Maarten

One of only 3 Pete Dye designs in continental Europe, and probably the least well known of those.Comprising of 27 holes, I played the Brut and the Saten loops. Same as its fluid equivalents, both are equal in terms of quality and if you like A, you will also enjoy B.The property centers around a big, probably artificial - but attractive nonetheless - lake, with 4 holes directly adjacent but it is in sight on even more of them. The edges are covered in sleepers. With your eyes half shut, you’re at Medinah, Congressional or Sawgrass with a mountain backdrop. You do get the impression that the majority of the budget was spent on the visuals of the holes around the lake. Whereas many of the other holes lack in variety and definition. The par 5 holes 1 and 10 are fairly boring and similar, as are the par 5 6th and 13th which are not coincidentally adjacent, play in the same direction and both play significantly uphill with a blind second shot. The 6th even has a two meter-high wall which splits the fairway over the entire width. It’s interesting for longhitters who must calculate not only if and how they are going to go for the green in two, but also if they leave a shot which they can hit high enough to clear the ridge. On the other hand, I wouldn’t want to be stuck behind a 4-ball of 36 handicaps at this hole. A positive standout on the front nine was the nice, tough redan par 3 9th after the small but voluptuously shaped green complex at the dogleg par 4 8th.It seems that Dye has sacrificed each of the par 5 holes to cover a big amount of the boring (1 and 10) and most challenging (6 and 13) parts of the property. It does not elevate the course, because it is quite apparent that the set of par 5s is weak compared to the rest of the course and it is a pretty notable takeaway after you finished the round.Final verdict – nothing horrible for admittedly a fair greenfee, just about enough exciting moments throughout the round, a strong set of par 3s and a disappointing routing. The Pete Dye Label does come with expectations and this clearly is not his best work, although better (primarily agronomic) presentation would likely enhance the experience.MO

Royal Waterloo feels big at everything.The clubhouse is massive and has panoramic views over a large part of the course, which consists of 45 parkland golfholes designed by the Hawtrees over the course of a couple of decades, with La Marache as the star of the show. When we played in July 2022, the front nine was in the middle of an extensive (capillary concrete) bunker renovation program. I really liked its wide fairways, favouring smart positioning with the tee shot, its heavily rolling terrain resulting in some routing challenges and opportunities; and its well bunkered green complexes. The course is a championship course with a modern(ized) feel, and fairly long. Just when it threatens to become a bit sloggy (especially the uphill par 5 5th and long par 4 6th, the course turns it up a notch with the lovely par 3 7th, an impressive raised green complex with daunting bunkers all around at 9, and a very nice reachable downhill par 4 10th that starts a great stretch of holes that doesn’t end until the 15th.Experience wise, the back nine is a notch above the front. The wooded holes at the first half of the back nine, although a little overgrown with ferns and other intrusive foliage, are simply gorgeous as they flow marvellously through the dunes that are the gem of the property. The finish with oddly no less than 3 consecutive par 5s provide for an engaging finish and can turnaround your score in both ways. Although you don’t necessarily feel like walking half a kilometer back and forth as the 16th green ends perfectly at the side of the clubhouse and the deep-fried snacks and Belgian beers are calling already.For some reason, La Marache couldn’t quite convince me. That may largely be due to the lack of the traditional members club atmosphere that is so charming about the likes of Spa, Royal Antwerp and Ravenstein. A 4,5 ball rating should be in reach in the future though, so I’m looking forward to see the results of the bunker renovation and some tidying up on the wooded holes which will probably make a big difference.MO

Never thought I would ever be ashamed not to be wearing knee-high socks, but this was the day. I nearly tore apart my normal sized socks in an attempt to cover my provocatively naked legs, but it couldn’t take away the embarrassment of breaching the traditions of this distinguished members club, with a similarly fashioned golf course. &nbsp;Ravenstein provides for a lovely round in a tranquil environment. Conditions and quality of the turf were excellent in mid-July. There’s plenty of refined golden age elements to enjoy for the GCA aficionado, but also some bitter pills to swallow. The current Continental European ranking is fairly generous if you ask me, but with sufficient efforts the course could be vastly improved and it would be merited. The course would then be unlike any other course in the low countries since the atmosphere and property are quite unique. &nbsp;Unfortunately, too many holes have been spoilt strategically and visually by a lack of tree management – most apparent on the par 5 1st which features a lovely green complex but trees have sabotaged the undoubtedly engaging second shot to the green, in most cases forcing a wedge lay-up followed by a short pitch. The 10th and 11th suffer from similar tree problems. It's evident that not everybody labels it a problem, but is rather proud of the variety of species in in full array – quite impressive trees admittedly (the course was later renamed the ‘Arboretum’ course, but I doubt Tom Simpson would have been euphoric with the current state of the lay-out). Nonetheless there are also lovely vistas here and there, and they offer delightful sights. The course features many strong holes, such as the signature par 3 3rd, the green complexes of the 5th and 6th, the short par 4 9th with a great, spacious rippled fairway and the finish of the back nine with a lovely reachable par 4 to end with. One thing that caught my eye was that the bunker edges were shaped quite sharp and pronounced, but that the actual sandy surface was usually entirely flat. There’s some room for added dimension there. &nbsp;MO

The fog was still hanging between the dunes adjacent to the first fairway, when our fourball teed off at this intimidating par 4 1st. The Island lies on an exceptional piece of land with the sea on more than 180 degrees of the property, with flatter pieces of land on one side, and towering dunes in the middle. The holes wind through, over and besides them, and the exposure to the dunes is very well balanced throughout the round. You keep walking in and out and around them, with a lot of seaside/sight holes along the way. Only the 8th until the 11th hole offer some respite, although they include 3 long par 4s which demand proper shot making and an alert mind. Yet, the variety offered by the individual holes is quite something – you don’t quite notice there being just 3 par 5s and 3 par 3s until study in hindsight. Although you do notice the presence of a significant amount of long demanding par 4s. Another thing I loved about the flow of the round is that the round ends on the same note (look and feel) as it starts, with essentially a similar long par 4 in the other direction, going downhill, as the 1st, driving from the dunes into the open - it really completes the circle. The big question with the Island to determine how good it really is: how strategic are these holes? Is it just a course for the more accomplished player? It sure is long and very demanding. I saw what this course could do to a good single-digit player with an off-day (who received his new nickname ‘Big B’ following an impressive birdie at the 2nd, but did not feel quite so big anymore afterwards). It is quite penal, certainly compared t to its nearby peers Portmarnock and Baltray. I do believe a shorter, worse golfer would have plenty of ways to plot his way around the golf course without losing too many balls. Be as it may, there are a number of all-world holes at the Island: 4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 15. The 4th and 15th visually stunning, the blind 6th and the diaphanous little par 4 7th simply irresistible to any purist. The others are no slouch. Although The Island’s quality does not lie in its subtlety, it’s an unforgettable course that shouldn’t be omitted on any Dublin itinerary – and it’s worth it’s green fee just as much as its more forgiving peers.MO

