Newly appointed Ba Na Hills Golf Club general manager, Simon Mees, has set his focus on driving the club’s momentum and that of the entire Central Vietnam region.
With 30 years of experience spanning the iconic courses of Scotland, Mees’ home country, to the jet-setting environs of the Middle East and Thailand, he brings an international pedigree that reflects the evolving vision of Ba Na Hills Golf Club.
His work experience includes stints at prestigious clubs such as Pineapple Valley Golf Club and Aquella Golf & Country Club in Thailand, the Greg Norman-designed KN Golf Links Cam Ranh in Vietnam, and the Al Hamra Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates.
Simon Mees’ diverse leadership experience positions him as a dynamic force, ready to boost Ba Na Hills Golf Club, with its award-winning layout designed by Europe Ryder Cup skipper Luke Donald, as it enters a pivotal period.
“I am thrilled to join Ba Na Hills Golf Club,” Mees said. “The club has garnered a reputation as one of Vietnam’s finest, and I look forward to building on its success, enhancing guest experiences, and working closely with the team to elevate everything we offer.”
Ba Na Hills Golf Club, which is operated by IMG, is renowned for its spectacular setting amidst rolling mountain landscapes. Its layout combines challenging holes with breathtaking views, offering golfers a world-class experience that has earned it a reputation as one of Southeast Asia’s top golf courses.
Mees is also targeting another milestone year for his new club, and Central Vietnam as a hub for golf in Asia following its emergence as one of the region’s hottest golf destinations.
The region has already established itself as a hub for golf travel in the region thanks to an array of layouts designed by luminaries including European legends Donald, Sir Nick Faldo (Laguna Golf Lang Co), and Colin Montgomerie (Montgomerie Links), as well as other huge names like Greg Norman and Robert Trent Jones Jr. Several of the clubs are now trumpeting the region’s appeal as Vietnam’s “Golf Coast”.
“Momentum is with Central Vietnam as golf destination at the moment and we are confident that energy will be maintained,” Mees added. “Nowhere in Asia can golfers find such a concentration of world-class championship courses within easy reach of an international airport and each other.”
With 2023 bringing in over 390,000 (81 per cent stating leisure and holidays as their reason for visit) Australian visitors to Vietnam and its growing popularity as a golf destination, this appointment looks to help increase the region’s popularity with golf enthusiasts.
