Hanoi, Vietnam: At the heart of Vietnam’s growing golf industry, a new conversation is taking shape focused on smarter design, sustainable water management, and the power of collaboration between golf course architects and irrigation experts.

That conversation came to life at the Vietnam Irrigation Symposium, where industry leaders gathered at Thanh Lanh Golf Club to explore how precision irrigation design can transform both playability and sustainability on golf courses across the region.

The symposium opened with a shared goal: to educate Vietnam’s golf market on the importance of engaging accredited irrigation designers and reputable golf course architects.

As the golf landscape in Vietnam continues to expand, speakers emphasised that long-term success depends on design integrity. The shared mission lies in creating courses that are efficient, playable, and built to last.

Experts underscored the value of professional irrigation design in ensuring that system layouts, hydraulics, and controls meet international standards for both water efficiency and turf performance.

A well-designed system protects investments by lowering operational costs, minimising waste, and supporting environmental certification goals. As courses strive to balance world-class playability with responsible resource use, sustainability has become a defining feature of modern golf development.

David Dale, Design Principal at Golfplan, shared the perspective of golf course architects on irrigation and its direct impact on playability.

From contouring and strategy to turf health and aesthetic flow, Dale highlighted how thoughtful irrigation planning supports the architect’s vision, both for promoting a healthy turfgrass sward and prioritising sustainability, and ensuring the golfer’s experience remains true to design intent.

Troy Fiscus, Managing Director of Cadsult and President of the Australian Chapter of the American Society of Irrigation Consultants, dove into the irrigation design process, emphasising that course modifications demand parallel updates to irrigation design. He also highlighted the critical role of pump station reliability and long-term performance planning in protecting investments.

Representing Rain Bird Southeast Asia, Rob Weiks showcased the power of CirrusPRO, the company’s advanced irrigation control software.

Through a live demonstration, attendees saw how mobile access, real-time data, and intuitive interfaces are helping superintendents make smarter, faster decisions that save both time and water.

By taking advantage of new irrigation technologies such as CirrusPRO, golf courses around the world are benefitting from having total irrigation control in the palm of their hand with better irrigation data.

When you have a complete view of crucial data, such as amount irrigated and potential system issues, golf courses can make more informed irrigation decisions and conserve more water.

The event also highlighted Tan Thanh Son (TTS), Rain Bird’s trusted partner in Vietnam.

Mr Thanh, Director of TTS, opened the symposium with a warm welcome, while Cuong, TTS Sales Representative, introduced attendees to the four cornerstones of Rain Bird irrigation – a foundation that spans from pump stations to rotors.

With years of local experience and deep technical expertise, TTS continues to play a pivotal role in bringing Rain Bird’s technology and design philosophy to Vietnam’s evolving golf market.

From superintendents and general managers to irrigation technicians and design professionals, the symposium brought together the people shaping the next generation of golf in Vietnam.

Through live demonstrations, open dialogue, and real-world case studies, participants left with a renewed understanding of how design excellence, technology, and sustainability can work together to deliver world-class results.

*Rain Bird and Golfplan are members of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.