The first thing you notice walking onto the first tee at Montgomerie Links is the sky. Da Nang's coastline opens up wide here, and the South China Sea sits just beyond the dunes to the east, close enough that you can smell the salt in the air. Before you have hit a shot, the course has announced what it intends to be: a proper links test in a tropical setting, designed by someone who spent his competitive life navigating exactly these conditions.
Colin Montgomerie's design — opened in 2009 and refined over subsequent years — is probably the most recognisable name in Da Nang golf and for good reason. It is an honest course: it does not disguise its demands, it rewards strategic thinking over brute force, and the coastal wind transforms it from an agreeable resort layout into a genuine examination of your game.
The Layout: What to Expect
Montgomerie Links plays as a links-style layout with genuine links characteristics: firm fairways that allow the run game, punishing rough that penalises wayward driving, pot bunkers positioned to catch the careless line, and greens that can run fast and true when the morning dew has burned off. It is not a replica Scottish links — the trees and tropical landscape make that impossible — but it channels the spirit of links golf more convincingly than most courses in the region attempt to do.
The course measures approximately 7,000 yards from the tips and plays to a par of 72. From the yellow tees (where most visiting golfers will start), the course measures closer to 6,500 yards — manageable in terms of distance but made challenging by the wind, which is the primary scoring mechanism. A 10-handicapper playing Montgomerie Links for the first time in a 15-knot onshore breeze will have a very different experience from the same player on a calm morning.
The routing moves through four distinct zones: an inland opening section, a stretch along the beach where the ocean becomes a visual and strategic presence, a middle section through the dunes, and a closing stretch that returns to the clubhouse via water hazards that punish the tired or overcautious. The variety of terrain within a single round is one of the course's genuine strengths.
Best Holes
The par-3s at Montgomerie Links are outstanding across the board. The signature par-3 over water, where the green is exposed to the full force of the sea breeze and club selection can vary by three or four clubs depending on the wind, produces more drama per square metre of golf than almost any other hole on the Da Nang circuit. Getting to this green with the correct club, watching the ball hold against the wind and settle close to the pin — or watching it fall short into the water — defines a round here.
The par-5s are genuinely reachable in two for stronger players, offering birdie opportunities that reward the controlled aggression that defines good links golf strategy. The par-4s are the course's backbone: predominantly demanding, requiring careful tee shot placement to open up approach angles, and punishing the driver mentality that gets players into trouble on links layouts.
Handicap Range and Who It Suits
Montgomerie Links is accessible to golfers of most handicap levels but rewards those who think strategically. High-handicap players (20+) may find the wind-affected par-3s and demanding rough frustrating unless they adopt an honest, damage-limitation approach. Mid-handicappers (8-18) who are comfortable with their irons and can manage a links tee shot will find it genuinely enjoyable. Stronger players will find enough challenge to keep the round compelling across all 18 holes.
The best approach for any handicap level: leave the driver in the bag on the narrow driving holes, play for position rather than distance, and treat the putter as your most important club from 30 yards in. The greens reward touch.
Facilities and Practicalities
The Montgomerie Links clubhouse is well-appointed, with a restaurant that serves good Vietnamese and Western food — the morning pho before a round is worth building into your schedule. The pro shop carries a reasonable selection of equipment and Montgomerie-branded merchandise. Bag storage, locker rooms, and practice facilities are all maintained to a high standard.
Green fees at Montgomerie Links are at the upper end of the Da Nang market — this is a premium product and is priced accordingly. For ASEAN Links guests, tee times and fees are included in the tour package, with preferred morning slots secured in advance. Playing Montgomerie Links as part of the Da Nang Dragon and Dunes tour or the Grand ASEAN Tour 2027 represents considerably better value than booking independently.
Contact the team on WhatsApp (+84 70 327 1844) or at aseanlinksgolf@gmail.com for tour availability.