When Robert Trent Jones Jr. chose to build his Vietnamese masterpiece on the dune ridges south of Da Nang, he was working with a canvas unlike anything else in Southeast Asia. The result — Hoiana Shores Golf Club — plays on a landscape that feels ancient: rolling coastal grass, natural dunescape, the East Sea as a constant presence on the back nine, and fairways that have been sculpted rather than constructed.
After four years of operation and dozens of rounds facilitated by Asia Golf Specialists for our clients, here is our definitive review.
The Course
Location: Duy Xuyen District, Quảng Nam Province — 25 minutes from Hoi An, 40 minutes from Da Nang International Airport
Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Length: 7,309 yards (championship) / 5,250 yards (front)
Par: 71
Rating: ~73.8 from championship tees
Notable: First true links course in Vietnam; multiple Asia Top 10 rankings
Front Nine: Into the Dunes
The front nine plays inland through the dune ridges, with fairways that break left and right along natural topographic ridges. Tee shots that look simple from the tee reveal deceptive slopes on landing that send golf balls careening toward hidden collection areas. This is classic RTJ Jr. — firm, fast, and demanding of careful club selection.
Standout holes on the front nine include the par-5 4th (a three-shot masterpiece through a dune corridor) and the par-3 7th (played over a natural hollow to an elevated green that feeds away from the centre).
Back Nine: Along the East Sea
The back nine is where Hoiana Shores earns its reputation. From the 10th hole, the course begins its migration toward the coastline, and by the 14th, you're playing alongside the East Sea with the wind fully exposed. The famous closing sequence — holes 14 through 18 — ranks alongside the finest run of holes in Asian golf.
The par-3 17th is the course's signature hole: 195 yards (from the championship tee) played into a cross-wind, with the sea 30 metres behind an elevated green that will reject anything short. In anything above 15 knots, it plays like a links in the British Isles. In still conditions, it's a makeable mid-iron. Club selection here separates single-figure from recreational golfers.
Course Conditions
Conditioning at Hoiana Shores is consistently maintained at a standard that exceeds what most players expect in Southeast Asia. Greens run 9.5–10.5 on the Stimpmeter in the dry season, are true and consistent, and recover well from traffic. Fairways are lush — more parkland carpet than links-firm, which moderates the bounce-and-run game that a pure links setting would invite. This is the one characteristic that distinguishes Hoiana Shores from a true British links: the climate means year-round irrigation, giving you firmer approach surfaces than the course playing conditions might suggest.
The Caddie Experience
Hoiana Shores caddies are among the finest in Vietnam — a function of both deliberate training programmes and the competitive wage structure the resort has established. AGS pre-briefs caddies on client handicaps and playing preferences. Expect comprehensive yardage advice, wind reading, and green reading at a standard most Australian golfers haven't experienced before.
The Verdict
Hoiana Shores is the reason to come to Vietnam. If you're planning a Da Nang golf circuit and you play Hoiana Shores only once, play it last — it's the experience that everything else builds toward. For first-time visitors, the back nine coastal experience alone justifies the trip. For returning players, the front nine reveals its complexity in ways the opening round doesn't anticipate.
AGS rates Hoiana Shores a 9.5/10 — among the finest courses we operate in all of Southeast Asia. Explore the full course profile on our Hoiana Shores course page or see the Vietnam golf destination hub for the full circuit context.