The best course we played between Baltray, The Island and the European, and respectfully just behind Portmarnock. The stretch of 12-16 at Baltray is simply world-class and is not inferior to any stretch of holes in the country. It’s easy to pick on the couple of holes which occupy flatter land lacking the interesting natural undulations that define the course IMO. For example, the par 4 1st and the tee shot to the 2nd and 3rd, the stretch of par 4s 9th-11th, and also the 18th are a tad bland, many of them connector/filler holes but fine links holes nonetheless. Maybe a tad too many of those prevent Baltray from wider international acclaim. The variety of the rest of the course however, and the sheer genius of Tom Simpson are simply incredible and will have any GCA enthusiast in awe. The strategic natural corridors at the 8th and 12th holes are as well. Simpson demands that you play smart , straight and conservative, or you will be punished with a difficult recovery from a blind and crooked spot. Other epic standout features includes the 2nd best stretch of the course (3-8) beginning at the blind approach to the 3rd green nestled into the side of a dune, with a natural valley on the left. The following par 4, played from an awkward angle off the tee towards a large bump, is fairly straight and wide once you pass the bump. It’s not long either, but has a crazily rippled fairway and a large undulated green. Good architecture can be so simple. The next set of holes are 2 challenging par 3s played to a couple of wonderful raised green complexes. You’ll also find yourself exposed to the wind and you should take a par anytime. Nestled in between is a superb par 5 with an attractive tee shot over a big cross bunker to a very undulating fairway. The green is guarded by a couple of dunes on the side about 50 meters short, and with runoffs front and right. The balance in the routing is spot on – even when the scorecard suggests otherwise with 3 par 5s in the first 6 holes- Simpson got the utmost out of this property as far as I can judge. There are brilliant reachable par 4s, a fantastic set of par 3s, the land movement is arguably the best I’ve seen anywhere, and it’s challenging without being too merciless to your sleeve(s) of Pro V1’s.My feeling is that Baltray is a course that is loved tenderly by those in the know, but this is relatively little people from a worldwide perspective. Perhaps the members wish to keep it that way, but I’m glad I belong to Baltray’s ‘acquired taste’ club. Standing on the par 4 14th tee at sunset, adjacent to the 16th tee of Seapoint, felt truly special. Baltray sneaks in in my personal top 10 and thus compares favorably with several World Top 100 courses. MO

A really enjoyable course one that is already underrated, but should aim for a comfortable top 10 position in Germany, which should be very manageable with an injection of money and put in the right architectural hands. A board member informed me that the course might be sold in the near future, so hopefully someone is seeing the same potential. Up until the 14th hole, you won’t find a bad hole, with the par 4 3rd, par 5 4th and the stretch of the par 3 6th with its bonkers two tiered green (which could easily have been extracted from any James Braid course) and back to back par 4s 7 (not difficult to think of Hindhead) & 8 (perhaps the best hole of the course, a marvellous modest par 4, fairly open and with heather on all sides, with a fairway of wonderful natural contours) and the par 3 11th and par 5 12th all outstanding, quirky golf holes. Architectural criticism can be addressed at the uninspiring bunker styling and some of the green complexes suited less than ideal for the approach angles. In some cases, I doubt they resemble anything like the original design and have become what the maintenance staff have made/kept of them over the years. The 2nd and the 13nd hole come to mind as the most striking examples. Nothing that takes too much away from the current experience however. The same cannot be said of the tree management situation in particular. There are more than a couple of mature trees severely affecting the strategic merits of the course, especially at par 4 1st, the lovely par 5s no. 3, no. 12 and the tee shot at 18 which is especially bad. The tree, standing in the way on the left side, with the fairway swinging left and the fairway running out on the right side pretty quickly, meant that the only shot I could possibly and realistically hit was a big hook with a rescue or a long iron, only to have a very long second into a fairly short par 5. This tree must be taken down TODAY. It would make the holes so much better immediately to put the element of risk back in for players to take on this hole with their drivers and if well executed, be rewarded with extra roll by the fairway’s speed slot. Apart from these ill-placed specimen trees, there is a lot of thick bushes, trees and foliage right next to the fairways resulting in (here we go again…) narrow playing corridors obstructing lovely vistas on otherwise beautiful holes, unnecessary searching for lost balls, slow play and agronomically, tired green complexes and fairways unable to soak up enough water through the ground. Between these great first 13 holes and the finishing stretch unfortunately the back 9 features some filler holes (14-16) which are dull and flat, and ill-fitting in case of the par 3 15th with its atrocious unnatural water hazard, a fate which neither the 17th, although a much better golf hole, has been spared.Elmpter Wald is a very unpretentious place with some seriously good golf. The firm and fast sandy soil is perfect for golf and the property is very beautiful and tranquil. Will definitely return to see how they’re doing and would be very pleased if some of the attention points will be addressed. MO

A well-deserved rise on the latest rankings for charming Corballis. Very quirky, lovely green sites of high quality and architectural interest, rolling very true and a good few cracking links holes with views rivalling many great links. Not all holes in the dunes allow for ground game though. Keep an open mindset and expect to hit short irons off the tee on blind par 4s and to see the most scenic, as well as the ugliest of parkland golf holes next to a trailer park and high fences as a backdrop. MO

Our last round this time on the emerald isle was a slightly hurried 18 before rushing to the airport.The course starts gently with solid golf holes, but their character edges towards firm and fast parkland golf and leave you thinking ‘when does the links golf start?’. The way the course played on our visit was ‘difficult par, easy bogey’. Or in my case, it could just have been described as ‘bogey’. The front nine is close to the real estate – yellow houses which were the reason that this course was built. Our host told us that the start used to be stronger, but that holes had been rerouted due to dangerous or irritating situations. The best holes on the front nine are the downhill 1st which crosses a burn, the par 5 6th which has an interesting choice off the tee, and the long par 3 ninth towards the clubhouse which is a proper links hole with a difficult green to hit. The back nine is a little more exciting with well bunkered, attractive holes, building up to the final stretch of 14-18 which all have their own character and definitely is the strongest set of holes on the course. The flip side of that is that the land hugging the beach is unfortunately all used by the finishing three holes, probably compromising the spectacle on many of the other 15. They are 3 great links holes - an interesting mid length par 4, followed by a short 3 with a narrowly visible green in an amphitheatre and a quality finishing threeshotter, but I can’t help but feel the climax comes a bit too late. Nevertheless Seapoint is an enjoyable, well maintained course which is certainly challenging enough, and gives great value for money greenfeewise. MO

