[Philip Gawith]

So you thought Holland was flat! My recent tour took in the three premier Dutch links courses - the other two being Kennemer and Royal Hague - which comprehensively disproved that theory. And the most scenic of the three was certainly this one which is a simply stunning links setting. And it does not just look like a links, it plays like one too.

Harry Colt built a course back in 1929, but the war put paid to that and this layout is the work of Frank Pennink in 1969.

It really is a case of letting the pictures speak for themselves. My main observation about the course was that the key challenge facing the architect was not to mess up such a fine site. In that I think Pennink succeeded allowing the land to do most of the work and applying  fairly light touch himself.

We played it on a beautifully calm day. I suspect when the wind is blowing it must become very difficult, especially holes like 2 and 4. The course has a few holes in the trees - a bit like Formby? - but they do not detract from the overall links character.



Looking out over the links first thing...



View from behind the 2nd green - a very tough par 5, uphill and blind much of the way.



View from behind the short third...



The not so short sixth hole, in the trees..




A fine dunescape...



The eighth - downhill, dogleg left....



As you come off 8 you get this view of the tough par 5 14th hole



Eighth green in the foreground



View from behind the 10th green - quite a stiff two-shotter to start the back nine.



Before you get there, the par 5 ninth takes you back to the clubhouse



Over this fine rolling fairway



Approach to 10 from right of the fairway



The short 12th - with the woods and claustrophobic entrance, a little out of character with where you have just come from, and are about to return to.



Second shot on 14 - You have to hit quite a shot to get up the hill over the obstacle.





The 15th - quite similar to 8 and one of the best holes - the drive is blind and if you are bold and cut the dog leg you can be left with a short approach to a green nestled in a beautiful site at the base of a dune.




The view from behind 15 - tee is way back in the far left...



The magnificent short 17th - plays about 225 yards. If you leave it right you are in a deep gulley.



Another shot on 17 showing the trouble on the right...



A fine closing hole where you are almost bound to underclub to elevated green.



A parting shot like this surely brings you back!

[Joe Hancock]

Wow....I think I need to excuse myself from the room....

 

[John Mayhugh]

Now you've gone and really complicated things for me.  Just when I thought my must play list was too long already, you go and post these.  Some of the images are just astonishing.  Wind would have to guarantee quite the adventure.

Thanks SO MUCH for sharing these beautiful pictures.

How does access work for clubs in Holland?  Similar to Scotland & Ireland or does private mean PRIVATE?

[Sean_A]

Philip

Thanks again!  The front 9 looks like a sob!  17 reminds me of a full view (subtract the dunes) version of Pennard's 13th.  

It makes me do audible yippity yips when I see holes like this.  The flow from fairway to green is magnificent.


I spose Amsterdam is only a short flight from Brum.

Ciao

[David Stamm]

WOW!!!!!! Thank you for showing me yet another place I must see before I leave this earth. Sean's observation about that specific feature he cites is spot on. Love it!

[Jay Cox]

Philip -
Your last two posts of pictures have left me thoroughly confused.

I remember seeing a ranking of Dutch courses that went:
1) Royal Zoute
2) Kennemer
Something well later) Noordwijk

Based only on the photos, I would be most excited to Noordwijk (anticipation level around 8 on the Doak scale), then Kennemer (7), then Royal Zoute (5-6).  Are the pretty pictures fooling me?  Does Noordwijk have a subtle weakness that the photos are concealing (or does Royal Zoute have some hidden strength)?

Keep in mind that the closest I've been to any of these courses is Germany.

[Bill Brightly]

WOW is right!!! If you had posted the pictures and said "guess the country," I wonder how long it would have taken us!

Scotland? No
Ireland? No
Great Britain? No
Oregon, USA? No

etc, etc.

[Tom Dunne]

Jay,

Royal Zoute is in Belgium. I think you're thinking of Royal Hague (Haagsche).

Noordwijk is often held up as the best course in the Netherlands, but I think it runs third to both Haagsche and the Kennemer. Those photos of multiple claustrophobic over-treed par-threes are not exaggerated. Noordwijk has by far the most linksy feel but there was something about it that left me a little cold. But all three are really good and well worth a visit.

The Dutch clubs, in my experience, do accept visitors but you kind of have to work with their schedule. Don't expect to get out on a weekend, be ready to go at 2:30 on a Wednesday, that kind of thing.

