Vietnam's ambitious plan to significantly expand its golf course portfolio by 2030 will take centre stage at the Vietnam Golf Course Owners Summit 2025, which will be held on October 30-31st at the scenic Laguna Golf Lang Co. A pivotal session, titled "Building Vietnam Golf – The Next Hundred...", will gather global industry leaders to map out a strategic and sustainable trajectory for the nation's booming golf ecosystem.
The session will underscore the dramatic growth trajectory of Vietnam's golf industry, which is about to enter a critical expansion phase. With projections for a wave of new developments, the focus will shift from simple expansion to quality, sustainability, and maximizing long-term investment potential.
Moderated by Mr. Ben Styles, Executive Director of 54, the panel will dissect the immediate priorities for managing this expansion. A key challenge to be identified will be ensuring a balanced and sustainable growth that aligns with the nation's broader development goals. This will include addressing crucial issues like land use planning and mitigating the environmental impacts associated with the expected influx of new courses.
"The discussion will need to pivot from how many courses we can build to how well we can build and operate them," a panellist is expected to note. The risk of "overzealous growth" will be openly discussed, with experts stressing the need for standardized development practices and robust regulatory frameworks to prevent market saturation or compromise on quality.
The panel will bring together a formidable line-up of international experts, including Mr. Brad Burgess (CEO & Founder, Sports Turf Solutions), Mr. Gavin Reid (Vice President, Flagstick Golf Construction), and renowned course designers Mr. Tim Lobb (Founder & Principal Architect, Lobb & Partners), Mr. Mark Adams (Director, Faldo Design), and Mr. Paul Stringer (President, Nicklaus Golf Course Design).
A major theme will be the potent synergy between the golf expansion and Vietnam’s rapidly booming tourism industry. Panellists will highlight significant investment opportunities in infrastructure development that runs parallel to tourism growth, emphasizing the role of world-class golf courses as key attractors for high-value international tourists.
International experiences will be extensively shared, focusing on risk mitigation strategies crucial for navigating a period of such rapid infrastructure expansion, especially given the "100 new golf courses expected" mantra. The consensus will be that lessons learned from mature and emerging golf markets worldwide must be applied to Vietnamese projects to ensure they meet global standards for design, construction, and operational excellence.
A strong call will be made for strengthening collaboration among all stakeholders—regulators, investors, developers, and operators. This unified approach will be deemed essential for guaranteeing quality, innovation, and environmental responsibility across all new ventures. The goal will be to establish a standardized, innovative foundation for the future.
The session is expected to successfully address the critical challenges inherent in a large-scale infrastructure expansion, setting a collaborative tone for the next decade. The collective vision articulated at the Summit will aim not just to increase the number of courses, but to cement Vietnam’s status as a premier, sustainable, and high-quality golf destination in Asia by 2030.
