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Kings' Island GC, North Vietnam

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Mike_Duffy:
I thought I might take the opportunity to tell you all of a somewhat unusual experience that I had the other day in the wilds of the highlnds of North Vietnam.

Having taken a much-needed sabbatical from Bangkok, I did a google search in order to find some golf courses that I could contemplate on playing during my sojourn in North Vietnam.

Despite one "Google" search after another, the only course that kept popping up was the Kings' Island Golf Club, in Ho Tay Province, North Vietnam.

I duly contacted the club by e-mail and received a courteous reply from a person called Phuc, who wished me "golfing very good" on the following Tuesday.

Not having a clue where to find the Kings' Island GC, nor wanting to "experience" the thrill of driving on the rural roads of North Vietnam, we hired a car and driver for the day and proceeded in a north-westerly direction from Hanoi.

The further we went, the higher the altitude became, and with it the light drizzle that was evident in Hanoi, turned into a heavy, mist-like envelopment.

After about an hours' journey through tiny villages with pigs and chooks running over the roads, and past towns somnolent in the mists, our driver turned down a dusty road and following three abortive attempts to find the entrance to the Kings' Island GC, we eventually found ourselves perched precariously on a dirt road above an immense reservoir. On one side of the road water buffalo grazed contently 40 feet below, whilst on the other, what looked like an inland sea greeted our restricted vision.

"But where's the golf course", I asked the driver who muttered something in Vietnamese and gestured to us to get out of the car.

Thereupon, another man approached us and grabbed ur golf bags and pointed his arm in the direction of a dangerous-looking set of steps that lead downwards to the shore of the reservoir.

We followed him to the jetty below, and stood shivering in the drizzle and wondered what in the bloody hell had we had got ourselves into.

After a couple of minutes, we heard the sounds of an outboard motor approaching the jetty, and from the mist a 10-foot boat appeared and lurched, rather than docked at the jetty.

What followed was a 3-minute ride at high speed across the reservoir, where at another dock, we were met by some Vietnamese women, who took our bags, while we traipsed up the path towards the clubhouse.

We soon discovered that there had been a misunderstanding with our booking, with the Vietnamese man in the pro shop attempting to charge us a double rate. I asked for the "head man" to come and sort our the misunderstanding and after a minute or so a well-tanned American came into the pro shop to sort out our business.

I asked incrediously, "What is American doing here?" to which, he replied "That Sir, is exactly the same question that Bill Clinton asked me some years ago, when he came to Kings' Island for a round of golf".

The American turned out to be Robert Bicknell, who was the director of golf at King's Island. He told me that he first came to King's Island in 1993, and added that during his 11 years in Vietnam he had been treated politely and courteously by all, and had not experienced one unpleasant occasion. Robert said he came from Boston and loved Vietnam and its people. He said Bill Clinton asked him if he was an abscondee from the Vietnam War (or the American war as it is know in Vietnam), as he was amazed to find an American in such an outlandish place.

Another American, a personable young man from North Carolina, Paul Schuler, was the Customer Service Manager, and he told us he was going to Bangkok to get his teaching certificate. We wished him well in his endeavours and knew he would succeed in get his teaching certificate.

We teeded off in constant drizzle and as the morning wore on the visibility got down to about 170 metres. It was evident that the course was not in the best of condition, and the design was rudimentary to use polite terminology.

Ona clear day, one could imagine that this golf course would be most picturesque, flanked by the waters of the immense reservoir, with the backdrop of the Ba Vie mountain range extending towards the border with China in the distance.

The course is pitched on undulating to slightly hilly terrain, but none of the nine holes we played were worthy of any special description or added comment.

At the conclusion of nine holes, I noted that my knuckles were purple from the cold and drizzle, my caddle who said his name was "Taxi" was shivering and miserable, so we decided to call it quits.

On re-enterering the clubhouse I enquired from Paul Schuler as to whether another golf course was being built, as I had perceived through the drizzle/mist some construction work that looked remarkably like a golf course on some terrain adjacent to the existing 18 holes.

Paul confirmed that the club was building a new 18 hole course and that grow-in was imminent.

However, I felt somewhat despondent when I learnt that the design firm was Pacific Coast Design. This company had been responsible for designing and building Hidden Valley, a golf course on the northern outskirts of Melourne which featured just about every cardinal sin in the design register.

Paul assured me that the members were very happy with the design and work of PCD, so maybe "Hideous Valley" had been an aberration.