How to put this nicely – in a way that does not disqualify myself as a thoughtless bomber that failed to overpower this course demanding a different strategy – Frankly the layout and design is just clearly very amateuristic.Holes are routed nervously through internal OB’s and permanent GUR (due to the course being too firm in the summer and there being no chance to stop the ball on the heavily tilted fairways and prompt doglegs of up to 270 degrees (with internal OB on the inside!). The first hole is a bland, featureless par 3 which could easily have been avoided if the next stretch of holes would have been routed differently – without multiple 150 meter green to tee walks.The next couple of holes feature par 4 holes which require a longer approach than the drive, with trouble on all sides (internal OB’s water hazards and bushes promoted to water hazards). At the 3rd teebox, my playing partner almost got hit in the face twice because the teebox apparently lays right behind the 200 meter post of the driving range, without any warning or measures. Neither can I recall just one well-place bunker. Any toddler could have picked the locations of the bunkers on this course, and if it was a talented toddler it might have been an improvement to the course. This is just a handful of irritations I had during the front nine. Towards the end, the course gets more and more enjoyable and I even walked off the course quite satisfied. The finishing stretch actually had some interesting, well-routed holes. The drive at the par 5 16th reminded me of the 8th at Royal Dornoch, I wonder if it inspired the designer (won’t call him architect) here. Despite its shortcomings, Bad Munstereifel is strangely more enjoyable than Bergisch Land which we played the same weekend, and at least it is quite walkable despite the routing ‘facepalms’ one must suppress, and the hilly terrain. The course also played surprisingly firm and the greens, although very basic in design and defence, were a joy to putt on and quite admirable for the undoubtedly small maintenance budget of this club. So please keep that up. At the end of the day however, there being no less than 700 golf courses in Germany, there is absolutely no way this course belongs anywhere near the top 100. MO

Bergisch Land disappointed me. There aren’t many golden age lay-outs in Germany, so you’d expect them to treasure such wealth. It’s sad to see a good layout go to waste due to improper tree management (or maintenance in general). I don’t think a single tree has been cleared since Morrisons two visits to this site. Many a good hole’s strategy is currently disabled and visually, the trees are also a pain. The fairways had more daisies than grass and greens and surrounds were so soft that the contours of the green complexes were made completely irrelevant. The lay out itself is rather exciting, there is plenty to remark and plenty of (hidden) variety in the routing, which consists of 5 par 3s, 5 par 5s and 8 par 4s. The stretch 6-8 is very beautiful, could be 10x more stunning with a lot of trees removed and could be technically excellent (which it undoubtedly has been long ago). This stretch is routed through a spectacular but difficult part of the property, and Morrison has done this masterfully by going sideways negotiating the largest elevation changes. It seems that the routing was later spoilt in some places with added length, weakening the quality of the hole, with tiresome and illogical green to tee walks with the location messing up the visuals and demanded shot values of the teeshot (most apparent at hole 10). The course is a very challenging walk, emphasized by the soft conditions and heavy grass even on the fairways. This in combination with the property which is far from perfect for golf - I wouldn’t want to play my weekly rounds at such an exhausting golf course. The 13th is a miles down hill par 5 and is very well bunkered and even has width and strategic options. What a welcome surprise.The later added 5 finishing holes are not entirely up to the standard set by the first 13 holes, but this is mainly due to the uninspiring 14th, 15th and the teeshot on the 16th where you must walk back 100 meters for the worst looking teeshot on the course, obstructed by cell towers and their cables. This could have been a fine par 4 with an attractive teeshot instead.The finish with the lovely par 3 17th is, although again you need to climb a steep hill and back again to play the teeball. The vista kind of justifies it, but by this time you just want to get over with it already. The 18th ends in fitting fashion, an attractive par 5 with an interesting to an undulated fairway and a hazard down the left side, approaching to a raised green just around a corner. You see nothing but trees on the left and the right half of the green is blocked by a giant tree. What a joke. All in all, just too many flagrant, blasphemous negatives and the exhausting walk just made it difficult to enjoy this round.To end on a positive note – Bergisch Land could be improved significantly and be made much more enjoyable with each tree removed. I also liked the bunker styling which also appeared pretty recent and modern, but fitting for a classic golf course. MO

Hats off to Hilgert and his CDP associates. Koln is a very consistent, well-maintained championship test in a lovely setting. It would be fitting if the course played firmer. The lay-out is suited for it. The routing is spacious, coherent and consists of three returning loops. The round is off to a strong start with the lovely, friendly par 4 first, although the first trees blocking an even better view of this hole are visible on the right side. The 2nd is a strong, strategic slight dogleg right par 5 with a stream running diagonally across the fairway. The short, blind and reachable par 4 4th is also an early highlight in the round, and my favorite hole on the course. It features a sloping hill that is easily carried but is all you can see off the tee, and you know and hope what lies behind must be quite wide. The left side is favourable for the best approach into the green, which looks awfully small and narrow from a but is in fact quite large. After a while it becomes apparent that many holes are doglegged with the dogleg dictating the preferred strategy. Nevertheless, Refrath is well-bunkered and the green sites provide for plenty of interesting (recovery) situations, run-offs and a set of crowned greens with intelligent slopes. It all works very well and the spectacle is evenly spread throughout the round, without an obvious climax stretch of holes. A weaker spot in the routing is that the par 3s, although pleasant and pleasing to the eye, are samish in length and roughly play in the same direction (all 4!). The 12th however is a brilliant hole with a superb elephant back green, sloping away front to back and to the left. I really liked the width of the holes at Koln, the course is very spacious and therefore the round was a very pleasant walk without the need to search for lost balls more than occasionally, without compromising on challenge. The demanding par 4 14th on the other hand was a hole, not unlike the extreme 14th at The Island, where a dead-straight shot is the only option as the hole was clearly very narrow in comparison with the rest. This however worked quite well whereas it could have been just another cramped par 4 if the tree management hadn’t been quite so good. Well done Refrath, especially from a German perspective it is admirable that you’ve chosen to be a role model for other classic courses that have overgrown over the last century. Refrath has a similar ‘je ne sais quoi’ sense of stepping inside a painting with almost unnaturally beautiful satured colours that can be experienced at Les Bordes (Old). The bunkers contrast with very bright, blinding white tints and are surrounded by a well-manicured, brazilian waxed landing strip of rough edges for definition. If you’re spotting parallels with Falkenstein I wouldn’t say that’s far-fetched either, although the land is less exciting at Refrath, is closer to parkland than it is to heathland, and feels more contrived in terms of the shaping of the holes and hazards – the water hazards for example that have sharp stone wall edges with sudden height differences between bordering parts of the fairways. It doesn’t feel too out of place though and the style is consistently applied throughout the course.This place is well-deserving of a visit and should be seriously considered for a place comfortably in the next continental top 100. MO

