98. "Ocean Dunes
Golf Club is an outstanding natural site with sand dunes, sea breezes, beach
vegetation and panoramic ocean vistas". said Faldo "We have let the dunes
determine the routing and the look of the golf course. It should have the
feel and the playability of the early seaside courses, but with a tropical
climate."
Located on the seashore, in the northern outskirt of the quiet fishers'
city of Phan Tiet, Ocean Dunes Golf course lies in front of and around the
Novotel Coralia Hotel which opens its windows on the beach. It features a
6,746-yard, par 72, golf course which slaloms through the seaside dunes and
coastal breezes shape the course's day-to-day characteristics.
Nick Faldo is coming every year for a follow up and implementation of
certain improvments on the course. He designed Ocean Dunes golf in a way
that makes it a playable course for high handicap players who will enjoy the
openness of its links-styling, but also with exciting opportunities for more
experienced players who will appreciate the challenges posed by the
ever-present ocean breezes. In fact even if there is only a part of the
holes which are near the beach, winds are blowing every and palmtrees
indicate clearly the sense of the main ocean wind.
Out of the winds, eight ponds offer water hazards to 12 holes while
greens of #9 and 12, and tees of #13 have beautiful direct look to the
beaches and their permanent white toped waves.
Ocean Dunes course was ranked the #1 course in Vietnam in 1999 & 2000 by
Golf Digest. The Asian Golfer gave the course a "A+" rating, "one of the
finest golf clubs of the world. The hole-9, par 3, is one of the Best 500
Holes in the World (by Golf Magazine - December 1999).
Sculpted out of the coastal dunes, along the Eastern Sea, the Ocean Dunes
Golf Club is the ideal respite from the demands of daily life. Brilliant
sun, windswept dunes and sea breezes makes it one of the most exciting links
style courses in the region.
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