KN Golf Links Cam Ranh, Greg Norman's third course in Vietnam and his 104th worldwide, is a new resort destination being developed along a wonderful 8-kilometre stretch of coastline less than an hour’s flight northeast from Ho Chi Minh City.

The course is located at the southernmost end of a long and gently curving sandy sweep, interrupted only by a naturally rugged headland where the height of the terrain allows for a number of remarkable viewpoints.

The fairways are routed around many of those elevated positions and two of the designer’s favourites are at the 10th and 15th holes, a pair of par fours that play downhill toward the ocean and three small islands located just offshore.

Managed by IMG, KN Golf Links Cam Ranh is the third golf facility developed by KN Investment Group Chairman Le Van Kiem, whose company also owns and operates Long Thanh Golf Club near Ho Chi Minh City and Long Vien Golf Club in Vientiane, Laos.

“There is a reason Greg Norman Golf Course Design is recognized as the premier signature golf course design firm in the world,” said Mr. Kiem, “and his design philosophy of ‘least disturbance’ has given golfers so many world-class courses.”

The architect himself is also pleased with the layout: “The scale and natural topography of the property lends itself beautifully to a great variety of golf holes. It plays links because there’s a lot of up and down and natural contouring to the layout (and) it’s a lot of fun.”

General manager Simon Mees supplied us with the following:

The toughest hole on the card is the par four 5th. It measures 541 yards from the Shark tee (back tee) and generally plays into the prevailing wind, with the golfer facing a daunting tee shot over water which then runs the full length of the hole on the left side.

Having negotiated the drive safely, the golfer is then faced with a tight approach to a green guarded by water on the left and a bunker on the right with a gap of around 15 yards to feed any low shots through if the player is unable to fly an approach shot all the way to the green.

Once on the putting surface, you are then faced with one of the trickiest greens on the course as there are some daunting undulations to contend with. All in all, this is a testing hole that many high handicappers might opt to play as a three-shot hole in order to happily walk off with a bogey 5.

Although we don’t really like the phrase “signature hole” – as we feel that we have eighteen signature holes which golfers will remember – if we have to single out one it would be the 386-yard par four 15th hole.

Standing on the tee, golfers can marvel at the view with the hole laid out below them and the South Sea and accompanying islands on the horizon. Due to the elevation change from tee to green, the hole might not play as long as its yardage would suggest but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s an easy hole.

A dramatic dune bunker runs the full length of the hole and a well-placed drive is essential if you are to take advantage of the shorter distance on this hole. Remember too, playing into the prevailing wind will potentially hinder your progress, so take nothing for granted on this little beauty.