De Pan: Major Colt

[Paul_Turner]

I write major because I suspect Colt was proud of this course, even if it isn't very well known-a hidden gem .  The few reports on GCA have been very positive and so next time I'm in across the pond, I think a trip to Holland and Belgium is in order.

Jeroen Pit posted a link to these photos some time ago, I've just enlarged them and brought them over to GCA:


Beautifully contoured but subtle green at the 1st.


Par 3 3rd


4th green complex


General view at the 5th.


Lump in middle of 5th fairway.  Would this survive today?


5th Green


Blind tee shot at 6th.


The landing area for the drive on the 6th.  It appears to be an Alps type hole with only a drive down the right seeing past that "Alps" mound.  Nice roll in the terrain!  A bit like 10th at St Georges Hill?


Looking back from the 6th green (heavy zoom)


The 7th green complex


9th green


10th tee shot, an unusual quirky hole that could probably do with some tree trimming and added length?


Closer up on the 10th


10th green


11th


11th again


Great 13th.  Interesting bunker placement.


The 15th


Closer up at 15th.


Raised 17th green.

Looks a fine, natural course to me.  I want to see Colt's other heathland Dutch course Eindhoven, too.

PS
Asking anyone who's Dutch: is there a difference between Holland and The Netherlands?  Something to do with Holland being a part of The Netherlands??

[Rich Goodale (Guest)]

Paul

I'll be within 25 miles of De Panne in a couple of weeks.  I'll try to get some time to take a look.  Looks great form the photos.

[RJ_Daley]

I'll bet nary a single tree was about in HS Colt's time.  Cut 'em all down!  

I didn't find it listed under Colt's work or in the list of courses in the back of C&Ws book.  

[niels lindeboom]

Paul,

I'm Dutch
As you said officially Holland is a state in the Netherlands, but abroad both names are used for the whole country.

As to above photo's:

The 6th is a blind tee shot followed by a blind second to a green in a dell. I agree the 10th might be a bit tight on the approach, but it is a really nice hole to pay the way it is. It's no more than a 3iron tee shot followed by a short iron apporach through the gap. The way the bunkering is positioned in the gap makes depth perception quite difficult though, making people come up short. Actually long is best on this approach. Actually the 13th is my favourite hole on the course. A long par four with fairway bunkers place pretty randomly in the fairway, Very tough hole to visualize.

If you're looking for good heatland and links courses by Colt, Holland is an excellent and overlooked location.

You should check out
De Pan, Hilversum, Eindhoven (heath)
Kennemer and Royal The Hague (links)

If you need any additional info regarding how to access these courses etc please send me an email and I'll see whether I can be of any help. My mailadres is nlindeboom@transfer-solutions.com. It's too long to fit fully into the box.

Rich,

I've noticed this in the past, but I think you're referring to the coastal town of "de panne" where you've spend some time in the past. This is in Belgium not in Holland and has nothing to do with the "De Pan" golfcourse which is about 200 miles north of it. You've got Royal Zoute and Royal Ostende pretty close though. Both well worth to check out

Cheers, Niels

[Rich Goodale (Guest)]

Thanks Niels!

You just saved me a few hours of scouting around the dunes at De Panne trying to find a heathland golf course!  I will, however, try to check out those two more proximate Belgian Royals whist I'm there.

All the best

Rich

[Kevin_Reilly]

I believe this was the site of a Shell's WWOG match between Byron Nelson and a Dutch player whose name escapes me at the moment.  I think a tape of the match is available at the SWWOG site.

[Paul_Turner]

Added quite a few more photos.

Having looked at plenty of old photos (and posted here!) of colt courses I'm sure the bunkers were once more rugged.  But don't they fit well into the terrain-cut into natural up- slopes.

RJ

De Pan=Utrecht and I think is listed in C&W.

Also, I think the course was always lined with pines.  To my eye, they're good looking trees, but I agree, they definitely need some cutting back.  I bet Holland has tough environmental laws...

[Eric Pevoto]

Wow!  Beautiful, and looks like fun.  

What's with the little rake stands in the bunkers?  Why so tidy?

Also, it looks fairly soft; could just be the photos though.  What's the soil like?  

[Tom MacWood (Guest)]

Paul
Thanks for sharing the photos. What a wonderfully natural golf course as you said. Any idea when this course was designed? Does anyone know what role Morrison played, if any, in this course and some of the others in Europe?

[Paul Turner]

Tom

Yes, I believe Morrison was involved with De Pan.  I've seen the club history book and it has a copy of a bill submitted from the "Colt, Alison and Morrison" company; this details 3 or 4 site visits, one of which is from Morrison.   Eindhoven is probably similar: primarily Colt with some Morrison input too.
Both courses were built in 1929/30 according to C&W

I think Kennemar is exclusively Colt, as is whatever he did at Royal Zoute/Knocke which was much earlier.  I think Alison was heavily involved at the Haagsche links.  

I believe Morrison was most involved with the German courses: Falkenstein and Hamburg.  And some of the later work in France at Hossegor and Sweden.