Bai Tinh Golf Course in Cao Bang Province has recently been recognized as “Vietnam’s First Community Golf Course,” marking a distinctive golf model that combines natural surroundings, golf experiences, and direct participation from the local community.
Bai Tinh Golf Course – A Distinctive Community Golf Model
On October 3, 2026, the Thanh Long Commune People’s Committee, in cooperation with the Cao Bang Golf Association, organized a golf tournament celebrating the 76th anniversary of Cao Bang Liberation Day, while also announcing the title of “Vietnam’s First Community Golf Course” for Bai Tinh Golf Course.
The Thanh Long Commune People’s Committee announced the title of “Vietnam’s First Community Golf Course” for Bai Tinh Golf Course
Notably, at the Vietnam Golf & Leisure Awards 2026, Bai Tinh was also recognized in the category of “Vietnam’s First Community Golf Course”, acknowledging a golf model with an approach that differs from today’s commercial and resort golf courses.
Bai Tinh was also recognized in the category of “Vietnam’s First Community Golf Course” at the Vietnam Golf & Leisure Awards 2026
The course covers approximately 100 hectares and features 18 golf holes developed across the area’s natural terrain. Rather than following the conventional commercial golf course model, Bai Tinh makes use of its existing landscape to create a more nature-oriented golf experience.
Key highlights of Bai Tinh include:
- 18 golf holes across approximately 100 hectares.
- Utilization of natural terrain, grasslands, and surrounding landscapes.
- No clubhouse and no golf carts.
- No green fee.
- Local residents participate as caddies and provide support for visitors.
- Traditional livestock grazing remains part of the golf course landscape, creating a distinctive character.
Golfing In A Natural Setting With The Local Community
Bai Tinh offers a different experience from professionally planned golf courses equipped with modern amenities and extensive signage. The natural terrain becomes part of the round, requiring golfers to observe and adapt to their surroundings. The presence of grasslands, mountains, water features, and even grazing buffalo gives the course a distinctly local character. This creates an experience that is difficult to replicate at conventional commercial golf courses.
Importantly, local residents can work as caddies, assist golfers, and provide services for visitors. As a result, the Bai Tinh experience is directly connected with local life and the surrounding community.
Local caddie at Bai Tinh golf course
This is also what makes the title “Vietnam’s First Community Golf Course” particularly significant, as the model aims to create additional livelihood opportunities for local residents rather than focusing solely on the golfing experience.
Development Potential Of Bai Tinh’s Community Golf Model
Following its recognition, Bai Tinh does not necessarily need to develop according to the traditional commercial golf course model. Its greatest value lies in the elements that currently make it distinctive: natural landscapes, affordable access, and local community participation.
In the coming period, Bai Tinh could focus on improving essential facilities and services for golfers while preserving the course’s identity, including:
- Improving signage, course maps, and basic resting areas.
- Enhancing the quality of local caddie services.
- Developing food, accommodation, and local experience services.
- Connecting the golf course with Cao Bang’s tourism destinations to create golf and sightseeing itineraries.
The key challenge will be maintaining a balance between tourism development and landscape preservation. Excessive commercialization, including too many new structures or major changes to the terrain, could undermine the very qualities that make Bai Tinh distinctive.
A Perspective On The “Community Golf Course” Model
From a market perspective, Bai Tinh represents an interesting development direction for golf in Vietnam. Its model could be suitable for areas with attractive natural landscapes, willing local communities, and growing demand for experiential tourism, but without the conditions to develop a large-scale golf and resort complex.
However, the model will still need to prove its long-term operational viability. As visitor numbers increase, Bai Tinh will need to address service quality, course maintenance, environmental management, and overall experience standards while preserving its community-oriented character.
If managed successfully, Bai Tinh could become a notable case study of how golf can be developed from local communities and indigenous resources, rather than relying solely on large-scale infrastructure investment.
For Cao Bang, this also presents an opportunity to position Bai Tinh as an experiential golf product that complements the province’s natural and cultural tourism ecosystem. More broadly, the model could offer another direction for Vietnamese golf: not simply developing golf courses to attract visitors, but using golf as a tool to connect nature, tourism, and local communities.
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Source: Cao Bang Electronic Newspaper & Vietnam Golf & Leisure
