The Netherlands
June 6-8
De Pan and Kennemer
June 6
Many of you might be asking…why is he going from Scotland to
Amsterdam? (years ago, I would have asked that question myself). Truth of the matter is that Holland has
wonderful links land along its North Sea coastline, and there are serious
claims that the game was played in The Netherlands before being played in
Scotland. I shall avoid that
battle. Three courses in The Netherlands
have been rated on a World 100, and my host for the three days convinced me to
add Royal Hague to the program as well…more later. My host was David Davis, who I met virtually
last summer through Fergal O’Leary.
David is in Amsterdam (and has been for 20 years) by way of Oregon. He serves as the Benelux correspondent for Top100GolfCourses.co.uk
and is wonderful guy and host. Perhaps a
little crazed about this silly game, but nothing wrong with that.
David met me at the airport and it was off to De Pan…a
heathland course well inland from the North Sea coast. We played around 11am on a beautiful
day. One of several Harry Colt designs
in Holland and oft-time host of the Dutch Open.
Was rated #55 in the world by the Golf Architect’s survey.
A number of holes with Pine Valley looks to them. Exceptional shaping throughout the course. Greens though were very very slow, and I
could never get the feel of them. I
loved the 5th (reachable par 5 with a late dogleg right and a tree
at the corner of that dogleg…and an island of long fescue grass opposite the
tree in the middle of the fairway at that late turn….thereby creating the need
for real decision making on one’s second shot),
#6…mid length par 4 dog leg left with large hill coming off the left
side…and a large sand dune behind that hill), and #10…a short pat 4 that
narrows down near the green due to impinging hills from both the left and right.
I would have liked De Pan more if it thinned out some of its
trees. While they generally do not
impinge on play, I prefer (and remember…likes and dislikes in evaluating
courses is like picking a spouse…and my batting record there is just 1 for 3)
more open courses, where one can look across wide expanses. I also think I had the misfortune of playing
it when the greens were very slow, which takes some of the bite out of Colt’s
work. Spring has been very late coming
to Europe this year (despite the known and “proven science” effect of global
warming).
After lunch, we proceeded to Kennemer, founded in 1910
. In 1928, the club moved to its present
location near the North Sea to a 18 hole course designed by Harry Colt. Originally, Colt was to build 27 holes, but
the last nine were delayed some 5
decades by the Depression, and in 1985 the third nine was completed by SJH Van
Hengel. Additionally, the course has
undergone extensive renovations, led by architect Frank Pennick, over the past
2-3 decades to bring back much of the Colt flavor. Rated as #68 in the world by Planet Golf.
Teeing off just past 5:20pm, we played the Pennick (B) 9
first, followed by the Colt (C) 9. Both
are excellent especially B2, B9, C1, and C6.
We finished the first 18 and I turned to David and said “you up for
holes 37-45 for the day?” Of course the
answer was a resounding yes, and so at 8:30pm, we started off on our last nine
(the A or Van Hengel). While all of this
nine is utilized in the composite layout used for the Dutch Open (primarily
because of its length), I was disappointed by this third nine. We did however get it done by 10pm, just
after sunset. Truth is, all 45 holes
were played with the benefit of buggies, or we (or at least I) would have never
made it. Wonderful land…well utilized
(better utilized on B&C). One real
disappointment was that the greens were very soft and slow for a links
course. Was surprising.
Clubhouse was just about empty when we finished. Then there was an issue of the gate being
closed. But that was solved and I got
back to my hotel…a very tired puppy. The
good news was that we weren’t playing on Sunday until 6pm (more later) so I
could sleep late the next day and relax.
Noordwijkse GC and
Royal Hague June 7 and 8
Got up around 10am and just made it to the lobby to get
breakfast before it closed. Did some
reading, worked a little on this blog, etc.
Then met David at his club, Norrdwijkse GC around 5pm. It is hard by the North Sea and on a
spectacular piece of land. Club was
founded 100 years ago and moved to “the beach” in 1972. This course was designed by Frank Pennick. The Golf Architects survey rated it as #68 in
the world, and top100golfcourses.co.uk places it as #89.
The clubhouse sits just on the inland side of the barrier
dune, overlooking most of the course.
Simply a spectacular setting.
Playing the course, I discovered a “tale of two cities.” Holes 1-3, and 8-18 (14 of the 18 holes) are
out in the open and are simply marvelous.
Holes 4-7 are situated in the dunes but are nestled in some thick pine
woods…and just plain gets claustrophobic in these holes. I loved the rest of the course. It is in great shape, is very tough and yet
is so much fun (that rare combination) and has some simply spectacular views
(although not of the North Sea except from the top floor of the clubhouse). Hole #8, a dogleg left looking straight out
over most of the rest of the course towards the clubhouse, has a view that is one
of the best I have seen in the game. Finishing
holes are particularly strong with #16 green reminding me somewhat of #14 Foxy
at Dornoch, a very tough par 3 #17 with a sharp drop off right, and a wonderful
18th back to the clubhouse.
But what was going on with 4-7? And based on what David says, there is little
or no prospect of these trees being cleared.
Pity…this could easily be a world 100, but not with the current #4-7.
After the round, we had a wonderful dinner in the clubhouse
and planned our next day at Royal Hague.
We are playing with Hindrick Gommer, a member, and also a member of
Pinehurst CC where he keeps a small home (we have never met before and for sure
will play again in NC). He also was just
appointed to the Golf Magazine panel. Royal
Hague, founded in 1893 is the oldest club in the Netherlands. It moved to its present location, about 2
miles from the North Sea, in 1938. The
course was designed by Harry Colt and Charles Allison.
To put it simply, I loved this track. We were about the first group off. The land is rolling and moves in every
conceivable direction. It has a total of
only 24 bunkers (only one fairway bunker), and five holes have no bunkers. Greens are very tough to read, were of good
speed and were nice and firm (whole course nicely firm and fast). Best holes are:
#3 (medium par 4…385 from tips, sharp uphill
dogleg right to a very elevated green, with runoffs left and right…great views
of downtown The Hague from this green),
#6 (long par 4 –471 from tips and slightly
uphill, fairway snakes left to right to left, to a green with a false left
front corner that slopes down to a bunker that must be 15’ deep or deeper…to be
avoided…and there is a sharp runoff to a valley right of the green…”piece of
cake” as they say…just that :”they” forgot to mention the arsenic).
#9…shortish par 4 (360 from tips) that turns
very slightly to left and rises sharply uphill to a green protected by a false
front (which is an extension of a sharp hill up to the green)…moi hit perfect
drive (playing from 312 yds) and stiffed a wedge to about 2’…and yes, made the
birdie putt
#13…424 yd par 4 from tips, turning slightly
left (with the only fairway bunker) to
deep, narrow green with front right well protected by front right bunker and
run off to left;
#14---fabulous driving hole is 426 from tips
with narrow fairway and OB along left side…second shot is sharply uphill to
deep narrow green with a false front
What I do not understand is how this track has never made it
into a prominent World Top 100. To my
mind, it clearly is the best of the four that I played. I repeat, I loved this course!!
Having survived my four days in The Netherlands (thanks to
David Davis…one of the world’s great hosts) it was time to d get to the airport
and move on to Hamburg, Germany. I was
at this point 12 days into the trip and had played 17.5 courses (remember…27 at
Kennemer)…was tired but not as bad as I feared I might be, especially after the
last few days. The worst of the trip (in
terms of exhaustion appeared to be over with only one more double headed left...and
5 behind me).
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