Montaña is the first golf course in Southeast Asia designed by Olazabal Design (Spain), linked to legend José María Olazábal. The firm is behind notable projects such as Olympic Course and Hills Course at Costa Navarino (Greece), Real Club Sevilla Golf (Spain), and Education City Golf Club (Qatar), Located in Phú Thọ, Montaña is shaped by its natural terrain, inspired by Spain’s vibrant spirit to create a bold and distinctive identity. In an interview with VietnamGolf, Toni Ortner, Lead Golf Architect at Olazabal Design, shared how challenging terrain was turned into a strategic and emotional golf experience.

From the outset, we saw Montaña’s terrain as both dramatic and technically demanding, with rugged hills, lakes, streams and constant elevation changes. This reflects our standard approach, but here the complexity required more advanced geotechnical engineering—addressing terrain modelling, earthworks, drainage and irrigation—to ensure full functionality before shaping the golf. The landscape leads the game: hills, ridges and valleys define the fairways, creating memorable shots. The biggest challenge was preserving that drama while ensuring the course remains playable for all levels, whilst also being capable of hosting international professional tournaments.