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Signature Series Insider: Nick O’Hern & Cameron Daddo on Our Exclusive Vietnam Golf Tour
Written by Finn
Tee off on world-class fairways and discover the lush scenery of Central Vietnam with pro golfer Nick O’Hern and multi-hyphenate Cameron Daddo, co-creators of Luxury Escapes’ brand-new Signature Series golf tour.
Famed for its astounding coastal landscape and award-winning golf courses, Da Nang is the perfect base to discover sensational Central Vietnam.
Whether you’re a passionate novice or seasoned player, Luxury Escapes’ latest Signature Series golf tour is guaranteed to level up your game. Designed and hosted by legendary pro golfer Nick O’Hern and avid golf fanatic Cameron Daddo, this unforgettable seven-day tour of Central Vietnam’s finest golf courses and cultural must-sees will take you from poolside to putting green and back again.
We checked in with Nick and Cameron to talk about Vietnam’s links-style courses, spectacular backdrops and their favourite fairway moments across Da Nang.
Luxury Escapes: What kind of travellers will love this tour?
Nick O’Hern: Anyone who loves golf (and amazing food), has a sense of adventure and enjoys exploring different cultures – this will be right up your alley. The only caveat is that you have to put up with two left-handed golfers hosting you!
Cameron Daddo: This trip is for golf enthusiasts who want to take their game and experience to another level.
LE: Do travellers need to be pro-level golfers to get the most from this itinerary?
NO: Definitely not – that’s the beauty of golf. Handicaps make everything equal. I regularly play with higher handicap golfers and have a great day… with me often on the losing end! We’ve planned some competitions for everyone, plus I’ll be sharing stories, tips and expertise from all my years of playing with the best golfers in the world.
CD: Golfers of all levels are welcome and encouraged. The courses are verdant, beautiful and challenging, but that’s why we have handicaps – to level the playing field. If this 10-handicapper can mix it with Nick O’Hern (a +5), then an 18+ can mix it too!
LE: What should travellers expect from Vietnam’s golf courses?
CD: When I arrived at the first golf club, I noticed greenskeepers using hand clippers to manicure grass around the greens. You can expect to see not even a blade of grass out of place – the playing surfaces are like carpet! The clubhouses are first-class, with stunning locker rooms and shower facilities. Caddies take care of your clubs and choose them for you, and let me say – if you don’t follow their guidance on the greens you’d be crazy! I rarely missed a putt, much to Mr O’Hern’s frustration. Follow the caddy’s directions and you’ll catch fire too!
NO: The golf courses we’re playing are all world-class with incredible views, and each presents a different challenge. Our caddies are some of the best green-readers I’ve come across in the world, so my advice when putting is simple: do what they say!
LE: What were your highlights when researching this tour? Did anything surprise you?
NO: Ba Na Hills certainly took me by surprise. The golf course was outstanding, but afterwards, we took a cable car high into the hills to the most bizarrely wonderful European kingdom – the Golden Bridge held up by giant hands is truly unique and the whole experience was fantastic. Another highlight was walking around Hoi An, exploring all the local shops and markets in the evening.
CD: The highlight for me is the four courses we play. They’re all blessed with incredible beauty, from lush jungle to the fresh breeze off the ocean… the golf courses will take you through some magnificent, unforgettable terrain. Then our luxury accommodation: Hyatt Regency Danang is stunning. Meals from morning to dinner are some of the best I’ve ever had, and you can refresh with a cold beer and dip in the ocean (or in one of the many pools). A walk through Hoi An markets and local dinner is something I’ll never forget. The shopping is incredible and super affordable.
LE: If you had to choose, what’s your top Vietnamese course to play?
NO: Personally, I enjoyed Hoiana Shores Golf Club the most. There’s freedom off the tee that allows for different strategies to play each hole, and the zoysia grass is perfect to play off. Given its right on the ocean, the views are stunning, and it’s got one of the best ‘19th holes’ (a clubhouse or bar near the course) I’ve ever seen.
CD: So hard to choose my favourite course, so I will pick two: the Faldo course, Laguna Golf Lăng Cô, because it weaves through rustic hinterland and pops out on the beach, and Hoiana Shores Golf Club, which is set against a spectacular coastline of unspoiled natural terrain thanks to the design genius of Robert Trent Jones Jr.
LE: What makes Vietnam a dream destination?
NO: Apart from the world-class golf courses, five-star accommodation, incredible food and some of the nicest people I’ve met anywhere in the world… it’s a fascinating place that taps into all your senses in the best possible ways.
CD: I was a recent first-timer to Vietnam, but I’m now fixated and cannot wait to return. The people are friendly, the food is incredibly fresh with diverse flavours to suit every palate. There’s innovation, rustic charm and natural wonders… and the golf is nothing less than spectacular.
LE: Do you have any other words for our golfing readers?
CD: Get on this, golfers – this tour will sell out fast! And a secret from me to you: Nick O’Hern has promised to share the secret to how he beat Tiger Woods twice in match play, a feat no one has repeated. And for the record, he hasn’t told me yet, so I’m champing at the bit to be there with you to hear it.
Discover Vietnam
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