[Jay Cox]

Jay,

Royal Zoute is in Belgium. I think you're thinking of Royal Hague (Haagsche).

So when I said that I'd never been closer than Germany, I apparently was understating my own ignorance.  

[Josh Smith]

Thank you for posting.  That place looks unreal.  Seems Maidstone-ish in feel and character and then some.  I can't wait to get to travel a bit in the future in order to golf at  places like this sometime.

[Tom Dunne]

Jay,

Royal Zoute is in Belgium. I think you're thinking of Royal Hague (Haagsche).

So when I said that I'd never been closer than Germany, I apparently was understating my own ignorance.  

Eh, close enough. It's all "Benelux". Zoute could easily be added to a trip involving the Dutch links.

[Adam Clayman]

Wasn't there an old SWOG from this course with Byron Nelson playing a great player from Holland?

[Philip Gawith]

My general impression is that access to these courses is not too tricky - the Dutch especially are too democratic to do differently. Hague feels quite grand, the others less so - though all fine clubs in their different ways.

Billl - you are right, had I posted the way you suggested only one or two who had visited would have got the answer! There really aren't many sites that can compare.

Jay, I will be posting some pictures on Hague and Kennemer as well so you will be able to form your own view. Maybe I will do an eclectic. As I said Noordwijk has probably the best links setting, Hague has some fabulous holes but is probably too strenuous to play every day. I did not see the third course at Kennemer which has some strong holes.

Sean you are right - front nine definitely has SOB potential. Not a place you want to be nurturing a medal card in a wind!

I see the point you make re 17. In fact to my mind the hole most similar to the 13th at Pennard is the first ? short hole at Southerndown -  maybe the 5th?

[Andrew Mitchell]

Great photos Philip.

They certainly do away with the notion that Holland is flat!

I'd never considered Holland as a golf destination before but this has certainly changed my mind.  What is the distance between each of the three courses you played?  Can you stay at a central location convienient for all three?

[Philip Gawith]

Andrew they are pretty close to each other and you could certainly stay in the same place. Hague is about 30-40 min from Noordwijk, which is only a couple of miles from Kennemer. I think they still have a winter competition where the two clubs play an event along the beach between the two clubs !

[Mark Pearce]

BUDA X?

[Andrew Hastie]

Nice Photos Philip.
The Netherlands does indeed have 3 1/2 very good Links courses the 3 mentioned and also 9 holer Domburgsche down in Zeeland.
I have played all 3 many times including in National Opens and even a Dutch Open.
All three are set in the sand Dunes on the West coast and I believe some of the dunes you see are amongst the highest point's in all of the Western part of Holland.
Holland really is as flat as a pancake.
The unfortunate thing is that Dutch keep there courses very soft even in the Summer.
I've just made my first trip to Bandon Dunes and there is a world of difference between there Firm & Fast the Dutch conditioning.
The 5th,6th 7th,and 12th in the forest are a shame when there is enough  dunes land to work with.
Royal Hague is the best in my opinion with a authentic Colt course.However Frank Pont has just re-build all 18 greens and we have yet to see how that turns out.
Kennemer has 3 nines from 3 different designer's very good course but is not as exciting as the over two.
As far driving goes Noordwijk is in the middle and the other two are 45min north or south from there.
All 3 would make a good trip with ever Royal Zoute, De Pan and Hiversumsche.
But if you want to play book ahead

[Andrew Mitchell]

BUDA X?

Mark
My thoughts exactly, hence my question to Philip!!

[Philip Gawith]

Andrew - nice to have someone with local knowledge chipping in! I would say Noordwijk was playing pretty firm and fast when we were there, though not I would agree to the standard of a classic links (but more than the other two).

To Mark/Andrew - I think a Buda there would be a lot of fun. I will post pics on the other two in the coming days.

[JMorgan]

Great pics, again, Philip.  Is La Mer the next stop?  

[Jay Flemma]

why not a buda cup there?

[David_Tepper]

Fellow GCA-er Tom Dunne's article on golf in Holland in the July, 2005 issue of Travel & Leisure Golf:

www.travelandleisure.com/tlgolf/articles/play-away-hollands-linksland/

[Jason McNamara]

Wasn't there an old SWOG from this course with Byron Nelson playing a great player from Holland?

Adam, the match against Gerry De Witt was filmed at Royal Hague.  

The only other Shell matches in the area were at De Pan and Royal GC, Dave Marr playing against Peter Thomson and Flory van Donck, respectively.

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