Faldo Design: 15 Years in Cambodia
The recent opening of our latest course in Cambodia last year marked nearly 15 years since we first started working in the country and, following the unveiling of Vattanac Golf Resort’s second course – the ‘West Course’ – Faldo Design can now celebrate three totally unique designs in the region, each championing the local culture with innovative, beautiful and memorable individuality.
We were introduced to the rich cultures of the country with the design of Angkor Wat, our first in Cambodia. Located just a wedge-shot away from the world-renowned UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Angkor Wat temples, the site sits in awe of one of the few true wonders of the world, presenting an exciting landscape to stage championship golf. The design itself grew with this locality embedded throughout, using native high palms trees, a national symbol of Cambodia, to line parts of the course and mirror the neighbouring views of Angor Wat. We also looked to implement bold bunkering and crafted water hazards lined with native planting to create an interesting playing experience deliberately reflective of the interest of its surroundings. True to Faldo Design, the course plays strategically, requiring a solid shot thought process and decision-making, but as a welcome to Cambodia goes Angkor Golf Resort’s local landscape is about as good as it gets.
Albeit with a hard act to follow, Vattanac Golf Resort has undeniably continued to impress, acclaiming multiple awards and high praise from golfing communities – something we are particularly proud of. Its East Course set the standard for golf with a championship course designed to deliver a fantastic theatre for golfers and tournaments. Our inspiration behind the course’s striking identity was actually sparked from the team’s visit to the Bayon temple and its intricate and complex ‘stacked’ shapes which were brought into the design to stage a dramatic experience both for players and those watching from the sides. Throughout the course, scale models of famous Khmer historical architectural sites such as Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear as well as a statue of King Jayavarman VII help to establish a real sense of place as well as creating a truly unique landscape to frame a golf shot. I don’t think there is any denying that this is a championship course that is not shy of entertaining and holds the ability to asks questions of golfers with dramatic water features, creative bunkering and complex shaping.
As for the latest new West Course, we very deliberately set out to create a totally different challenge to complement its counterpart in the East and in Angkor. Its focus lies in endless enjoyment with its softer contours and rolling fairways, yet unapologetically follows in its fellow Cambodian courses’ footsteps as it champions Cambodia’s local identity to inspire interest throughout the experience for all golfing abilities.
To that end the West Course features five sets of tees to deliver playability, allowing the course’s design length to vary from 7,280 yards from the back, to 4,874 yards from the most forward tees. The design itself features subtlety in its aesthetic and strategy to deliver an open challenge; you could play this course on repeat without fatigue.
For me, the central ‘Dragon Lake’ epitomises Vattanac’s West Course character as a centrepiece statement, hidden within the design layout. The Lake’s design delivers both unique local aesthetics and strategic challenge with island greens and tees interrupting lines of play. Players can find themselves teeing off from the Dragon’s tail on the 10th hole or attacking the island green engulfed within Dragon’s body as the course stages a playfulness that I believe very few can match. It’s oblivious for those unknowing, but utterly captivating and unforgettable to those aware.
Since being welcomed to the Kingdom of Cambodia by Prime Minister Hun Sen, now well over a decade ago, the Faldo courses created in that time have exceeded expectation in the country. Undoubtedly, Cambodia is home to some of the most unique cultural sites which ooze interest and inspiration for us designers. A fundamental principle of our design philosophy is to draw on such unique local identity – from within sites themselves as well as their environment and I think our experiences in Cambodia truly reflect this in action. At its heart it is good sustainable design practice but one of its major benefits is delivery of memorable golf experiences with a true sense of place. It’s certainly something that helps to differentiate these courses, as reflected by recent awards for ‘Best Course in Cambodia’ from the likes of the World Golf Awards and Asia Pacific Golf Group for Vattanac’s East Course and Angkor Wat alike.
When it comes to thinking of golf in Asia, Cambodia, admittedly, is not the first country that springs to mind with its neighbours of Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore more obvious choices. However, with such unique experiences and its ambitions, Cambodia is very quickly earning a highly respectable reputation in golf and from our experiences you can really start to understand why. But don’t just take our word for it, after all, it was only just named ‘2020 Undiscovered Golf Destination’ at the IAGTO awards which goes to show it is only a matter of time before the country really is firmly established on the golfing map and a staple on any adventuring golfer’s bucket list.
Andy Haggar