Top 5 Golf Courses in Ho Chi Minh City Every Golfer Should Try

When most people think of golf in Vietnam, Da Nang or Phu Quoc tend to steal the spotlight. But golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City deserve far more attention than they get. Saigon — as locals still call it — is not just Vietnam’s economic powerhouse; it is also home to some of the most accessible, well-maintained, and varied golf courses in Southeast Asia.

Whether you are spending a few days in the city before heading north or you are a dedicated golf traveller looking to fit in a round between sightseeing, the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City offer everything from championship parkland layouts to historic 36-hole clubs, all within reasonable distance of the city centre. Green fees are among the best value in Asia, caddies are included as standard, and the tropical setting adds a flavour to every round that you simply cannot find back home.

In this guide, we walk you through the top 5 golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City — what makes each one worth playing, who it suits best, and everything you need to know before you tee off.

1. Golf Courses in Ho Chi Minh City – Overview

Ho Chi Minh City and its surrounding provinces are home to roughly 8 to 10 golf courses, ranging from courses tucked inside the urban sprawl to sprawling resort-style clubs 30–50 km from the city centre. Unlike Da Nang, which benefits from a cooler dry season ideal for golf, Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical climate with a clear distinction between the dry season (November to April) and the wet season (May to October) — a factor that matters when planning your round.

The golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City tend to fall into two categories:

• City or near-city courses — convenient, slightly more crowded, ideal for a quick round during a short stay (Tan Son Nhat Golf Course is the best example).
• Countryside or resort courses — 30–50 km out, offering more space, better scenery, and a more premium experience (Vietnam Golf & Country Club, Long Thanh Golf Club).

One thing all these courses have in common: caddies are mandatory and included in the green fee, which is standard practice across Vietnam and a welcome perk for visiting golfers unfamiliar with the layout.

2. Top 5 Golf Courses in Ho Chi Minh City

The five golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City below represent the best the city and its surrounding area has to offer. Each has been selected based on course quality, conditioning, accessibility for visiting tourists, and overall value for money. Together they cover every budget and playing style — from budget-friendly parkland rounds to premium championship experiences.

2.1 Vietnam Golf & Country Club

Vietnam Golf & Country Club is the undisputed flagship among all golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City. Established in the early 1990s and located approximately 15 km from the city centre in the Thu Duc area, this club set the standard for golf in southern Vietnam and has maintained that position ever since. It is the course against which all other golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City are measured, and for good reason.

The club operates two full 18-hole championship courses. The West Course was designed by Lee Trevino — the legendary American professional and six-time major champion — and is characterised by tight, tree-lined fairways, strategic water hazards on multiple holes, and greens that demand precise approach play. It is not a course that forgives loose iron shots. The East Course, designed by Ronald Fream, offers a broader and more open layout, with wider landing areas off the tee and a design that rewards thoughtful course management over brute force. Both courses are maintained to a consistently high standard with Bermuda grass fairways and bentgrass greens that run true year-round.

The West Course at Vietnam Golf & Country Club hosted the Vietnam Open in both 1995 and 1997, making it the most historically significant of all the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City. The clubhouse is built to five-star hotel standards, with a full-service restaurant, locker rooms, spa facilities, and a well-stocked pro shop. The caddie team is large, well-trained, and experienced with international visitors.

For any golfer visiting Ho Chi Minh City for the first time, Vietnam Golf & Country Club is the essential starting point — a benchmark experience that illustrates exactly why the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City deserve their growing international reputation.

• Holes: 36 (two 18-hole courses)
• Distance from city centre: ~15 km (Thu Duc)
• Course designers: Lee Trevino (West), Ronald Fream (East)
• Best for: Serious golfers, first-time visitors, championship experience
• Green fee range: $60–$120 depending on day and season

2.2 Tan Son Nhat Golf Course

Among all the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City, Tan Son Nhat Golf Course holds a unique position: it is the only one located directly inside the city limits, adjacent to Tan Son Nhat International Airport in the Go Vap District. For tourists with limited time — or those arriving or departing from Saigon and wanting to fit in a round — it is by far the most convenient of all the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City.

The course features 36 holes designed to PGA standards by Nelson & Haworth Golf Course Architects, one of the most respected golf design firms operating in Asia. The layout is technically sound, well-structured, and suited to players of all levels. What sets Tan Son Nhat apart from other golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City is its operational flexibility: the course is equipped with full artificial lighting, making evening rounds entirely viable. Teeing off at 4pm after a full day of sightseeing and playing through sunset over the Saigon skyline is an experience unique to this course.

The facilities at Tan Son Nhat are comprehensive — a large driving range, chipping and putting areas, a well-equipped pro shop, and a clubhouse restaurant that serves both Vietnamese and Western food. The course is popular with local businesspeople and expats during the week, and with families and casual golfers at weekends, giving it a lively and sociable atmosphere that differs from the more formal environment of some other golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City.