The 2nd and 3rd day of the Highlands trip we were treated to 2 magnificent, dry days with perfect blue skies at Castle Stuart. The first day was breezy whereas the second day was mostly calm. This being the second Gil Hanse course I played in 2021 and in general (the other being the new course at Les Bordes, it was nice and not too difficult to recognize his hand in the design. His eye for detail is incredible. The course is a shaping masterclass, not all features being quite necessary but no expense spared on design and presentation. The course is full of eye candy but the strategic archtitectural substance is there to match the visual thrills. With this piece of land it was impossible not to make a beautiful course, but other important checkmarks of good architecture are spot on. The routing is a thing of beauty. I absolutely love how the holes follow eachother seemlessly, greens and tees being connected and keeping an amazing flow to the golfcourse. There are no walks back to the back tees, you could easily play different tees wihtout it bothering any player in the flight. Both 9 hole loops are quite symmetrically routed and start in opposite directions on the lowest part of the property, directly on the Moray Firth and, in the case of the front nine, gently climbing up to the upper plateau of the property, rising above the vertical hedge of gorse dividing the high and the low. The back nine however has one flaw which is the steep uphill walk between the par 5 12th and the par 4 13th, which is the only interruption of an otherwise flawless routing. It probably was a very conscious choice that enabled the finishing stretch and the fantastic downhill par 5 18th hole by the clubhouse. It also should be said that the 13th is a brilliant par 4 with a superb teeshot in a moonscape tunnel, and a panoramic approach to an exciting multi tiered green with the Kessock Bridge in the background.A round of golf at Castle Stuart is filled with highlights, I won’t bother picking and describing my favorite holes. Every sense is tickled constantly and the golf centers around fun. The fairways are wide and bad shots are punished with finding your ball in impossible bunkers, difficult approaches that will likely be repelled by the green, and monsterputts rather than lost balls. If you do hit an errant shot, you better follow up with a good recovery shot. You will not need any forced carries at CS as the teeboxes flow seemlessly into the fairways. It is definitely the most playable course out of the top100 courses I’ve played, but somehow I couldn’t make much of a score in two rounds played. It’s very intruiging to see that playable doesn’t necessarily mean forgiving.MO

“When one thinks of linksgolf, Brora is what one sees, even if one doesn’t know the course.” Please don’t sue me over the copy rights on this quote, but the statement sure is true. Brora is the quintessential links course, where everything is about golf, and great turfconditions are enjoyed year round. The strategy on the holes are dictated by the landforms, often resulting in a decision whether a shorter blind approach is preferred over a longer shot with the target in view. While the course isn’t long as a whole, the par 3s are demanding, all play in different directions and there are a few cracking long par 4s into the prevailing wind. The brilliance of the design is in the simplicity. The bunkers are simple and roundshaped, but well placed. Cattle and sheep roaming freely over the course, it’s classic links golf at its most charming. Brora’s cult status is well deserved, however nearby sibling Golspie is a very close competitor and may steal your heart even sooner.MO

Having heard stories of golfers arriving at Dornoch in helicopters, I was surprised of the lowkeyness of the atmosphere upon arrival. The whole town of Dornoch is genuinely about golf. Being a Dutchman who never wore clogs and lives in an appartment instead than a windmill, I asked myself where other than in Scotland is it that world famous tourist attractions still ooze the character and authenticity they represent for their rich histories? The first tee experience is hard to beat and a fond memory in itself. After the obligatory picture of our foursome with the flags of Dornoch, my teeshot was interrupted 4 times by scattered golfers or cars crossing the public road to Dornoch beach in front of the tee box while I was ready to fire away. The gentle opener gives ample room to pick up some confidence early in the round, but the green is as challenging as the other 17. After a silly bogey with 4 shots within 100 yards of the pin, yet still sufficient reserves of confidence, the brutal par 3 2nd is there to kill all aspirations one might have, the back to front sloping target narrow and steeply falling down on all but the front raised with deadly bunkers in front. A good, but not good enough shot and a double bogey on the card later, you will tell yourself to get it together after this suckerpunch, and the walk to the 3rd tee will provide you with a breathtaking view over the Dornoch Firth, looking down over the piece of land where a large part of the Championship Links is exposed. A strong set of 3 consecutive par 4s follows, with brilliant strategic options and fantastic green complexes where you need to hit the right shot to the right spot as the greens (or at least certain pin positions) will repel the unsuspecting approach shots. The second par 3 ends the difficult opening stretch and is perhaps even narrower than the 2nd, and the fall-off on the right even steeper. As if that wasn’t enough defence, a few bunkers guard the front and side of the green. Hit the green or end up with an endless variety of recovery shots, or a lost ball if you bail out too much to the left. So much for the safe option!Hole after hole Dornoch challenges you but teases you with genuine chances to pick up shots. The back nine plays longer, usually into the prevailing wind. On a calm day, I reckon it will play a bit easier than the front 9 but into the wind it is a tough cookie with some long par 4s. Whereas the front nine, mainly due to the devilish set of par 3s, has a slightly penal spiciness to it, the back nine is all strategy with a bit more width. Dornoch’s best holes are brilliant because they are so simple and pure. The 14th, Foxy, will require no further introduction but 15 might even be better. It’s a reachable par 4 with a mound as an obstacle for the view from the tee. I hit a great drive towards the green and found myself in the greenside bunker with a front pin position. I hit a decent bunker shot, only to find my ball topple over the wrong side of the ridge and leave myself a difficult chip/putt to this raised green and walk off with a sour bogey. I also felt oddly satisfied and honored to be tricked by this elite golfcourse architecture.17 is one of my favourite par 4s anywhere. It resembles the also brilliant 8th hole, but with a more difficult teeshot and a unique green complex. You have so many options to play this hole, I doubt one would experience them all being a member for a decade. The player must choose between keeping the ball on the high plateau, which will be rewarded with avisible target on the approach shot with a long iron, or a shorter approach from the lower fairway with a blind shot, but also risk hitting it through the fairway into the gorse. Also possible - to hit the tee shot through the middle and let faith decide whether the ball chooses the high or the low road. A running approach or one through the air must then be decided upon, with the green and its surrounds sloping left to right and back to front. It doesn’t get any better. Strategic golf of the highest order, with breathtaking views. On 18, you can start to soak in the entire experience, no wows on this hole, but nevertheless a worthy end to a glorious day of golf. Dornoch has its flaws and IMO is not a 10 on the Doak Scale. The 16th might be a steep slog uphill for the shorter hitter. And to be honest, the new Mackenzie and Ebert 7th didn’t quite impress me. Besides the astonishing panoramic views and the legendary green to tee walk from 6 to 7, it’s a long and wide par 4 with little visual or strategic interest and has a relatively flat green that is somewhat out of tune with the rest of the course. I appreciate that Dornoch is a course to play over and over again in order to reveal its secrets. Nonetheless, playing it for the first time at 28 years old was a privilege and I look forward to many more returns over the next 5 decades!MO

