Norman Unveils New Vietnamese Links

Greg Norman playing KN Golf Links Cam Ranh, his third course in Vietnam. (Image: KN Golf Links Cam Ranh)

Greg Norman plays it out of the rough at KN Golf Links Cam Ranh, his third course in Vietnam. (Image: KN Golf Links Cam Ranh)

Carved through coastal dunes near Nha Trang City, Greg Norman’s new KN Golf Links Cam Ranh is the Shark’s third course in Vietnam and the latest in the country’s string of high-profile course openings.

(Last updated December 2019.)

Red-hot golf destination Vietnam added yet another marquee course to its roster with the October 2018 opening of KN Golf Links Cam Ranh, a links-style Greg Norman design near Nha Trang City on the country’s south coast.

Carved through rolling coastal dunes, Norman’s 7,165-yard design is his third in Vietnam, joining his Bluffs Ho Tram Strip course two hours south of Ho Chi Minh City, and his Dunes Course at BRG Da Nang Golf Resort.

“The scale and natural topography lends itself beautifully to a great variety of holes,” Norman said of his design. “You get these sensational visuals from tee boxes, and really cool run-off areas where the ball can roll and turn. It’s a lot of fun.”

Hole No. 18 (Image: KN Golf Links Cam Ranh)

Many holes, including the 18th, offer sweeping views of Cam Ranh Bay. (Image: KN Golf Links Cam Ranh)

Norman’s course is the centrepiece of KN Paradise, an 800-hectare resort taking shape on an eight-kilometre stretch of beachfront dominated by spectacular sand dunes. The property is five minutes from Cam Ranh Bay International Airport, and 20 minutes from Nha Trang City, a popular resort destination known for its beaches, diving sites and offshore islands.

Highlights at KN Golf Links Cam Ranh include the 10th and 15th holes, a pair of downhill par fours that offer sweeping views of Cam Ranh Bay and three small islands sitting about 10 kilometres offshore. The property also features the Norman-designed Oasis Course, a nine-hole parkland-style layout that runs inland from the clubhouse.

Vietnam’s rise as a golf destination began in 2007, when a marketing push by some of the country’s top courses and hotels led the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) to vote it Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year.

Today, there are 40 golf courses in Vietnam, with an estimated 70 projects in various stages of development, planning and construction.