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Montgomerie Links Golf Vietnam – A Coastal Course That Messes With Your Head (In a Good Way)

Played Montgomerie Links in early March. Dry season. Clear sky. Wind kicking up off the East Sea just enough to get in your head but not enough to ruin your tempo. It’s about a 20-minute drive from Đà Nẵng airport, maybe 15 from Hội An if you’re staying down there. I took a taxi from An Bàng Beach—set me back around 250,000 VND (~$10) and was at the clubhouse by 7:45 AM, just in time to grab a coffee before tee off.

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The course is a Colin Montgomerie design—classic links vibes, but with a Vietnamese twist. Casuarina trees instead of heather, and instead of cold Scottish air, you get that warm central Vietnam breeze that sneaks up on you mid-round.

The first hole’s a par-5 and the kind that fakes you out. From the tee, the fairway looks tight—like it’s just begging for a slice into the trees—but it’s wider than it looks.
Miss right and you’re in trouble, but left gives you some leeway. Second shot needs a bit of thought—fairway bunker’s perfectly placed to catch you if you’re lazy with your layup.

Then comes this par-3 that threads through the trees. Looks chill until the wind shifts. It’ll mess with your club selection, especially if you’re the type that gets indecisive with an 8-iron in your hand. The green’s small but fair. Hit it and you’re happy. Miss and it rolls off into one of those swales that demand a soft wrist and a lot of patience.

Hole 4’s a par-4 you can drive if you’re feeling gutsy. I pulled out driver. Didn’t end well. There’s water hugging the right and it’s not just decorative—it swallows anything with too much fade. Better to hit hybrid, wedge in, take your par, and move on.

What stuck with me was hole 5. A full carry over water to a green that’s framed by bunkers and backed by trees. Wind in the face. Tough club decision. I ended up short in the front trap, took bogey. No shame in it. It’s that kind of hole.

Then you walk up to the 6th and there’s this old war pillbox just sitting there near the tee box. Small concrete bunker from the Vietnam War, right there next to the golf bunker. Kind of jolts you, in a good way. You’re reminded this land’s seen more than golf swings.

The front nine ends strong. Hole 9’s a par-4 framed by casuarinas. Narrow gap off the tee. Water hugs the right side of the green and the pin was tucked in close that day. I played safe, left side, two-putt par.

The back nine opens up. Hole 10 has a fairway wide enough to let loose. I went over the corner with a 3-wood, but the green’s long—back pin and you’re looking at a 40-footer.
Then hole 11, short par-3 but heavily guarded. Deep bunkers in front. Take an extra club or you’re chipping out of soft sand with not much green to work with.
Hole 12’s kind of ridiculous. Seventeen bunkers, and I hit at least two of them. It’s a par-5, and unless you’re threading shots like Tiger in 2000, you’re playing for bogey at some point. The green slopes hard back to front. Miss above the hole and you’re tapping twice.
Hole 14 gave me trouble—long par-3 with water right and bunkers up front. I bailed left. Chipped close. One-putt. Saved par. Felt good.
Hole 15, another driveable par-4. But again, there’s always a catch. Miss-hit your tee shot and you’re scrambling from the sand. I played iron off the tee, wedge in, birdied it. One of those moments where being cautious paid off.
Then you get to 16 and it’s just… beautiful. Long fairway, dune backdrop, everything framed just right. You can be aggressive here. I was. Got away with it.
Hole 17 gets you near the biggest dunes on the property. Gorgeous views. Bunkers in play again, but the green’s receptive.
Then hole 18—long, uphill, par-5. Feels like the designer wanted you to earn your finish. A couple fairway bunkers on the left you absolutely have to avoid. The green’s tiered and tricky, but if you hit it in two (I didn’t), there’s a real birdie chance.

Final thoughts? It’s not just a pretty course—it actually challenges you. The wind plays a factor. The bunkering is smart, not just decorative. And it has character. The kind that comes from both design and setting. It’s one of those places that sticks with you, not because it’s flashy, but because it has depth. Quietly tough. Quietly beautiful.

If you’re staying in central Vietnam and want one course that feels like a complete experience, Montgomerie Links is a strong call.