A 36 hole day at Golspie on a perfect October day is a golfing memory I won’t soon forget. If there’s another course with such a natural flow through all sorts of landscapes, with firm and fast rolling links turf, I haven’t played them (but I should!). This is what I imagine Alister Mackenzie meant when he stated it is the architect’s duty to take the golfer on a journey across the highlights of a property, never showcased better than at his masterpiece on the 17 Mile Drive (taking everybody’s word for it unfortunately). I’m not usually summing up too many individual holes but there’s just a lot of architectural interest on many of them at Golspie. Take the 2nd, which is an excellent par 3 that comes after the gentle opening par 5, with an intimidating teeshot to a well guarded but big multi tiered green laid on the same level as the tees, in a bowl with a Royal Lytham like backdrop of brown stone houses. The next 3 holes all run along the beach and are excellent golf holes. #5 is the pick of the bunch, being a short, even reachable par 4 at 288 yards, but very awkward to pull off that fact, as it narrows towards the sunken green and the landing area is heavily undulated. The more distance you gain, the less your stance will be level. The beach is also very much in play as the fairway and green are perched hard against the edge of the beach, divided by a low wall. A more conservative tee shot gives more comfort and should seal at least a bogey and in most cases a sub 100 yards blind shot which can be hit short and will release towards the green as it falls down steep to a flat green. The green is very receptive, which is a nice compensation for having to negotiate the blind approach. The 6th is a lovely par 3 hit to a green nestled in the base of a dune with another sort of bowlshaped green sloping back to front and left to right, with Ben Bragghie, the megalomaniac statue of the highly impopular late Duke of Sutherland, lurking in the background as a spectator. Maybe that’s why I pulled my teeshot. The 7th is a transition hole that takes you from the links land to the heathland part of the property. But it’s much more than that. The fairway runs steeply uphill and you need to decide if you want to take the risk of ending up in the gorse when you take out the big dog in order to obtain a view of the green for the approach. It’s just a full or flip wedge to the green, but the green is bonkers. I was a bit bummed we couldn’t stay there for half an hour to try all the different putts, turning 180 degrees and what not. The heathland part of the course, 8-11 is a wonderful challenging stretch of 2 long par 4s, followed by a picturesque short par 3 and a mid range par 4, all gently flowing through fields of heather and each with their own charm. The course then leaves behind the heathland and opens up again with two more engaging mid length par 4s, followed by a wide par 5 which one must take advantage of and gain a cushion and keep the momentum going for Golspie’s grande finale which is the finishing stretch 15-18, back on links land.15 is a beast of a par 4 requiring two long shots into a right to left sloping green. The challenge is to remain on the low side but not be too low. Leaking it right will leave an impossible up and down as the ball simply won’t stop. It might be wise to take your medicine if you find your drive out of position, and make sure to leave an easy chip or pitch to the flag, if you’re able to open up the green with a lay up. The consecutive par 3s 16 and 17 are both exquisite and would not be out of place on any famed links. Both require accurate shot making, have exquisite green complexes based on simple but effective design principles. The 16th green is shaped with a run off on the left and in front of the green, whereby the run off on the front is steep on the left and flat on the right. The green is multi tiered and deeper than it is wide. Once again, there are many fun recovery shots imaginable on this hole.The 18th is reminiscent of the 15th at Brora with an Alp in the middle of the fairway on a long par 4. The approach is blind but there is not much to be afraid of, besides another excellent green. It’s not just the course in its entirety that has great variety, also the different segments of the course are varied, in shots required, playing direction, par numbers and the give-and-take game of challenge versus opportunity. The green to tee hole walks are limited to a minimum in as you’d expect of a Braid design. Whilst the routing is not an out and back design, there are no 2 loops of 9 holes but you do meet the clubhouse after 5 and 13 holes respectively. A couple of old members playing in front of us made good use of the first option and went in for rest and a cold one and were still able to enjoy a 5 hole game on their beloved links. Blend all these ingredients and this means we’re looking at a superstrong routing here, in addition to a very natural, unpretentious environment and an anthology of beautiful landscapes. The only weakness worth mentioning is that the set of par 5s is not particularly strong. While they come at convenient and fitting times in the round, both are very wide, can be reached easily and have little interest compared to the other holes. None of them are bad holes however.Brora, anno 2021 having reached cult status, receives all the praise but Golspie is hardly behind in quality, playing fun or variety. Its green complexes are very engaging, the ways in which challenge had been created on the short lay-out is very inspiring and the set of 5, each unique par 3’s is of superb quality. Understatement and quirk are constantly taking turns. If I were ever to apply for an overseas membership in GB&I, this might very well be the place. MO

Forres was the first round on our highlands trip, barely an hour and a half after touchdown in Scotland. We wanted a gentle warm up since we risked running out of daylight or flight delays. In fact we got much more than that, because Forres is a delightful old golfcourse, largely untouched from what the masters Park Jr and Braid left behind for us in the early 1900’s, with the exception of the new (1965) 7th and 8th holes and the changes in the routing of the golfcourse. The property provides plenty of thrills throughout on its rolling terrain, with some cracking holes along the way. It seems that the only shaping has been done on the tees, greens and bunkers and nothing else except for two gentle, strategic James Braid moundings on the picturesque par 4 4th, one of the early highlights. Other favorites included the beautiful par 5 9th to a table top green, the brilliant par 3.5 10th and the stretch par 4s from 14-16. 14, a deceiving par 4 off the tee with a blind approach to a brilliant sunken green, the daunting tee shot on the par 4 15th and the fantastic ‘Pond’ hole with a split fairway and an aggressive straight route option towards the flag, with trouble lurking down the right side. All impressive in its simplicity, variety, visual and strategic interest. It’s easy to overlook Forres, but it’s highly recommended for any highland trip if you enjoy some old school quirk, inspiring architecture and a lovely environment. On top of that, Forres is well maintained and thoroughly enjoyable.

