[VIETNAM GOLF COURSE INSPECTION] Royal Golf Ninh Binh – Golf masterpiece in the middle of a stone forest  03:02, 30/07/2024

Froyal Golf Course is located on the land of the 1,000-year-old ancient capital of Hoa Lu, including a combination of two 18-hole golf courses - King Course and Queen Course. In particular, Queen Course is a work bearing the imprint of famous golf course designer Jack Nicklaus, with an extremely characteristic landscape of fairways interspersed between unique limestone outcrops. Sân Royal Golf Course tọa lạc trên mảnh đất cố đô Hoa Lư 1000 năm lịch sử, bao gồm tổ hợp hai sân golf 18 hố - Sân Đồi Vua (King course), Sân Hoàng Hậu (Queen Course). Trong đó, Queen Course là một tác phẩm mang đậm dấu ấn của nhà thiết kế sân golf lừng danh Jack Nicklaus, với nét cảnh quan vô cùng đặc trưng là fairway nằm xen kẽ giữa những mỏm đá vôi độcom Hanoi, it took the inspection team of "Vietnam Golf & Leisure Awards" more than 2 hours of driving to reach Royal Golf Course Ninh Binh and begin their golf "adventure" on the Queen Course - a beautiful new 18-hole golf course located in the middle of a stone forest.

With a total area of ​​nearly 150 hectares, Queen Course was designed by Jack Nicklaus II and professionally supervised by Flagstick company. With Zeon Zoysia grass for the fairway and Primo Zoysia grass for the green, the course is designed and constructed using the most modern techniques and technology today with world-famous shaper Donald Page. Right from the first golf holes, the inspection team was very impressed with the lush green color of the grass on the course. It seems like there is no boundary between the tee box, fairway and green because it all seems to blend into one. Even though the team arrived here after long days of rain and storms, the course was still very well maintained.

A special feature of the Queen Course is the original preserved underground limestone strips, exposed on the ground during construction, creating a magnificent and beautiful scene in the vast space. The course is cleverly designed, taking advantage of available natural conditions, winding around rocky strips, creating challenging and interesting trap spots. Therefore, Queen Course is unique and different on each hole. The dance of thousand-year-old natural rock formations, combined with the landscape of mountains and natural lakes, creates a soft, sharp, unique and full of personality of each golf hole, just as its name "Queen Course".

Some of the course's holes have divided fairways giving you more options to go left or right. The bunkers are well placed and provide good aiming points from the tee box and there are a number of bunkers placed at the back of the green to create more challenge for players. The green speed is at 8 and greens are in well shaped. The best experience is at rest places, from a windy high above, you can comfortably get a panoramic view of the golf holes you have just conquered. Only then can we fully see the masterful talent of the genius designer.

“Rarely is there a golf course that can bring you the feeling of being both challenging and interesting enough, suitable for golfers of all levels like here," said former VGA General Secretary Nguyen Ngoc Chu.

One of the most special holes at Queen course is Hole 4 par 5 which is different from other ones. Queen course is characterized by rocky mountains, but when you come to hole 4, you will not be able to hide your surprise at the "extreme" beauty of this unique golf hole. On the left side of the fairway there is a lake where golfers can see fishes swimming around. Standing on the teeing area, players can stretch their chests to welcome the cool air from Yen Thang Lake. This is also the golf hole with the most bunkers on the course -  five bunkers on the fairway and an OB on the right. On the green there are two bunkers front and back, the green has a slope from back to front.

“The design of the legendary Jack Nicklaus II is always extremely interesting, unique and different on each golf hole and this has created excitement and curiosity for us to explore. Each golf hole is a new experience, not boring at all.” – PGA BJ Song – a member of the inspection team from Korea excitedly shared.

Other advantanges of Queen Course include very friendly course staff, enthusiastic and experienced caddies, beautiful clubhouse, good locker room along with delicious local specialties... which have contributed creating an unforgettable golf experience for the group when coming to Royal Golf Course Ninh Binh.

Mr. Stephen Morgan - a member of the inspection team shared: "Hidden among millions of years old limestone mountains, it is easy to see that limestone is a characteristic feature of this golf course. On one hole I was lucky enough to hit a limestone and the ball bounced back into the fairway but I wouldn't recommend trying that. To me, this is truly a course you must experience if you play golf in the North of Vietnam.”

Some pictures captured of the inspection team at Royal Golf Course Ninh Binh