A military land lot measuring some three hectares in the center of Da Nang City in central Vietnam has become a bustling golf course.

Leaders of Military Region 5, which manages the land lot, affirmed that the course only serves officials’ practice and has a small scale.

However, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters found that the golf course is quite busy from morning to night with many customers being non-military.

The Golf Maxx Da Nang course includes a two-floor tee block and a large grass field. The golf course is surrounded with nets with a height of up to 30 meters.

T., director of a golf academy headquartered at the golf course, said besides providing training services for newbies, the golf course consists of a nine-hole grass field to serve golfers’ practice.

Compared with two other golf driving ranges, Da Phuoc and Thanh Nien, this course is much better as the grass field there was designed to have nine holes for competitions.

Golfers often gather at the golf course in early mornings and between 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm.

“The nine-hole golf course opens for the last three days of the week so that newbies can practice and familiarize themselves with the sport," T. said.

"This golf course can be said to be the best among mini ones [in Da Nang].

“A lake, sand banks, and grass fields provide golfers with a feeling that they are playing golf on courses in Hoi An."

The golf course has an area of some three hectares and was put into operation in April this year, according to Nguyen Van Phap, manager of Golf Maxx Da Nang.

The golf course is developed on land owned by the military sports center 3 to serve military officers.

Local residents can also enter the golf course but they have to register for monthly or yearly packages, while military officers use services at the course at no charge, Phap said.

The Tuoi Tre reporters found that the golf course offers services like others, including teaching how to play golf, selling sportswear, and leasing golf driving ranges, as well as caddy services.

The facility quotes the price of practicing golf on mats with 100 golf balls for 90 minutes at VND140,000-300,000 (US$6-13), and chipping and putt & bunker practicing services for 120 minutes at VND140,000.

The nine-hole area opens on three last days of the week, with the price on Fridays being lower than that on Saturdays and Sundays. The lowest price is VND650,000 ($27) per golfer, including caddy fees.

Customers can also register for monthly or three-month packages.

Lieutenant General Trinh Dinh Thach, political commissar of the Military Region 5, confirmed to Tuoi Tre that the golf course is located on a military land lot managed by the Military Region 5 High Command.

The high command had earlier leased the land for the development of five mini football pitches before taking it back to develop the golf course.

In early mornings or late evenings, besides military officers, residents are allowed to practice at the golf course but the course manager must report residents’ use.

The revenue of the golf course is used to maintain the course itself, specifically paying power and water costs and salaries for staff taking care of the course, Thach added.

The golf course mainly serves military officers of the Military Region 5 and does not go against any regulation.

“It is similar to other sports centers. We do not use [military] land to develop business projects," Thach noted.

“We have asked for the permission from the Ministry [of National Defense] to build the course for military officers to practice golf like other kinds of sports.”

Lieutenant General Thai Dai Ngoc, commander of the Military Region 5, said the permission for local residents to use services at the golf course and charging them are appropriate as the golf course is free for military officers only.

“Residents should support the electricity and water costs as the military force cannot afford all costs,” he said.

Major Nguyen Tuan Sinh, who in charge of the military sports center 3, shared the view that the Golf Maxx Da Nang course is built to serve military officers.

Signs of business operation on military land

According to Lawyer Tran Hau from the Da Nang Bar Association, Golf Maxx’s organization of paid services shows signs of business activities on military land.

Military land use must serve national defense and security purposes.

If such land lots are used in combination with production and business activities, they must be closely managed in order not to affect military missions, pursuant to the National Assembly’s Resolution 132/2020/QH14 piloting a number of policies to remove problems and limitations in the management and use of national defense and security land for economic purposes.

Military units using national defense and security land in combination with production and business activities must draw up land use plans and submit them to the minister of national defense for approval.

Thus, the Golf Maxx course development must be approved by the minister of national defense and get an investment certificate and a construction permit.

The operator of the golf course is responsbile for paying land use fees and taxes for business activities in line with the law, the lawyer noted.

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