Wouwse Plantage is an interesting course in the deep south of the Netherlands, consisting of the Plantage (the original Pennink 9) and Bleekloop (Rolin extension) loops, which do not play in a particular order. I started off at the Bleekloop though, so I’ll start from there. The first is a drive and pitch hole with an extreme new green at a 90 degree angle from the tee. An aggressive drive leads to short pitch, but is it worth the risk? There’s ample room on the left, but it leaves a difficult second. The course then gives you some room to grow into your round, although there are some difficult teeshots and lateral water hazards to be negotiated. The landscape is nice and open, the holes attractive and the green complexes nicely shaped. Most people however will prefer the Plantage loop, which is laid on an exhilarating, densely wooded heathland parcel. After a gentle start with a nicely bunkered reachable par 4, followed by an engaging long two-shotter requiring two quality shots and a long par 3 in open land, all within sight of the lovely classic clubhouse looking out over the fields of heather. The drive on the takes you into the forest for the first time with an uphill shot. The next couple of holes are carved through the forest. Especially the 5th would benefit from further tree clearance as it is the most claustrophobic hole on the course, while it does require a long straight drive, well positioned for the approach to a crowned green with runoffs and the corridor getting narrower towards the green. The vista towards the 6th and 9th green with its pretty water hazard is nicely done. The 6th and 7th are my favorite holes on the entire course. The 6th is a long treelined par 5 with an impressive, layered and raised green complex. The highlight of the round comes at the par 37th, which has enjoyed a transformation by restoring the natural blowout landscape one needs to carry in order to reach the green, nestled and sunken into a dune. It looks amazing and could be a standout hole anywhere. The 8th is a quirky, blind teeshot par 4 fading gently to the right and the finish is a proper two shotter, to – unfortunately – an over the top shaped green sharp against the edge of an typical Steensels (american style?) water hazard. It looks too modern, too unnatural to fit the rest of the course. That is my main negative takeaway from Wouwse. In general, I do like the renovation. There are a lot of postives such as the tree clearance program, the wonderful 7th of the Plantage and the tasteful bunker renovations. The Steensels style fits well on the Bleekloop loop. The renovation has clearly taken the course to a higher level. On the flip side, Steensels imo has tried too hard to press his mark on the course by incorporating extreme, over the top greens (Plantage 18, Bleekloop 1, hazards and illfitting styling of hazards, bunkers perching the edges of the water hazards. This has likely cost a lot of money and could likely have been spent more wisely. I’m sure many will marvel and enjoy the looks of it though. It just doesnt fit the classic feel of the course and I don’t love the style personally. If you remember anything from this review, don’t let it bet be my mixed feelings on the renovation though. Wouwse Plantage is a really good and pretty course, its presentation is excellent and in my opinion its worthy of a top 15 spot in the Netherlands. MO

Ternesse is a fine example of a friendly, well maintained parkland course of the corporate and modern kind. The routing is ok, but some of the holes feel a bit cramped. That’s also the case for some of the drives, especially on the tee shots of the par 5s which provides defence for these holes which are not necessarily long in length. Other defences included many doglegs, and water hazards in any shape and size to negotiate with either a forced/heroic carry or to provide a strategic decision on teeshots.Worthy of remark were the amount of bunkers facing their low sides towards the green, which felt a bit awkward and also got repetitive. So you’d expect it would be easy to get it out of the bunker thanks to the lack of a lip in your way, but there would actually be many down hill lies. Not sure if that was aimed for.Ternesse is not a course that provides a particularly lasting memory, but you do enjoy playing it. Especially the back nine which boasts some variety and quality holes, a couple of fun green complexes and scenic interest. The only disappointment was that we weren’t actually able to see the castle that was promised to be visible. After due discussion, we decided not to substract any points for this.MO

If the name of the club, which translates to ‘battlefield’, was an indication of what to expect at this tranquil, densely wooded golfcourse, I was in for a stern challenge. Thus, I’m very happy to announce that no humans were harmed during the making of this golf course review. Although quite hilly, it was a very relaxed stroll through forest-, park- and heathland. It was originally co-designed by a garden architect, but in this case it has not lead to bad golf course architecture. The bones of the course, so to speak, are solidly constructed as the course has a quality out and back routing, plenty of variation and a quality piece of land with interesting natural features and a couple of very good standout holes. Walks between greens and tees are also limited in length and the club has a classic feel. Standout holes were the par 4 3rd, par 5 4th, par 3 12th, par 4 13th, par 4 15th and par 3 17th. These were all strategically interesting, aesthetically pleasing holes with a natural, classic feel and exciting features. A joy to play and they would not be out of place on courses held in much higher esteem.Although the fairways were scruffy around the edges and the greens very soft, the course seemed to be looked after quite well. The turf was good for golf when I played early september, but in places the soil was mostly clay instead of sand and therefore the conditions may vary during the season. A rigourous but tasteful renovation by a good architect with feel for forested sites would really benefit the course and could eventually propel it well in the top 40 of the French rankings. Three main improvement areas would in my opinion be:1. Tree management – the forest is dense with not just trees but also ferns and other voluminous foliage. This should be tidied up at least a little further from the playing corridors from strategic point of view, and maybe even more from an aesthetic point of view. See for example the picture of the signature 17th hole, a very spectacular par 3 over a canyon. I’m not much of a photographer so it’s not flattering picture, but please note that there is a hidden bunker left behind the foliage. This stuff happens quite often at Champ de Bataille – there is a beautiful hole with a beautiful sight line that is blocked by trees. Another example that comes to mind is the par 4 13th.2. Bunkering - If we’re being critical – and we are - I did not like the style of bunkers at all, as I found them uninspiring, and often shallow and soulless. They do not complement the classic, natural features and feel of the holes and would benefit from a more inspiring look. 3. A few holes lack, definition. The 18th for example, is a big letdown and you have no clue where to hit your drive.All criticism aside, in my opinion, the recipe is there for a significant leap up the French rankings as Champ de Bataille can definitely be compared favourably to many a higher ranked course in France. Top 60, maybe higher would already be a fair ranking. MO

