Lao Cai Golf Course

Lao Cai Golf Course location in Bat Xat, northwest Vietnam, makes it close to the border with China. Internationally designed by IMG, Lao Cai provides Vietnamese developer Sun Group with the province's first publicly accessible course suitable for both Vietnam golfers and international visitors.

The hillside site had barely enough space for routing all 18 holes. Some holes play in the valleys, while others run along ridges with excellent views of the surrounding countryside. There is extreme elevation change through the course.

There are a series of lakes, streams, and waterfalls through the bottom of the site that crosses six holes, starting at the twelfth and finishing on the seventeenth. These are the most memorable holes at Lao Cai.

The golf course also plays along narrow ridges and deep valleys. The Red River lines many of the holes that separate China and Vietnam. The site is primarily rich soil with only one or two areas of rocky outcrops. Errant shots get caught in native grasses surrounding the fairways and shrubs and trees further afield outside the course's perimeter.

Each hole at Lao Cai has five sets of tees, wide fairways, and large greens, making golf in Sapa attractive to golfers of all abilities. Platinum paspalum grass ensures excellent hitting surfaces, though only time will tell if it can withstand the colder temperatures found in the North Vietnam mountains.

A modern clubhouse with all amenities is part of the Lao Cai Golf Course. New golf carts, trained caddies, and several food and beverage outlets making golf in Sapa a complete experience.