• Holes: 36
• Distance from city centre: In the city (Go Vap District)
• Course designers: Nelson & Haworth
• Best for: Golfers with limited time, evening rounds, airport convenience
• Green fee range: $40–$80

2.3 Long Thanh Golf Club – Dong Nai Province

Long Thanh Golf Club sits approximately 40 km from Ho Chi Minh City in Dong Nai Province, making it the furthest of the five golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City covered in this guide — but the journey is absolutely worth it. Designed by Graham Marsh, the respected Australian professional turned golf architect, Long Thanh is built through and around a mature working rubber plantation, and the result is one of the most visually distinctive and atmospherically unique golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City‘s wider area.

The rubber trees that line virtually every fairway do two important things: they frame the holes beautifully, creating a parkland feel that is rare among golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City, and they provide dense natural shade that makes playing here significantly more comfortable during the hottest parts of the day compared to more exposed layouts. The 36-hole layout at Long Thanh is kept in excellent condition throughout the year, with smooth, consistent greens that receive particular praise from regular visitors.

From a strategic standpoint, Long Thanh rewards golfers who think their way around the course. The rubber tree corridors create defined lines of play off each tee, and missing fairways tends to result in tricky recovery shots from under or around the trees. The greens are receptive but not overly generous — precise approach play is rewarded. Long Thanh is also the most affordable of all the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City listed here, making it an outstanding value option without any meaningful compromise on quality.

• Holes: 36
• Distance from city centre: ~40 km (~45–60 min drive)
• Course designer: Graham Marsh
• Best for: Value seekers, second-day rounds, golfers who prefer a natural setting
• Green fee range: $35–$70

2.4 Song Be Golf Resort – Binh Duong Province

Song Be Golf Resort is located in Binh Duong Province, approximately 25 km north of Ho Chi Minh City — close enough for an early morning departure and a return to the city for dinner. Among the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City‘s wider area, Song Be holds a particular place: it is the course with the most loyal local following, consistently attracting Vietnamese golfers and regional regulars who return again and again. That kind of repeat patronage is one of the most reliable indicators of sustained quality.

The course was designed by Ronald W. Fream — also responsible for the East Course at Vietnam Golf & Country Club — and the design philosophy here is similar: measured, strategic, and rewarding of accurate play. Song Be’s 36 holes are laid out across gently rolling terrain, with mature trees lining the fairways and well-positioned bunkers that punish wayward shots without being unfairly penal. The greens at Song Be are among the most consistently prepared of any golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City, and the practice facilities — including a full driving range and short game area — are well-maintained.

What makes Song Be stand out among golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City is its atmosphere. There are fewer international tourists here than at Vietnam Golf & Country Club or Tan Son Nhat, and the pace of play is relaxed and unhurried. If you want to experience Vietnamese golf culture as it is actually lived — not as a packaged tourist product — Song Be is your best option among the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City.

• Holes: 36
• Distance from city centre: ~25 km (Binh Duong Province)
• Course designer: Ronald W. Fream
• Best for: Authentic local experience, mid-week rounds, golfers who prefer a quieter atmosphere
• Green fee range: $40–$75

2.5 Taekwang Jeongsan Country Club – Binh Duong Province

Taekwang Jeongsan Country Club represents the premium end of the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City spectrum. Located in Binh Duong Province approximately 30 km from the city, this Korean-managed club was built to an exceptionally high specification and maintains standards of presentation and conditioning that set it apart from the other golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City listed here.

The course itself is an 18-hole layout that has been sculpted from the landscape with considerable investment — dramatic water features appear on multiple holes, the fairways are immaculately groomed, and the bunkering is both aesthetically striking and strategically meaningful. The design suits a wide range of handicaps: generous landing areas off most tee shots make it accessible for mid-to-high handicappers, while the second-shot demands — particularly the approach angles into well-protected greens — provide genuine challenge for low handicappers and scratch players.

The clubhouse at Taekwang Jeongsan is in a different category entirely from most other golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City. Built to luxury hotel standards, it features a full-service restaurant, private dining rooms, locker facilities that rival five-star hotels, and a professional pro shop. The service culture throughout the club reflects its Korean management — attentive, precise, and oriented around delivering a premium experience at every touchpoint. Among business travellers and golfers accustomed to top-tier clubs in Korea, Japan, or Singapore, Taekwang Jeongsan consistently meets expectations. For visitors to Ho Chi Minh City who want the most polished experience available among the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City, this is the destination.

• Holes: 18
• Distance from city centre: ~30 km (Binh Duong Province)
• Best for: Premium experience, luxury facilities, business golf
• Green fee range: $60–$110

3. Best Time to Play Golf in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City sits in a tropical climate zone with temperatures between 25°C and 35°C year-round, which means the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City are technically open and playable every month of the year.

However, the dry season — running from November through to April — is widely considered the best time to play the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City. During these months, fairways are firmer, greens run truer and faster, and the risk of rain interrupting your round is minimal. December through February brings slightly cooler morning temperatures, making early tee times at the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City genuinely comfortable rather than simply tolerable.