By the time I teed off at the Old Course, paired last moment with two fine French gentlemen, I’d had a few moments to process my initial findings of the New Course played in the morning, reliving it over the delightful ‘Gil’s Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich’ on brioche bread on the elegant terrace overlooking a lake followed by the first fairway and next tot hat the practice green and a glimpse of the 18th green. Gil Hanse apparently is a man of many talents and even managed to make his mark in the french kitchen. I bet Doak, Coore & Crenshaw or even Alister Mackenzie could not say the same about themselves.A man of refined manners and tastes himself, Robert von Hagge must have been over the moon to be handed the opportunity to build his masterpiece at Les Bordes, given an unlimited budget, which he famously still ‘somehow managed to exceed’. That’s one of many cool stories and urban legends surrounding Les Bordes. A person who knows them all happened to be in my flight and it made my round that much more memorable. It was staff member Michel, who is not only a walking Les Bordes encyclopedia with an impressive 29 years of employment, but also displays an amazing short game with just one arm. The first couple of holes of the Old Course, I was still in awe with the quality and experiece of the New course. Because everything is relative, to be honest i was not too impressed with the first couple of holes of the Old Course. This is where I’ll promise to stop comparing these utterly different golfcourses that have little in common, except their exclusivity and their tranquility. So let me just get it together and start again.The 1st hole is nice but I came prepared regarding the island green. To quote David Davis: it is indeed ‘relatively unique’ but the sand is flat and lies only about 30cm below the green the green and the green as well. Unless you hit a duckhook, big slice or a $H4NK and leave, you’ll have an easy bunkershot to one of the flatter greens. It’s not that challenging but that is quite welcome given what’s to come. the 3rd hole is where things start to get serious with one of the best and most characteristic holes on the course, followed by a lovely little one shotter with a small green guarded by water in front and on the right of it. The entire course is basically a shaping masterclass. It is a statement what can be done with an unlimited budget. Everything is constructed and has matured so well that it blends in with nature in almost spiritual harmony, as described comprehensively in BB’s review. Plenty of features were arguably overdone and it might not be everybody’s taste, but it certainly is easy on the eye. Minimalism was never the objective here and Von Hagge was not your guy for any of that. So all in all, there are some bunkers one wouldn’t have missed in terms of strategic interest - or where 2 would have been sufficient instead of 7 - but they were probably not intended to be there in the first place, other than for the purpose of providing definition to the holes and green complexes, to create and enhance beauty and increase the intimidation levels and force the player into making dumb choices. That’s also a more than justified purpose. I can’t help but write down the analogy of Von Hagge as a cosmetic surgeon of golf courses, squirting some botox and applying some fillers here and there to make sure that the Old Course would redefine the modern beauty ideal of golf. And then he couldn’t resist to use photoshop for some last tweaks. What’s impressive is that it stayed within the boundaries of elegance, but the operations also inevitably caused some questionably-formed unnatural humps and mounds.‘Pete Dye’ like bunkers of TPC Sawgrass proportions can be found at 6, 12 and 17. They’re penal in the sense that they penalize wayward shots, but not in the sense that it’s hard to hit from them. I especially liked the one at 6, which is very much visible on the teeshot as it walks parallel to the fairway for what must be about 100 meters long until the green. That side of the fairway ends abruptly where the bunker starts 150 cm sharply down the surface of the fairway. You’re not dead from there but your view of the elevated green will be compromised and all you can see is sand until the green. The raised and tilted fairways featured on some of the holes actually reminded me a bit of the turns in a NASCAR track, best demonstrated on the par 4 11th. The teeshot is played to an elevated fairway. The right side has a sharp edge that you do not want to be on the wrong side of, but the left of the fairway is lower and slopes towards the water, which guards the left side of the hole all the way to the shallow but wide green, which slopes back to front and requires a forced carry over water. Be conservative from the tee and you’ll have a difficult second which poses another dilemma. But you’ll feel even more stupid if you’re too greedy off the tee. That my friends, is Les Bordes in a nutshell! Is the course really that difficult? Yes it is. but neither is it impossible to score well. You just need to have a very good day of ballstriking, be patient, extremely disciplined and not let the fact that you’re having a good round at Les Bordes (!!!) in your head. That’s so much more difficult because the build-up of the course is just so good. Hole after hole, you are bullied, tempted, rewarded, impressed, stimulated, intimidated and challenged. It feels like you’re working towards a climax – which ultimately is the feeling of accomplishment and a cold beer (or champagne if you care to fit in). The course demands respect and very good golf from begin to end. It will reward you for sticking to your game plan and the ability to recover from disappointment and heartbreak you will inevitably face at some point during the round. In that respect, I found it to be truly unique and I haven’t experienced this anywhere else. Maybe at Von Hagges other creation Golf National, but that lacks the mesmerizing aura of Les Bordes. I doubt any other place doesn’t.It’s one thing to design and maintain a difficult course, but it’s endlessly more difficult to make it playable nonetheless. There’s plenty of relief and opportunity to be found throughout the layout, but it’s easy to fall in their traps:	-	The course is not that long for modern standards:The par 3s are pretty short and the par 5s are all reachable (but beware);-	Some holes look more intimidating than they actually are. There might be room to miss where you don’t expect it from the tee;-	There are few relief holes which are relatively gentle (1, 5, 10 and 15). They’re wider, have no water coming into play significantly and might be shaped favourably to keep your ball on the course;-	Good shots will usually be rewarded. Les Bordes Old provides a continuous challenge not letting loose for the entire round. There’s something in the air which makes it welcoming and intimidating at the same time. It’s the strange course of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. It may be beautiful and inviting but it will bite you and you are fully aware it can and will happen any moment. But when it does, you know you can only blame yourself. MO

