A new golf course has opened for play in Southern Vietnam.

Designed by Schmidt-Curley Design, the Mountain Course at FLC Golf Links Quy Nhon has been built on a sand-based, pine scrub hillside and features views of the South China Sea from 16 of its 18 holes.

Course highlights include the second hole, which plays to a distinct fall-away green, while the fifteenth features an interesting ‘half-pipe’ dip in front of the green.

Centre line hazards feature throughout the fairways, which has been seeded with Paspalum turf. The fairways have also been designed to easily transition into the greens. Many of the greens are large, with kick-slopes, backstops, punchbowls, and fall-away lobes all deployed.

The design incorporates the site’s native sand expanses, while width off the tee has also been ensured to help players negotiate the region’s frequent strong winds.

The tees feature a ‘mini-fairway’ design, rather than being comprised of individual tee complexes. The site’s sandy base naturally aids drainage and fairway movement, while irregular, meandering turf lines have also been created.

“We are very enthusiastic about the Mountain Course,” said Brian Curley, principal and lead designer at Schmidt-Curley Design. “It is certainly one of the best properties we have ever had the chance to work on and its design features are a strong departure from most other courses in Asia. Players will find it somewhat accommodating off the tee but very demanding on approach shots, and requiring a strong short game to take advantage of the many unique green contours.”

The course has been constructed by Flagstick Construction Management, who successfully managed to grass all 18 holes in just four months.

The Quy Nhon course is the third Schmidt-Curley Design has created for FLC Group in Vietnam – the other two being at Ha Long Bay and Quang Binh.

Curley added: “We are very fortunate and honoured to continue our maiden efforts into the Vietnam golf market with the FLC Group, a team with enormous vision that has its sights set on creating fantastic golf on world-class properties that will soon be at the forefront of the traveling golfer’s list of must-play destinations.”