Hidden corners of the golf course

Officials play golf during working hours in Bac Ninh .

Golf, a noble sport from Europe, was introduced to Vietnam nearly three decades ago and is becoming increasingly popular. Experts affirm that playing golf offers many benefits that other sports cannot provide.

Accordingly, golfers have the opportunity to connect with nature and improve their mood. Playing golf enhances overall physical fitness, aids in weight loss and weight management, improves sleep quality, is good for the brain, and improves thinking and cognitive abilities.

However, as golf gradually became a popular trend, many people began to find elements of drama and competition in it, leading to distortions that altered the identity of this elegant and refined sport, which has many benefits for physical and mental health.

In recent days, the story of a leader of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Ninh province spending 2-3 evenings a week playing golf during working hours has caused a public outcry. Many people believe this is not an isolated case but is happening in many places and localities. While the appeal and benefits of this sport cannot be denied, golf also has its dark sides.

Officials leaving work to play golf during working hours is one of the consequences of the distorted nature of the sport.

Easily addictive

" I think wealthy people feel they are on a different level when they hold a set of golf clubs in their hands ," a well-known golf coach in Vietnam shared with VTC News. He stated that, given the current economic conditions in Vietnam, golf is becoming increasingly popular. It's a sport that pushes one's limits.

" I used to play tennis before I knew about golf. When I tried it, I wondered why golf was easier than tennis, yet I couldn't play it well. So, I always motivate myself to overcome my own limitations ," the coach added.

Speaking to VTC News, Mr. Thanh Van (name changed) – a businessman in his 40s working in the construction industry in Hanoi – who has played golf for many years, revealed how he came to this trendy sport and how he has become increasingly passionate about it.

“ I first learned about golf when friends invited me to try it. I’ve been a football fan since I was a child, and when I studied in Europe, I only paid to watch football. But golf offered a completely different experience ,” Mr. Van said.

According to this person, learning golf isn't as difficult as many people think. After a certain period of time, once the basic movements are mastered, players will discover a new feeling, much like an "addiction" to the brain.

“ For me and many of my fellow players, golf is a sport of self-competition; winning or losing depends entirely on oneself, and personal achievements are minimally affected. We play to the best of our ability and are not competing against anyone else. Therefore, golf is a sport that provides self-stimulation and helps us surpass ourselves, ” said businessman Thanh Van.

Golf has many benefits, but it also comes with its downsides.

Once he became "addicted to golf," this businessman lost interest in football and even gave up tennis. Whenever he had free time, Mr. Van would immediately arrange to be on the golf course. His passion for golf grew steadily. Later, Mr. Van also invited many friends who were in similar circumstances to join him in playing golf whenever they had free time.

Because it is considered a "noble" sport, golfers are primarily members of the "elite" class in society. Some turn to golf to expand business partnerships, to entertain clients, and even to enhance their image.

“ I know of many cases, and I've experienced it myself, where going to the golf course and playing a round of golf is sometimes a way to assess your business partner. Golf is a sport that reveals a lot about a player's personality. Besides, it's normal for business partners to be entertained on the golf course. Golf has many positive aspects ,” Mr. Van said.

Meanwhile, six years ago, NVS (from Bac Ninh) was coincidentally invited to play golf by a friend, but now he considers himself a "golf addict."

" Golf is also a sport. When you're on a golf course, you feel like you're on a different level, being served by many people, receiving respect, and even being treated with courtesy. Besides, the golf courses are beautiful, with spacious landscapes. Each golf course offers a different experience."

"Especially when playing golf, I seem to escape from the frustrations and stress of work ," Mr. S explained why many people are so fond of playing that it could be called golf addiction.

Therefore, Mr. S readily admitted, " Whenever I have free time, I go play golf ."

Mr. S. also mentioned that in the past, he could play two games a day, each 18-hole golf game, and would spend at least five hours, sometimes even a whole day, on the golf courses.

Working on a golf course

Sharing the same sentiment as many golf enthusiasts, PT, the director of a business in Hai Phong, confided that nowadays, many people go to the golf course during working hours not just for fun, but also to work, conduct business transactions, and exchange information.

" Saying they go golfing is just one perspective; in reality, they work mostly on golf courses now. They go to work as if they're going to play, and play as if they're going to work, " Mr. T. said, adding that on golf courses, transactions, exchanges, and access to partners are easy and highly confidential.

Many government officials are also seen on golf courses, a significant number of them playing during working hours, as reported by VTC News.

An excessive obsession with golf – like that of an "addict" – leads to many negative consequences.

