Mr. Oh Sang Jun: "I hope one day Vietnam has a golf course in the World Top 100"

As a full-participant in the journey of inspecting Vietnamese golf courses for the Vietnam Golf & Leisure Awards, Mr. Oh Sang Jun - Golf course Expert of US Golf Magazine gave Vietnam Golf & Leisure his enthusiastic sharing about the passion for the profession and the potential of Vietnamese golf courses.
How did you come to the golf industry?

Mr. Oh Sang Jun - Golf course Expert of US Golf Magazine

I studied architecture in the USA and worked for several years in New York City, designing skyscrapers. At that time, I started playing golf and traveled to best golf resorts in the country. After that, I became curious about golf course design and did my own study and research until I found University of Edinburgh in Scotland where I could learn golf course architecture. Of course, it was a natural decision to go to the home of golf and to study all the classic links courses.

I returned to Korea in 2005 after I finished my Master’s degree in golf course architecture in Edinburgh. Ihave worked on various projects in Korea, including the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea where 2015 Presidents was held. I also worked with PGA Tour to host the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges.

Currently, I am working on several golf course projects in Korea. I also work as a golf journalist and lecturer to teach golf enthusiast and business leaders in Korea about history, culture and lifestyle of golf.

How did you become a panelist of US GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 Golf Course? 

Mr. Oh Sang Jun (far right) with theVietnam Golf & Leisure Magazine's delegation

In fact, there are four from Asia including myself among the 109 panelists worldwide. Three other Asian panelists are from Japan. Some 95% of the GOLF Magazine’s panelists are from America, UK, Europe and Australia. I was invited by GOLF Magazine to become its panelist because it trusted my professional career, educational background and my playing experience of Top 100 courses around the world. It requested me to travel and evaluate more courses in Asia because it is very curious about the golf industry and especially the new courses in Asia.

What are the main criteria to identify the best course?

There are three big categories to evaluate golf courses, and the first and second criteria are form and function

There are three big categories to evaluate golf courses, and the first and second criteria are form and function. Form is the shape of golf course and how it forms great harmony with the surrounding nature. Function is how the golf course is played by accomplished golfers, stimulates their minds with risk and reward. The last one is condition, but because most of the world-class courses are well maintained, course condition becomes not as critical as form and function for evaluating top courses.

Please tell us about Top 100 golf courses?

In Asia, there are only three golf courses in top 100 list

Let me talk about the statistics of the list rather than talking about individual golf courses. Among the top 100 courses in the world, almost half of them are in the USA. Another 30% is from United Kingdom and Ireland. In Asia, there are only three golf courses in top 100 list. One of them is Club at Nine Bridges in Jeju Island, Korea, ranked in 93rd. The other two are in Japan, almost 90 years old, designed by English architect C.H. Alison.

Some 70% of them are classic courses, built prior to 1940 and most of them have maintained their top 100 ranking steadily. There are great golf courses being built right now somewhere in the world that aspire to become top 100, but the chances for them to be included along top 100 are very limited.

Please tell us about your experience as panelist of the Top 100 Courses?
I have played 57 courses so far, but the pandemic prevented me from visiting USA and other parts of the world to play more courses. It is important to play study and memorize why the best courses are different from the rest. There are almost 38,000 golf courses around the world and becoming Top 100 is a very difficult challenge. So, we must first know what make the Top 100 golf courses so great and only after knowing that, we can compare the course we play against the world class standard.

Does golf courses in Vietnam have a chance to be listed in the Top 100?

I am so glad that I came to Vietnam through the invitation by Vietnam Golf & Leisure Magazine. For 18 days, I got to travel all the way from Hanoi, Danang, Na Trang, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Tram and Phan Thiet. Vietnam has over 1,700km of beautiful coastline and the geological condition that is best for golf. You will be surprised if I tell you almost half of the World Top 100 golf courses were built on sandy loam same as the coastline of Vietnam.

If you can find a right piece of land good for world-class golf course, find a talented architect who can design a course in respect of nature, you will have the world-class golf course that can be distinguished from average courses. I hope to see a course in Vietnam make the list of the World Top 100.

Compared to golf in Korea, what do you think about the future of golf in Vietnam?

“Great golf course is the one that matures with time and provides timeless joy to the golfers”

Golf started in Korea in the early 1900, but the oldest existing golf course dates back to the 60s, which was built after Korean War. So, we have about 60 years of modern golf history. It is fair to say it took us 40 years to build a truly world-class golf course, in harmony with nature. It is the Club at Nine Bridges opened in 2001, ranked 93rd in the world. So, why did it take so long to build a world class golf course in Korea? Because people didn’t understand what is necessary to build a world-class golf course.

Beautiful views are important, but it is not required to build a Top 100 golf course. Pine Valley Golf Club in the USA, the best golf course in the world for the last three decades, does not have a great view, but the form and function of this golf course are considered the best in the world. Great food, service and luxurious clubhouse are enjoyable but they are always an added bonus to a great golf. So, what makes a great golf course? In short, it is the course that harmonizes well with the existing nature and plays enjoyable and challenging every time you visit. Great golf course is the one that matures with time and provides timeless joy to the golfers.

Information:

Full name: Oh Sang Jun
Golf course expert voter US Golf Magazine
Director of Asian Golf Humanities Academy
Senior Advisor of the Asian Golf Industry Federation
Number of golf courses played: 57 around the world

Source: vietnamgolfmagazine.net