A short drive from the thriving port city of Danang, Ba Na Hills is an attractive tourist area set in a broad valley and enclosed by lush, forested hills. The fully floodlit 18-hole golf course was designed and managed by IMG Golf Course Services, with Luke Donald’s name added to the design credit after he became the World’s Number 1 golfer in 2011. The fact Donald never set foot on site during construction fails to deter the use of his name appearing heavily in marketing material. When he does finally visit Ba Na Hills, he will find his name attached to a course with limited traditional appeal. This is very much a modern, Asian golf experience, with the lights, the caddies, the carts, the lush, soft surfaces and peaceful outlooks compensating for the fact the holes are mostly one dimensional, unwalkable and too difficult for the average handicap player.

Arranged in two distinct loops of nines, the front side at Ba Na Hills is the most attractive and occupies the more playable, gentle terrain. Surrounded by the hills and with some pleasant views, the holes are dominated by water and feature a mix of lakes and long, running streams. Some of the hazards force weaker hitters into difficult playing zones, particularly on the 4^th and 5^th holes, where those unable to carry the liquid must play short or away and live with the terribly difficult consequences. The 6^th is also an issue, given the green is so narrow and angled to be approach from either the left side fairway bunker or the near side of a ridge that blocks your view. Better are par threes like the long 2^nd and downhill pond-side 8^th.

The back nine is a completely different experience to the front, with some very significant, and awkward, elevation changes throughout. The starting point, the 10^th, is a strange short par four played to an elevated green resting atop an almost volcanic shaped fairway. Those able to smash a ball up to the top shelf are fine, but the rest need to play from one of the middle plateaus and essentially guess where the green sits. The crazy uphill, sidehill, blind and narrow tee shot on the 13^th and rising approach into the shallow 15^th green aside, the rest of the back nine has some attractive areas and fun holes. The first half of the par five 11^th and second half of the par five 14^th standout, as does the drop-kick par three 12^th. Less effective is the island green 16^th, which also hurts the routing as it’s followed by a 300 yard cart ride, and U-turn back up a hill to the 17^th tee.

While Ba Na Hills will frustrate the purists and be too difficult for the average Asian golfer, even from the front tees, as a point of difference from the other courses in Danang it will likely prove popular. We suspect the majority of visitors will enjoy the overall Ba Na experience, if not the severity of the design and the back nine terrain.

Our recommended hotel partner in the Danang / Central Vietnam Region is Four Seasons Resort – The Nam Hai