Paul mentioned that the new course should be playable later this year or early next year, so the next time I'm around this part of the world, I might pop into Kings' Island and find if Pacific Coast Design has managed to produce a golf course worthy of that nomenclature.

As to the original layout, I learnt from Paul Schuler, that the course has had a very chequred history.

It was designed by Bob McFarlane, of whom I cannot tell you a thing, except to say that his name appears as the designer next to a number of golf clubs in Thailand.

The course was constructed in 1987, but the reservoir that surrounds it flooded it a few years later, and the course was then closed for reconstruction.

Paul Schuler said that several people were responsible for the redesign/reconstruction, when I mentioned that in my humble opinion, the layout left something to be desired.

Kings' Island is also building a new clubhouse, and for those Aussies who are familiar with The Lakes clubhouse in southern Sydney, it is similar to that, with a conical Asian hat-type roof.

I do hope that all goes well for Kings' Island GC, because to date it is the only golf club in North Vietnam. After the American War, the ruling Communist party declared golf to be a capitalist game, and banned the construction of any golf courses.

However, several years ago it relented, and there are now many golf courses in Vietnam. Paul Schuler mentioned that there were at least 18 on the drawing boards for the five provinces surrounding Hanoi alone.

On the Mike Meter I would give Kings' Island 2.5 out of 10, on the more charitable Doak Scale it probably rates 3.5.

I can't recommend a detour to especially play it at the present time, but if you're in Hanoi at some time then Kings' Island is where you'll be playing - there are no alternatives.

My journey up the "highway" towards the Chinese border in the highlands of Vietnam will probably not provide any opportunity to reply to your comments or questions, as the internet has probably not invaded the tranquility of the bucolic lifestyle of the Hill Tribes.

In the meantime I wish all of my "mates" good golfing, and if you come to Kings' Island, you will be met with warmth and courtesy, and undoubtedly you will be engaged in a very interesting conversation or two with a couple of Americans far from their homeland.

Golf is indeed played in every corner of the world, and if the golf courses for the most part are not memorable, then it usually follows that the people one meets at these far flung venues usally are very memorable.

PS No 1.: I did feel like a "capitalist" playing Kings' Island. I walked the course with my caddy, but arranged a cart for my non-golf playing wife to accompany me.

Total cost: $US110, about three months wages for local Vietnamese workers. Memberships at the club will run up to a whopping $US35,000 with annual fees of $US1020.

Most of the names on the honour boards were of Japanese origin, but also featured some Vietnamese names. Where do they get the money from to play golf ? Well, that was a short conversation I had with one of the locals. Several things come to mind in that respect, but I'll diplomatically leave it at that for the present time.

PS No. 2: Speaking on the phone with a colleague a few hours ago, I was given the hilarious information that the original "groundwork" for Kings' Island GC was carried out, in his words, by the unlikely design firm of R. M Nixon and Gen. William Westmoreland.

It seems that acting on flawed American intelligence reports (has it improved over the past 30 years?), the American Air Force B-52s bombed Hanoi and Ho Tay Province on Christmas Day 1972 and the following day, December 26.

Five 1000 lb bombs fell near the reservoir, in the mistaken belief that it was Hanoi's water supply. One apparently fell on the edge of the reservoir, with the only effect being to increase the area of the already large catchment.

RJ_Daley:
Well Mike, you probably won't be able to read replies but... If you have nothing else to do some rainy day sitting about in a hotel room on your journey and they do have the internet, and you are looking into GCA; then do a search for Forrest Richardson's post on Foulpointe Golf Club in Madagascar.  

Mike, you are the perfect scout to be sent out to find the real Foulpointe Club, once listed as #10 in the world by a group of golden age writers, designers, players, and bon vivants.

Happy Travels,
Dick

PS:  I did the search, here it is...
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=55;start=0

Norbert P:
Thanks Mike, for the refreshingly adventurous stories that surround golf and travel.  Be well.
   

RJ_Daley:
Hey Slag...err I mean Norby.  How does it feel all cleaned up and re-identified by your Christian name.  Slag B and Samuel C, you're in good company.  Never the Twain shall post. ::) :'(

Norbert P:
  I used to go to the "Change Machine" but all it ever gave me for a dollar bill was four quarters.  I never changed at all. What a gyp.  

  I dunno Dick, I haven't cleaned up so well.  I still have poor hacker hygiene practices.  Maybe I'll shave today and make an effort.

 "I almost cut my hair
    just the other day.  
  It was gettin'
    kinda long.  ...
 
  ...Feel like lettin' my freak flag fly..."  David Crosby

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