Chi Linh Golf Club

The Chi Linh Golf Club features 27 holes of challenging international standard golfing. The golf club opened in late 2003 east of Hanoi. Chi Linh Club played host to the first professional golf tournament in the north of Vietnam, the 2004 Carlsberg Masters Vietnam. Both golf professionals and amateurs alike recognized the pure beauty of the layout.

Chi Linh Golf course was designed and constructed by Independent Golf Course Services, a well-known Australian firm who have also completed golf courses in Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and China. The golf course is in a beautiful valley on rolling forested hills, with several creeks, lakes, and natural water hazards. 

A large natural lake in the center of the course ensures that water comes into play on many holes. For example, several holes feature tee-shots with water carries, and others play to island greens formed by the lakes' many capes and bays. For those playing well through the round, be forewarned. The final hole is nothing less than a 680 yard (yes, correct and not a typo) uphill par 5. Reserve power and do not let up until in the clubhouse. 

The par-4 380-yard second hole is also one of the best at Chi Linh, with a long carry to an elevated well-guarded green needed to par this hole. Other memorable holes are the par-5 fifth, which features a sidehill lie down the right side of the fairway, and that large lake mentioned earlier down the left side.

Playing conditions at Chi Linh Golf are generally good year-round. Tiff Eagle grass greens ensure smooth and fast putting surfaces. Tee boxes and fairways are a Bermuda variant explicitly developed for Hanoi's changing temperatures. The thick rough, mainly when left to grow long, will present a constant challenge even for the most accomplished of golfers.

Chi Linh is suitable as a day trip from Hanoi. It is also an equally good option when passing by on the way to or from Ha Long Bay. Chi Linh Golf is a proverbial must-play Hanoi golf course for a great round of golf.