Preparing for a golf trip to Vietnam: clubs, clothing, cash and the small things
TGROUP
28.07.2026
TGROUP · ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Preparing for a golf trip to Vietnam Clubs, clothing, cash and the small things
What to bring, what to leave, what to arrange before departure and what to expect on the day. Written from what our guests actually ask us.
Updated 28 July 2026Practical checklistLicensed local operator
A golf trip has a few requirements a normal holiday does not
A golf trip carries a few requirements an ordinary holiday does not: equipment that has to travel, a dress code, cash for gratuities, and a schedule built around tee times rather than around you. None of it is difficult, but it is easier when planned in the right order.
This checklist follows the sequence we use when preparing a group. Specific rates, weekly closing days and course-level rules are shown on each relevant page at the time of booking; this page covers what is common to a trip.
01Clubs: bring or rentDecide this before booking flights
Two options, and the right one depends on how much you play.
Bringing your own clubs
Most carriers serving Vietnam accept golf bags as sports equipment, but allowances and fees differ — confirm with your airline rather than assuming. Use a hard or reinforced travel cover, remove loose items from pockets, and photograph the bag before check-in.
Renting on arrival
Rental sets are available at the major venues and settled on site. Worth reserving in advance during high season, and worth specifying if you need left-handed clubs, as stock is limited almost everywhere.
Either way, bring your own glove, shoes and balls. Shoes in particular: rental stock rarely covers every size, and a round in unfamiliar shoes is a poor way to start a trip. Soft spikes are standard.
A note on transfers
If you are bringing bags, vehicle capacity matters. With luggage and golf bags, a 7-seater comfortably takes 1–3 players, a 16-seater 4–7, and above eight players a 29-seater. Tell us the number of bags when requesting a quotation, not just the number of players.
Course conditions vary by region
Plan transfers around bag count, not head count
02Dress code and clothingStandard conventions, plus what the climate demands
Vietnamese courses generally follow standard club conventions. The safe assumption:
▸ Collared shirt for men; standard golf attire for women. Sleeveless tops are usually acceptable for women where they have a collar.
▸ No denim, no athletic shorts, no swimwear. Tailored golf shorts are fine at almost every venue.
▸ Golf shoes with soft spikes. Metal spikes are not accepted.
▸ Individual venues may apply their own additional rules. If you are unsure, ask us and we will confirm with the course before you travel.
On the practical side, the climate does more to your round than the dress code. Bring a second shirt for the back nine in the hot months, a light rain jacket in the wet season, plenty of sunscreen and a hat. Highland courses are noticeably cooler than coastal ones, so a light layer is useful there even at midday.
Coastal
Highland
Links style
Resort courses
03Cash: what you genuinely need it forGratuities are not payable by card
This is the item most first-time visitors get wrong.
Caddie gratuity is cash only
Caddie engagement is standard at Vietnamese courses and the caddie fee is included in published rates. The gratuity is separate, paid in cash on the day, and is not settled by card. Typically around US$15 per 18 holes. For a multi-round trip, change enough dong before your first tee time rather than hunting for an ATM on the morning of the round.
Also worth carrying small notes for: driver gratuity (about US$2 per person when using a vehicle), halfway-house purchases at some venues, and local markets. Cards work almost everywhere else.
Change money at banks, airport counters or licensed exchange outlets. Street offers may look better but carry a risk of counterfeit notes and miscounting.
04On the dayHeat, sun, rain and pace
A round in a tropical climate asks more of you physically than the same round at home.
▸ Tee time selection
Early morning is the most comfortable slot in the hot months. Some venues also offer floodlit evening play, which is worth considering if your schedule is tight or the afternoon heat is heavy.
▸ Hydration
Drink before you feel thirsty. Most courses have refreshment points, but carry water in the cart between them, particularly on the back nine.
▸ Sun
Sunscreen applied before the round and again at the turn, plus a hat and sleeves if you burn easily. Highland courses feel cooler but the UV is not lower.
▸ Rain
Rain arrives fast and passes fast. A light waterproof and a spare glove in the bag saves a round more often than a full rain suit.
▸ Pace
Caddies at the international venues know the lines well and are used to visiting players. Let them read putts; it speeds the round and usually improves it.
▸ After the round
Most venues have shower and locker facilities. A change of clothes in the vehicle is more comfortable than travelling back in what you played in.
Floodlit evening play is available at some venues
Early tee times are the most comfortable in hot months
05Preparation timelineWorking backwards from the first tee
Working backwards from your first tee time:
When
What to do
8–12 weeks out
Choose region and dates. Check weekly closing days before booking flights.
6–8 weeks out
Send dates, player numbers and bag count. Confirm whether you are bringing clubs or renting.
4 weeks out
Confirm airline sports-equipment allowance. Final rates confirmed where indicative pricing applied.
30 days out
Last point at which cancellation is free of charge under our terms.
1 week out
Voucher in hand. Change dong for gratuities. Pack a spare glove, second shirt and rain jacket.
Day before
Confirm pick-up time and driver details. Set out shoes, glove and balls before you sleep.
Most problems on a golf trip come from two places: equipment that did not travel well, and not having cash on the morning of the round. Both are avoidable a week in advance.
⛳ Ask before you pack
Tell us your dates, group size and how many bags are travelling. We will confirm tee times, vehicle size and anything specific to the venues on your itinerary.
General guidance as at 28 July 2026, based on TGROUP operating experience. Dress codes, rental availability, facilities and weekly closing days are set by individual venues and may differ; airline baggage allowances are set by the carrier. Please confirm specifics for your itinerary before travelling.
The general booking terms TGROUP applies to golf reservations in Vietnam: the five stages from inquiry to voucher, what a published rate includes and what is paid on the day, the price guarantee once a booking is confirmed, what happens if a tee time has to be moved, the full cancellation fee schedule counted on working days, and the local rules on pairing, carts and weekly closing days. General information only, as at 28 July 2026.
