De Haar

Formed in 1974, Golfclub De Haar operated a 9-hole course in the Zuiderpark of the Haarzuilens estate – next to the Kasteel de Haar – until 2020, when Bruno Steensels rebuilt the original course and added another nine holes.

The expansion of the golf facility at De Haar was planned early in the new millennium but years of haggling over permits delayed the work. And because the course is located in a historic park designed by landscape architect Hendrik Copijn, many restrictions were put in place.

For instance, earthmoving was kept to a minimum, tree felling had to be overseen by the appropriate government agency, then there were concerns regarding the natural habitats of bats and the crested newt. All told, the routing changed more than a dozen times over the design phase of the project.

“We needed a lot of patience,” architect Steensels admits. “It was special for me too. The original design was dated sixteen years ago. In the meantime, your own vision and style also change. But that's what makes it interesting; this is a very eventful project.”

De Haar lies on heavy ground so all the fairways have been built up with sand, applied in two layers which sees them playable in all weather conditions. Putting surfaces are also new, having been sown with a combination of red fescue and bent grass.