The Asian Golf Wave: Vietnam at a Historic Crossroads

When I sat in the press room at the LPGA Tour event in Singapore this March, a young Vietnamese journalist raised her hand to ask about the putting strategy of a Korean golfer. Her question was sharp, her data clear. I realized something was changing — not just in Singapore, but across Southeast Asia. Asian golf is entering an unprecedented transformation, and Vietnam stands at the very intersection of this wave. The growth of golf in Asia is not a new story. Japan has had the Japan Golf Tour since 2026. Korea produced names like K.J. Choi, and then the golden generation of the LPGA with Park In-bee, Chun In-gee, and many others. But what is happening in Southeast Asia — particularly in Vietnam — has a completely different nature. This is not a natural development from a long-standing golf culture, but a boom driven by infrastructure investment, an emerging middle class, and sports tourism development strategies. According to data I have collected over the past three years, the number of golf courses in Vietnam has grown from approximately 80 to over 100, with dozens of projects in the construction or planning stages. Major real estate conglomerates are viewing golf as a tool to increase property values, while the government sees it as a lever for premium tourism. But the important question is not how many golf courses are built — it is whether the golf ecosystem is being developed sustainably. I had the opportunity to follow the development of Korean golf since the 2000s, when the country began producing a generation of female golfers who dominated the LPGA. The biggest lesson from Korea is: golf course infrastructure does not create champions. The youth training system, competitive culture, and family support are the deciding factors. When I interviewed Korean golfers at the US Women's Open last year, almost all of them told me about how their parents had sacrificed to take them to golf academies, waking up at 4 AM to drive them to the practice range before school. Vietnam does not have that foundation. But Vietnam has an advantage that Korea did not have: government support through high-performance sports. I have witnessed this model work effectively in other sports like badminton and swimming. The question is whether this model can be applied to golf — a sport traditionally seen as a privilege of the upper class. My analysis of data from regional amateur tournaments shows an interesting trend: the number of young Vietnamese golfers under 18 participating in Asian Golf Federation events has tripled in five years. This reflects a demographic shift — the young Vietnamese generation, who grew up during the economic opening period, has earlier and more natural access to golf than their parents' generation. However, there is a fundamental issue I noticed when following youth tournaments in Vietnam: the disparity in training quality between academies. Some major academies in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have international coaches, modern swing analysis technology, and structured training programs. But in the provinces, many young talents only have access to self-taught coaches, lacking foundational knowledge of technique and strategy. This is a systemic issue, not an individual one. In a study I conducted with a colleague at Seoul National University on golf development in developing Asian countries, we found that the most important factor determining a country's success in developing golf is not the number of golf courses, but the depth of the youth training system. Korea has over 500 professional golf academies. Japan has a school club system established in the 1950s. China has invested billions of dollars into golf academies after golf became an Olympic sport in 2026. Vietnam is at the early stage of this process. But there is a unique opportunity Vietnam can leverage: its strategic position in the global golf supply chain. As golf equipment manufacturing costs rise in China, major brands are seeking alternative production locations. Vietnam, with its young workforce and competitive costs, is becoming an attractive destination. I had the chance to visit a golf club manufacturing factory in Binh Duong province last year, and I was impressed by the craftsmanship of Vietnamese workers. But the bigger story is not in manufacturing; it is in building a sustainable golf culture. When I talk to Vietnamese parents at youth tournaments, they often ask me about how their children can get golf scholarships in the US. This shows a growing understanding of golf's value as an educational and career path. But it also shows a dependence on foreign models, rather than building a strong domestic system. I recall an interview with a Vietnamese sports official at the SEA Games 31 in Hanoi. He told me that Vietnam's goal is not to produce a Tiger Woods, but to build a system that can produce many decent mid-level golfers — those who can compete at the SEA Games, Asian Games, and gradually progress to regional professional tournaments. This is a pragmatic approach, but it also has its limitations. In the history of Asian golf, the most successful countries — Korea, Japan, and more recently Thailand — all had iconic champions who inspired an entire generation. K.J. Choi paved the way for the wave of Korean golfers on the PGA Tour. Ariya Jutanugarn did the same for Thailand. Vietnam needs such a figure — someone who can prove that a Vietnamese golfer can compete at the highest international level. There are encouraging signs. I have been following the development of several young Vietnamese golfers competing in tournaments in the US and Europe. They are learning fast, adapting well, and most importantly — they are competing with confidence. But the numbers are still too small, and support from home remains limited. Another issue I noticed is the lack of connection between stakeholders in the Vietnamese golf ecosystem. Golf courses, academies, associations, and sponsors seem to operate in separate silos. In Korea, the Korea Golf Association plays a central role in connecting stakeholders, organizing national-level tournaments, and developing youth training programs. Vietnam needs a similar organization — one that can see the big picture and coordinate development strategically. As I write these lines, I remember an afternoon at a golf course in Da Lat, where I witnessed a group of local children practicing golf with old, worn-out clubs. They had no golf shoes, no gloves, no professional coaches. But their eyes lit up when the ball flew, and I saw something very familiar in them — something I saw in the slums of Seoul in the 1990s, where children had nothing but dreams and an old club. Golf is a cruel sport. It doesn't care about your background, doesn't care about your life story. It only cares about the result on the scorecard. But that very cruelty creates a fair playing field — where talent, hard work, and the right strategy can overcome all barriers. Vietnam stands at a historic opportunity. Not to become a global golf powerhouse overnight — that is unrealistic. But to build a solid foundation for a new generation of golfers who can put Vietnam on the Asian golf map within the next 10 to 15 years. The question is not whether Vietnam can do it. The question is whether the leaders of Vietnam's golf industry have the vision to look beyond the short-term benefits of real estate projects, and the courage to invest in things that are intangible but sustainable — youth training systems, public facilities, and competitive culture. I have followed Asian golf for over two decades. I have witnessed the rise of Korea, the rise of Thailand, and now the rise of China. Each country has its own path, but they all share one thing: they all started with small steps, with strategic investments, with people who believed that golf is not just a sport, but a tool to change lives. Vietnam is at the beginning of a long journey. There will be failures, challenges, and costly lessons. But if I have learned anything from 21 years of observing the golf industry, it is this: countries that dare to think big and invest strategically will always find a way to succeed. A season is just one sentence in a book that spans a decade — and Vietnam's golf story is only beginning on the first page. Golf courses do not create champions by themselves. Training systems, strategic investment, and the belief of an entire generation are what make the difference. Vietnam has all the necessary ingredients. The remaining question is: do they dare to cook that dish?