The VGS Hidden Castle technology golf chain, launched in mid-February, has rapidly caught the eye of investors and golfers for the scale and professionalism created by its founders.

VGS Hidden Castle is a model of the modern golf market sector that incorporates golf simulation technology, allowing golfers to analyse their statistics in detail with up to 99.99 per cent accuracy.

It integrates top-quality facilities and services for the elite, encompassing healthcare, beauty, food and beverages, shopping; conferences, exhibitions, and many more.

Expected to scale up to a presence in over 100 golf clubs across the country, VGS Hidden Castle is a hotly discussed topic in the Vietnamese golf industry these days. The masterminds behind this technological golf chain are three investment funds with strong financial potential and considerable experience in the golf field - VGS Invest, EastBridge Partners and Risemount Group.

With total assets under management of more than $1 billion, EastBridge Partners invests in mid-range markets in South Korea and the Southeast Asian region, including Vietnam, mainly for enterprises with a valuation of between $50 million to $500 million.

Kevin Lim, chairman of the board of EastBridge Partners, attended the recent launch event of VGS Hidden Castle. He was also the one who came up with the idea and suggested entrepreneur and VGS Group chairman Bui Duc Long join the project to develop the Hidden Castle model in Vietnam.

Bui Duc Long has already been successful with many breakthrough projects in Vietnamese golf, including Vhandicap, the only national handicap system applied throughout Vietnam and recognised worldwide.

He is also vice chairman of IOT Link Group, a prominent digital technology solution provider that owns the first and only Vietnamese digital map platform called Map4D.

In addition, Long is implementing many other technology-based solutions in the fashion, financial and energy-saving sectors. It is the creativity and constant innovation in business investment that makes him a promising partner for domestic and foreign investment funds.

Recently, Bui Duc Long was invited by Chatchai Kaewbootta, chairman of SAWAD Group and also a renowned golf businessman in Thailand with more than 40 years of golfing experience, to visit SAWAD Group in Bangkok.

SAWAD Group, managed by the Kaewbootta family, is one of the four largest financial groups in Thailand with almost 2,500 branches across the country, and is targeting Southeast Asian markets like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

In 2021, Chatchai Kaewbootta was named by Forbes as one of the Top 20 Thai billionaires with a net value touching $1.7 billion. He also owns five top golf courses in Thailand.

On his visit to Bangkok and SAWAD Group headquarters, Long said, “The decision to invest in the golf industry comes from my passion for this sport. Thanks to golf, I have had the opportunity to meet friends and partners with the same passion, such as Kevin Lim, chairman of EastBridge Partners and Chatchai Kaewbootta, chairman of SAWAD Group”.

“It has also opened up many opportunities for cooperation and business development. SAWAD and VGS Invest Groups are willing to communicate and promote comprehensive cooperation opportunities in many fields in the upcoming future,” Long added.

Vietnam Investment Review