The Blue Ocean Resort is taking a swing at the notion that first-rate golf holidays must come with absurd price tags.

In May, the Life Resorts-managed hotel launched a golf package that couples rounds on two of Phan Thiet’s seaside courses with a two-night stay in one of Mui Ne’s premier resorts.

The $180 net pp package “Enjoy, Stay and Play” includes green fees for 18 holes at Ocean Dunes Golf Club, 18 holes at the Sea Links Golf and Country Club, two nights’ accommodation in a Superior Room with breakfast, plus discounts for additional nights and non-golfing guests. The two golf courses hug the winding coastline of Phan Thiet less than 15 minutes’ drive from Blue Ocean Resort. The two courses recently launched a golf destination marketing effort, Golf the Beach.

“We decided to include both courses so guests wouldn’t have to choose, and so there would be an array of opportunities appealing to golfers of every stripe,” said Chris Duffy, general director of Life Resorts Management.

Built on rolling sand dunes over 260 ft above sea level, the Golfplan-designed Sea Links course offers views of the sparkling East Sea, while the 9th Hole on the Ocean Dunes course, designed by former world number one Nick Faldo, was rated “One of the Top 500 Holes in the World” by Golf magazine.

“When people think of world-class courses and upscale hotels, what first springs to mind are the steep costs. But with “Enjoy, Stay and Play” we were able to pack a premium golf holiday that’s actually affordable,” said Duffy.

“There are no frills, just great golf,” he said. “Blue Ocean Resort stripped the package of the non-essentials because we wanted to offer the best possible price to visitors who come to Vietnam and Mui Ne, above all else, to play these stunning coastal courses. And when I see the tag, I think we succeeded there.”

“Enjoy, Stay and Play” is valid until the end of the 2011, and does not include golf cart or club rental.

Blue Ocean Resort, www.blueoceanresort.com.vn