Faldo Hosts Grand Opening Event at Vattanac Golf Resort
As Sir Nick Faldo focuses his time on his global design firm, he has now officially opened Vattanac Golf Resort, a 36-hole Faldo Design facility in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The West Course was named “Best Golf Course” in Cambodia at both the 2022 and 2023 World Golf Awards while the East Course won the same honor in 2020. This international recognition for the work of Faldo Design is a testament to the quality of golf course design being brought to fruition by Sir Nick and his team in South East Asia in recent years.
“I have always looked at each site as a blank slate, I envisioned a true Faldo Design course to reflect the natural surroundings, giving golfers a sense of place, I have always stived to incorporate and protect the local culture. Vattanac Golf Resort is like no other course in the world, with features throughout both courses showcasing and drawing inspiration from the ancient Khmer temples, when you play this course you have no doubt you are in Cambodia” said Sir Nick.
Faldo has been coming to the Cambodia for over 15 years as his first design at Angkor Golf Resort in Siem Reap opened in 2008. Angkor Golf Resort has been a host venue for the Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic on the Asian Tour as well as the Faldo Series global junior golf tour that provides an equal opportunity platform for girls and boys seeking a pathway to elite professional golf.
As Faldo continues to be a trailblazer in creating new golf markets his formula of designing new courses and introducing junior golf programs aimed at crafting the champions of tomorrow has a proven track record for success since the mid-1990s.
“I never saw the point in simply building golf courses in new regions if there was no opportunity to introduce the game to the next generation. The Faldo Brand is not just about designing courses, it is about expanding the game of golf in a sustainable manner, so it is only reasonable to provide opportunities to the clubs and the community to create junior and amateur pathways once the course is operational” Faldo continued.