The wet season from May to October does not close the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City, but it does bring daily rainfall — typically in short, heavy afternoon bursts rather than all-day rain. Booking a 6am or 7am tee time during the wet season dramatically reduces the chance of interruption.

Whatever the month, avoid teeing off between 11am and 2pm at any of the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City — the midday heat and humidity at that time of day is intense and will affect both your comfort and your score.

4. Practical Tips for Visiting Golfers

Playing the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City as a tourist is straightforward, but a few practical details will save you time and avoid avoidable surprises on the day.

4.1 Getting to the Golf Courses in Ho Chi Minh City

Tan Son Nhat and Vietnam Golf & Country Club are close enough to the city centre to be reached by Grab — Vietnam’s widely used rideshare app — without difficulty. For the more distant golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City such as Long Thanh, Song Be, and Taekwang Jeongsan, arranging a private car the evening before is strongly recommended. Journey times to all golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City can increase significantly during morning rush hour between 7am and 9am, so building in an extra 30 minutes of buffer is always wise.

4.2 Green Fees & Booking

Green fees at golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City range from approximately $35 to $120 for 18 holes — considerably more affordable than equivalent courses in Thailand, Singapore, or Europe. Weekday rates at all golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City are consistently lower than weekend rates, sometimes by as much as 20 to 30 percent. Most courses accept online bookings and credit card payments, though calling ahead is always advisable during peak tourist season from December to March and on weekends when local demand is highest. Caddies are mandatory and included in the green fee at every golf course in Ho Chi Minh City on this list — tip between $5 and $10 for 18 holes.

4.3 What to Bring

A few essentials will keep your round comfortable at any golf course in Ho Chi Minh City: SPF 50+ sunscreen applied before you leave the hotel and reapplied at the turn, a spare golf glove since humidity will wear through one quickly, and a large insulated water bottle — staying hydrated is genuinely important in the tropical heat. Club rental is available at all five golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City listed in this guide if you are travelling without your own equipment; ask the pro shop in advance about the quality and availability of sets. All golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City require collared shirts and tailored shorts or trousers — denim is not permitted on the course or in the clubhouse.

5. Combine a Golf Course in Ho Chi Minh City with a City Tour

One of the greatest practical advantages of the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City is that Saigon itself is immediately on your doorstep. A morning round at Tan Son Nhat Golf Course, for example, puts you back in the city centre by early afternoon — leaving enough time to visit the War Remnants Museum, walk through the Reunification Palace, explore the Ben Thanh Market area, or take a street food tour through District 1. No other city in Vietnam allows you to play a full round of golf and still have a completviete afternoon of sightseeing in the same day as easily as Ho Chi Minh City does.

For golfers choosing one of the more distant golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City — Long Thanh or Song Be in particular — combining the round with a half-day visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels is a natural fit. Both are located north or east of the city, and the timing works well: an early morning tee time at Song Be or Long Thanh, a post-round lunch at the clubhouse, and then a 90-minute guided visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels tunnel network in the early afternoon before returning to Ho Chi Minh City for the evening.

Not sure how to put that kind of day together? VM Travel specialises in exactly this type of tailor-made hybrid itinerary !

6. Plan Your Golf Trip to Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam has developed into one of the most exciting golf destinations in Asia over the past two decades, and the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City play a central role in that story. But how do they stack up against what the rest of the country has to offer? Da Nang is widely considered Vietnam’s golf capital, with coastal championship layouts designed by Greg Norman and Colin Montgomerie that attract international tournaments and serious golf travellers from across the world. Hanoi offers a different experience again — parkland and highland courses set against a cooler, greener landscape. Phu Quoc brings island golf with ocean views.

What the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City offer that no other region in Vietnam can match is accessibility combined with urban energy. You are never more than an hour from your tee time, and you are always in the middle of one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic cities. The golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City also tend to offer better value for money than Da Nang’s premium coastal layouts, and the year-round tropical climate means you are never dependent on a narrow seasonal window to get a good round in. For golfers visiting Vietnam for the first time, starting with the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City before heading north gives you the full picture of what this country has become as a golf destination. See our Ho Chi Minh City Golf Packages for itineraries that combine Saigon with the rest of Vietnam.

7. Conclusion

The golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City are one of Southeast Asia’s most underrated golf destinations. From the iconic championship fairways of Vietnam Golf & Country Club to the shaded rubber plantation character of Long Thanh, the city-centre convenience of Tan Son Nhat, the authentic local atmosphere of Song Be, and the premium conditioning of Taekwang Jeongsan — every type of golfer will find a golf course in Ho Chi Minh City that suits exactly what they are looking for. Add in green fees that are a fraction of what you would pay in Thailand or Singapore, a city that rewards exploration at every turn, and the warm welcome that defines travel in southern Vietnam, and the case for building your next golf trip around the golf courses in Ho Chi Minh City is overwhelming. Tee it up — Saigon is waiting.