Montaña Golf Course: Moving mountains

In the mountains of the Phú Thọ province, west of Hanoi, two new 18-hole golf courses are taking shape.

Toni Ortner, lead golf architect at Olazabal Design, first became involved in the Montaña Golf Course project in summer 2018 when the Trade and Urban Development Investment Joint Stock Company (TUDI) approached him to develop a masterplan. TUDI is a privately-owned real estate development company, and Montaña is its first golf course project.

Ortner made an initial visit to the 150-hectare (370 acres) site in November of that year and developed design ideas based on outline plans and rough contour diagrams.

Those plans were refined to ultimately create a masterplan that includes two 7,000-plus yard courses: the West, now in the early stages of construction, and the East, which is complete and growing in ahead of its opening in spring 2026. There will also be comprehensive practice facilities, including a spacious driving range and two short-game areas.

“The mission we faced was to create two formidable 18-hole courses in rugged and densely vegetated terrain with various hilltops ranging from 210 to 290 metres above sea level and valleys carving through the hills with low points ranging between 45-90 metres,” says Ortner. “It’s a beautiful canvas but rather demanding. This is arguably one of the most difficult new golf course construction sites in the world. When you get on site today, it’s immense and extraordinary with golf course contours ranging from 115-225 metres, so a total of 110 metres difference in elevation. The panoramic views are to die for. I realised that I’d probably never get another site like this to work on in my lifetime.”

Olazabal Design architect Toni Ortner created a 36-hole masterplan for the mountainous and densely vegetated site (Image: Olazabal Design)

For the project team, the task of transforming the mountainous site into golf courses that meet exacting championship conditions and demanding design specifications has been a daunting one, but all the work over the past seven years looks to have paid off.

“Course routing and grading have been extremely complex, and the massive scale of earthworks needed – moving and transforming basically every inch on site – meant that engineering of slopes, storm drainage and irrigation had to go hand-in-hand with creative design,” says Ortner. “On average, around 50,000 cubic metres of earth have been moved each day, requiring a vast fleet of 80 excavators, 20 bulldozers, 120 trucks and 20 rollers at peak times. It’s everything we’re used to dealing with as seasoned golf architects, but to the power of ten!

“The client’s vision was bold: two unique courses with expansive greens, generous tees and striking features that would both challenge and delight. We crafted holes with tricky yet fair tests for golfers of all levels, plus demanding pin positions perfect for golfers who enjoy a matchplay bet. And with floodlighting for twilight and early-night play, the course comes alive after work, inviting Hanoi’s golfers to chase par under the stars.”

A grading plan covering several holes on the West course (Image: Olazabal Design)

Challenges encountered during construction included typhoons, the complex task of proper compaction of fill areas, sand and gravel shortages amid a provincial merger, narrow haul roads, sparse storage, the unpredictability of remote site logistics, and the land’s wild topography.

“Transforming these untamed hills into lush, playable fairways and greens – it’s a feat that demands more,” says Ortner. “It’s a testament to the team’s strong spirit. The local team of workers on site were mostly totally new to golf, apart from the shapers and the irrigation manager, and they have tackled a steep learning curve with grit. Driven by a right-first time philosophy, we invested in education, clear workflows and aligned goals – no shortcuts, but worth every effort. The pay-off? A team that’s soared, buzzing with collaboration.

“In Vietnam’s typhoon crucible, where one day’s rain rivals a year’s for a central European country, stormwater management is non-negotiable. The design of the course tackles the deluge with catch drains, open channels and streams – diverting and slowing down mountain torrents. The sophisticated, sustainable drainage system includes fairway herringbone drainage (2,100 metres per hole) filtering excess water to catch basins and, ultimately, via carrier pipes into irrigation lakes. Erosion protection and silt fences are paramount in construction. The client’s early lesson after a few floods: it’s far more effective to add drainage and install proper silt fences than repair significant flood damage later.”

Hydraulics have played a major role at Montaña. Irrigation consultant Adrian Mortram completed the irrigation system concept design, which was then taken forward by Rain Bird. There are two systems in place to manage the 44-metre fall from irrigation lakes and accommodate the higher and lower line pipes with pressure release valves installed in all three lakes to slow water flow and prevent pipes cracking. Rain Bird also supplied two pump stations. With CirrusPRO Central Control, the Rain Bird IC System was chosen for its reliability and simplicity, with 1,776 Rain Bird 702IC rotors and 720 of the 702IC rotors installed on tees and fairways.

Atlas Turf International provided Mach 1 Ultradwarf Bermuda for Montaña’s greens, and Tahoma 31 bermuda is also being planted, while Jebsen & Jessen Technology is responsible for grow-in and maintenance of both courses, with Thompson Golf Management overseeing agronomy.

Ortner explains that the design cleverly flattens uphill elevation differences with cart paths connecting holes – most holes play downhill or level, with only one or two moderately uphill. His highlights on the East course include the mid-distance par-three second, the downhill 617-yard par-five third, the seventh – a par four that doglegs right into the valley – and the 500-yard ninth that plays slightly uphill to an amphitheatre-like green surrounded by cascading streams.

The back nine kicks off with the picturesque, short par-four tenth and the strategic par-five eleventh with its seven bunkers. The stretch from thirteen to eighteen will, says Ortner, be, “pretty thrilling, visually attractive – not the easiest, but with plenty of chances to turn it round”.

Pham Dinh Hung, general director at TUDI, says: “We are delighted with the design crafted by Toni and Olazabal Design, which stands out uniquely in Vietnam’s golfing landscape. The journey to bring this project to life has been longer than anticipated, but the results are truly gratifying. Toni’s extensive on-site presence during construction was invaluable, and his dedication to going above and beyond was evident in every aspect of his work. Not only did he expertly oversee design implementation and construction supervision, but he also provided invaluable assistance with project and construction management, skilfully liaising with shapers and local workers to ensure a seamless execution with great attention to detail. His guidance has been instrumental in getting us to this point. The open communication and rapport we’ve shared with Toni have been a highlight, with a clear alignment of ideas and vision driving the project forward.”

Ortner adds: “Our vision was an original, engaging, and challenging yet fair course – fun for all levels. Strategic play on formidable fairways and intriguing greens paired with the raw beauty of the flowering landscape, exposed rocks, streams, twisting waterfalls and magical panoramas – it’ll be special. Come for the golf, stay for the Insta-perfect shot!”