"Even the ward chairman goes golfing; they go to serve their superiors, to make it easier to get promoted. To put it bluntly, it's purely for business," Mr. T. commented.

" When those gentlemen go out, they need servants. And there are a lot of servants," Mr. T shared, adding that on the golf course, it's mostly a "culture of servitude ," mainly subordinates serving superiors, and businesses serving officials.

Mr. T. believes that many officials neglect their work to participate in this aristocratic sport because they cannot resist the allure of "soft power" on the golf course.

Guests entering the golf course are very strictly controlled, with cameras placed everywhere. Once, Mr. T. and his friend visited a golf resort in Hai Phong. Seeing them, a security guard approached and asked which room they were staying in. Mr. T. replied, "We just came to visit because we thought it was beautiful ." Immediately, the security guard ordered, " Get out of here right now ."

" Therefore, for many people, the golf course culture is no longer about going for exercise or sports ," this golfer shared.

Golf betting

To play on the golf courses, players must purchase membership cards on a periodic, quarterly, or, for more premium options, annual cards. " The most VIPs buy annual cards. Only the 'low-class' buy daily cards. Even the cheapest ones cost 3-5 million VND per golf session ," this person revealed.

Spending money on the golf course is also seen by many as a way to show off their status.

In addition, players also have to tip the staff 200,000 VND per person, and each staffing group usually has 5-7 people, so the tips alone cost 1-2 million VND. Renting the court also costs at least 5 million VND per person, and even the quickest game takes half a day (4 hours). This amounts to at least 50 million VND per month.

" Like my father, he's away for a whole week, going on tours, playing in tournaments at various venues. It's very expensive, generally costing billions of dong a year ," Mr. T. cited as an example.

However, according to the businessman, that amount of money was simply for playing golf, not including gambling. Gambling is part of golf culture, and it involves hundreds of millions or even billions of Vietnamese dong. Gambling usually takes place within a group of people playing golf together.

" Betting thousands of USD, betting with Vietnamese currency is just for fun among a few guys. This is a game where you spend money without thinking ," Mr. T. expressed.

The problem of betting in golf is gradually distorting the sport. In fact, golf betting is no different from other forms of gambling, where players become involved in the very activity they are betting on.

Businessman Thanh Van (Hanoi) also did not hesitate to share his gambling story with the reporter.

" Certainly, golf, like European Champions League football matches, involves betting. Of course, betting with bookmakers isn't what many golfers are interested in. Here, betting and winning against fellow golfers is what makes it impossible for many people to quit golf ," businessman Thanh Van shared.

According to our investigation, the most expensive cost for golfers at this time is not green fees, caddy tips, or accommodation, but rather betting against opponents. There are many forms of betting. The amount is unlimited, ranging from 10 million VND to 1 billion VND, or even billions of VND for a single match, depending on the player's financial means.

Furthermore, betting fees are even calculated per stroke (the fewer strokes needed to complete a round, the higher the score). For example, if it's stipulated that the loser must pay 10 million VND for each stroke more than their opponent, the amount could reach hundreds of millions of VND if a novice golfer is unlucky enough to encounter a "master."

" Gambling can sometimes be just for fun, for example, whoever loses has to pay the caddy. However, many people gamble and consider it a profession. Many people in Vietnam cite gambling as a way to train their nerves, but that's just an excuse."

They will bet based on the handicap (the "handicap" given to the golfer). In football, there are bets on corner kicks, goals, and scores, while in golf, there are bets on whether the ball lands in the water, in a bunker, or on the difference in strokes or holes. They might bet 200,000 or 500,000 VND per stroke. Higher stakes can reach millions, even hundreds of millions ," the professional golf coach revealed.

Stories of families being ruined and assets being sold off to pay off debts due to golf betting losses are not uncommon. According to businessman Thanh Van, a friend of his in the South once lost "a house in Ho Chi Minh City" simply because of his gambling addiction.

Then, the more the golfer loses, the more desperate he becomes for money. From there, business and family life are increasingly neglected. All he thinks about is playing golf and recouping his losses from golf betting.

In mid-March this year, police caught several golfers gambling in the form of poker in a hotel while preparing to participate in a golf tournament at Dam Vac Golf Course (Vinh Phuc province). The indictment from the Supreme People's Procuracy determined that 41 defendants committed the crimes of "Organizing gambling," "Gambling," and some defendants were found guilty of both crimes simultaneously.

The defendants are mostly businessmen who share a passion for golf. Notably, among them are two vice presidents of golf associations.

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