Top 10 Golf Courses in The Netherlands
Dutch golf is built on sand. The dune belt that runs along the North Sea coast between Hoek van Holland and Den Helder contains some of the finest natural links terrain in northern Europe, and it was on this ground that Dutch golf planted its earliest roots in the late nineteenth century. What the Netherlands produces from this geography is remarkable: course after course carved through undulating dune ridges, exposed to the sea wind and visually distinctive from the manicured parkland that dominates so much of European golf. Inland, the country's flat polder landscape has been turned into parkland courses with character and craft. The Dutch golf scene is compact enough to drive across in a day but deep enough to occupy a dedicated golf trip of a week. Open the map to explore the full spread of courses across the country.
1. Kennemer Golf & Country Club, Zandvoort
Kennemer is the standard by which Dutch links golf is measured. Founded in 1910 and substantially redesigned by Harry Colt in 1927, the club operates three nine-hole courses — Van Hengel, Pennink, and Colt — that can be played in various eighteen-hole combinations on terrain of exceptional quality. The dunes here are large and imposing, the natural turf firm and fast, and the wind off the North Sea unpredictable enough to change the effective length of every hole. Kennemer has hosted the Dutch Open on multiple occasions and has appeared in global rankings of the world's finest courses. Visitor tee times are available on selected days; the club's reciprocal arrangements make it accessible to members of comparable clubs elsewhere.
2. Royal Hague Golf & Country Club (Koninklijke Haagsche), Wassenaar
The Royal Hague is the oldest golf club in the Netherlands, founded in 1893, and carries a weight of history unmatched in Dutch golf. The course at Wassenaar, redesigned by Harry Colt in 1937, is a mix of parkland and heathland rather than links, routing through wooded terrain on the outskirts of the Hague. The tree-lined fairways and subtle green complexes are more British heathland than Dutch coast, and the atmosphere is refined and serious. Royal Hague hosted the Dutch Open in 1983 and has been home to some of the country's most significant amateur events. Visitor access requires advance arrangement through the club.
3. Noordwijkse Golfclub, Noordwijk
Noordwijkse is Kennemer's nearest competitor in the dunes, occupying a spectacular stretch of terrain near the flower-growing town of Noordwijk. The eighteen-hole course, also designed in the Harry Colt tradition, plays through deep dune ridges with the North Sea visible from elevated points throughout the round. The holes vary between exposed, wind-battered ridgeline tees and sheltered valleys where the wind drops away and precision becomes the primary demand. Several holes require blind tee shots over dune crests, a characteristic of genuine links golf that Noordwijkse wears without apology. Green fees for visitors are available and the club has a well-established international visitor programme.
4. Golfbaan Sloten, Amsterdam
Golfbaan Sloten is Amsterdam's most accessible quality course, situated on the western edge of the city near Schiphol Airport. The par-70 parkland layout is built on flat polder ground typical of inland Netherlands, with water hazards threading through the design in the manner that Dutch course architects have developed into a distinctive local style. Sloten is not a championship venue but operates as a serious golf club that has served Amsterdam's golfing population since 1985. Green fees are competitive, the course is open to visitors throughout the year, and its location makes it the natural choice for golfers arriving or departing through Schiphol.
5. Crayestein Golf, Dordrecht
Crayestein, situated near Dordrecht in the southern province of Zuid-Holland, is a parkland course with an unusually attractive setting around a medieval castle. The par-72 layout winds through mature woodland and across water, with views of the Crayestein castle providing a backdrop that is unusual even by Dutch standards. The design makes extensive use of natural water features native to the polder landscape, and several holes require precise carries across river channels. The course welcomes visitors and operates flexible tee-time booking; green fees sit in the mid-range for the region.
6. Golf & Recreatiepark 't Caves, Valkenburg
'T Caves is geographically anomalous in the Netherlands — it sits in the hilly landscape of South Limburg near Valkenburg, the country's only genuinely hilly region. The par-69 course climbs and descends through wooded terrain that bears more resemblance to the Belgian Ardennes than anything found in the coastal dunes or flat polder land. The elevation changes produce tee shots and approach angles that demand unusual shot-shaping for Dutch golf, and the overall experience is refreshingly different. The adjoining holiday park makes it a practical destination for golfers bringing non-golfing family members.
7. Openbare Golfclub Dronten, Flevoland
Dronten sits in the recently reclaimed polder land of Flevoland, one of the youngest areas of dry land in the world. The nine-hole public course is a straightforward introduction to golf on perfectly flat terrain, with tree lines and water ditches defining the holes. It plays to a par of 36 and is entirely accessible to beginner and casual golfers; green fees are nominal. The setting in Flevoland has a slightly surreal quality — the land was under the Zuiderzee within living memory, and on clear days the flat horizon extends to the polders' edge.
8. Golfbaan Crossmoor, Roermond
Crossmoor, near Roermond in Limburg, is an eighteen-hole parkland course built in the gravel extraction lakes that characterise this area of the Netherlands. Water is consequently a dominant feature of the routing, with numerous holes playing alongside or across the lake system. The design rewards accurate iron play into greens that are often framed by water on multiple sides. The course operates an open visitor policy and green fees are mid-range. Crossmoor is a popular destination for Belgian and German golfers given its position near both borders.
9. Haviksoord Golf Club, Appelscha
Haviksoord in Appelscha, in the northern province of Friesland, is an unusual find: a course built in a heathland and forest landscape reminiscent of the English Surrey heaths. The par-70 course routes through heather, pines, and birch, with a sandy subsoil that drains quickly and produces firm, running turf. It is not a championship layout but is genuinely enjoyable and provides a quality outing in a part of the Netherlands that is not normally associated with golf tourism. Visitor access is straightforward and green fees are modest.
10. Pitch & Putt Papendal, Arnhem
Papendal is the Netherlands' national sports centre, and the pitch-and-putt and short-game facilities here are the best public-access practice grounds in the country. While not a full eighteen-hole course, Papendal deserves inclusion as a facility that has introduced thousands of Dutch golfers to the game and continues to serve as a testing ground for the national golf development programme. Located near Arnhem, it is readily accessible and operates on a walk-in basis for casual visitors.
Planning Your Netherlands Golf Trip
The best golf weather in the Netherlands falls between May and September, when longer days and stable conditions make the links courses along the coast particularly good. The dunes are most vivid from late spring through summer, and the Atlantic wind is typically more consistent and manageable than in autumn. Most quality courses remain open through the winter, though the flat inland courses can become waterlogged after prolonged rain. Amsterdam and the Hague are the natural bases for a dune-golf itinerary, with Kennemer, Noordwijkse, and Royal Hague all within an hour. Green fees at the premier clubs run from roughly €80 to €160 for visitors. Open the map to plan your round sequence and check club locations relative to your accommodation.