Shaping is underway on the new golf course at Ho Tram Strip in southeastern Vietnam.

Canadian-backed firm Asian Coast Development is behind the project, which will include five resorts, including two with gaming facilities. Greg Norman's firm is designing the golf course, which is slated to open in the third quarter of 2013.

The golf course works its way through rolling dunes along the Vietnamese coast. Most holes will have a sea view. “It’s not every day that we get a site as good as this one to design a golf course,” said Norman. “This site has everything that you are looking for when designing a course. It's a true links golf experience: seaside, sand dunes, and wind.”

Norman said his team explored numerous layouts to ensure they design a golf course which uses the natural rolling topography of the native dune system with minimal disturbance to the environment.

“We spent a lot of time trying to ensure the best routing for this beautiful piece of property. We wanted to use a least disturbance approach. On the back nine we are shaping in the greens and tees and that's it. It's an incredible natural site and we want to deliver a timeless and memorable golf experience. It's how golf used to be built a hundred years ago,” he said.