Les Bordes is one the verge of becoming one of the most distinctive 36 hole golf clubs in the world, with its two courses providing such an astonishingly different playing experience between the two. The Old and New are different like night and day. I'm curious to hear anyone come up with more examples this extreme. As far as a golf course can be another course's opposite, I'd say this is the case for the Old - 100% man-made and not afraid to show it: 'moving dirt', polished, soft turf, American target golf, penal design school with heroic elements. Picture perfect. The motto was 'Great courses are beautiful courses'. Von Hagge liked to 'enhance beauty where it exists, and create beauty where it doesn't. The New on the other hand, can be summarised with the following buzzwords: Neo-classic, rugged, sandy soil and firm and fast running fescue turf, highly strategic holes with plenty of ground game options. Holes were all 'discovered' rather than created. The motto is 'Golf should be fun, it should not suck'.) That does not sound like a particularly high standard for a currently top 3 golf course architect, but the New Course definitely is fun. Who would have thought that so close to the original lay-out, on the same property, a piece of ideal ground for golf in the purist, classic sense existed already, whereas allegedly Von Hagge had strongly advised Baron Bich not to choose the Loire Valley for the construction of his unlimited budget magnum opus, mainly due to the flatness of the region. Instead of this part of the site, he apparently preferred the swampy part of the property, maximising of the potential of this site in his own way while leaving the most promising piece to an architect more familiar with such sites. Well, in 2021, we can all express our gratitude for this series of events, as the New Course is by no means a second course to the original. Apart from the turf conditions, the course looks like it's been there for years. Personally, I think it is significantly better than the Old Course and it's not close...It's a matter of personal tast above all, but I think the New is visually stunning, great fun to play, as natural as they come and most importantly, it has strategic dimensions that the Old Course simply doesnt't have, which makes the New Course more sophisticated and more fun than the Old Course, while also providing a stern challenge for the better player. Then again it almost makes no sense to compare the two given their completely different natures.The scale of the New Course is gigantic. A source told me that Gil Hanse initially submitted 50 potential routings. The final routing consists of two 9 hole loops entirely separated but nearly attached, like two 'lungs'. The right lung is a figure 8 with hole 1 starting from the middle of the 8. The back nine is a counterclockwise circle with some of the shorter holes playing in the opposite direction, to return in the right direction the next hole. The front nine is laid out on open land, while the back nine is carved through a dense part of the Sologne forest. The property is gently undulating, is full of native vegetation such as needle-leaved trees, broom, heather and ferns. The knee high deep rough had flowering purple and yellow flowers in abundance. The course, refreshingly is walking only and this also resonates in the routing. I found it impressive how naturally the greens and next tees were connected with an extension of the short grass on the side or back of the greens, or with a grass path. It not only looked beautiful but will undoubtedly be very functional in keeping the duration of a round acceptable. The holes even looked connected as one long story told by Gil Hanse, rather than a series of separate entities somehow forming a unity.Gil Hanse has stated that his main inspirations for the New Course were Tom Simpson's GCA philosophies, and that as an architect he's always on the background inspired by Pine Valley, where Hanse is also a member. On the one hand, that's a fine example of name dropping ideal for marketing purposes, but admittedly it's not without merit, at least the Tom Simpson part (please DM for invites to Pine Valley). The New course is blessed with a state of the art collection of strategically placed (cross) (fairway) bunkers, the division in compartments of some of the holes, and the visual deception deliberately caused by the fairway undulations, bunker placement and green placement. I have to say I was very pleased my recent visit to Tom Simpson's open-air museum at Royal Antwerp immediately paid dividends, as I was able to recognize such features. Nevertheless, it is also clear that we're dealing with a modern course. If I'm being critical, Hanse overdid it just a little in some spots. The rugged fairway bunkers on the par 4 9th with just about three layers of revetted grass in parts of the edges come to mind. The Devil's asshole replica (or Advocate if we're being politically correct) on the long par 3 14th also struck me as gimmicky. If I'm being a real pain, I'd say it could be seen as the less cliché equivalent of building an island green as a nudge towards TPC Sawgrass, which, in case you didn't get the memo, in most cases isn't cool anymore either. Then onto the actual golf holes. The set of par 3s is outstanding. They play in different directions, have different lengths and characters. The longer par 3s are playing to huge greens with false fronts and run offs, made for ground game approaches, while the shorter par 3s are heavily bunkered with smaller undulating targets and visually distracting and manipulative green complexes. The short strategic risk reward par 4s will be discussed individually below (spoiler: I love them!)The set of par 5s is also particularly incredible. To have an exceptional par 5 might be the most difficult to achieve for an architect (please correct me if you think otherwise), as there are 2,3 or 4 shots needed at least for different levels of players to reach the green in different fashions. Each of these shots should be interesting. The first 3 par 5s at the New Course are all exceptional and very different, while the 18th is a good hole as well. It is an exciting finisher though that will create plenty of drama. However, I'm not a fan of the big water hazard on the second half of the hole, as it could be argued that it does not really fit the rest of the course and looks less natural. The green is exciting and tilts from back to front and right to left. which does provide a safe back stop and also comes in handy for the running approaches from the right side. The same hazard also comes into play on the elevated teeshot of the par 4 tenth hole, which is actually a very good hole because the approach is very interesting, the bunkering is superb and the green complex looks like it's always been there. Next, I'll discuss my pick of the bunch of the individual holes. I've picked them because they are as good as it gets and are worth studying. Hole 2 - Par 5 (539/491 yards)This par 5 is stunning. The drive looks intimidating as you know there is a dogleg to the left, but you can only look until the far end of the fairway 300 yards ahead. The left and right side of the wide fairway are both skirted by enormous high edged fairway bunkers. Behind the bunker on the left, the hole opens up as there is plenty of room. However, the second shot looks intimidating again. You're deceived into thinking that it is wise to lay up to the part of the fairway that you can at least see. Counterintuitively, one is better of hitting a longer shot, since when one clears the hump at about 100 meters from the green, it turns out that you have plenty of room there. The part of the fairway that was visible on the second shot was actually the most narrow part. the highlights of the hole however has yet to come. There is a large flattish valley on the right side of the wide fairway, that will provide you an even lie for your wedge approach into the green, although the angle will be a bit awkward depending on the pin placement, because the green is gently crowned on the back end only, deep and narrow with significant slopes and has runoffs on all sides. the front entrance however favours a running approach and is relatively easy for shots played from a straight angle. A par 5 that has everything. I could never tire of this hole. Hole 8 - Par 4 (442/425 yards) A wonderful long two-shotter with another daunting tee shot. It's played from a low point, over a natural water hazard up to a fairway you can barely see from the tee. The left side of the fairway is fairly flat and provides a good view of the green while the right part of the fairway dips severely to the side and results in a restricted view for a long approach into a green with a very deep greenside bunker on front right side of the green. Plenty of room on the left though, but it's too tempting to be aggressive... Simple, but genius.Hole 9 - Par 4 (312/269 yards) One of my new all time favourite holes and definitely my favourite at the New Course, has to be a short par 4. This one is very beautiful and I'd describe it as a modern interpretation of Riviera hole 10, but with the green turned a quarter and it's even a little less receptive on drives than its Californian ancestor. It's very strategic and very tempting because it looks like the green is such a small distance from the tee, while in fact hitting the green will be near impossible. Best case, you'll hit in in the nearest green side bunker with a driver or 3 wood and have a chance for an up and down for birdie. But most likely, you'll have one of those 30 yard bunker shots to a very small target and play back and forth between bunkers. The hole is so short that you almost can't rationalize not going for it. The hole is straight, but is characterized by a row of cross fairway bunkers from left to right, concealing that there's plenty of room for laying up. both left and right depending on the distance. The A1 position after the teeshot would be to hit a hybrid or wood in the back right corner, in order to have the easiest roll-out pitch to the green, which is shallow, raised and also guarded by big bunkers in front and back of it. If you overcook your draw from the tee, you'll be playing your next shot over a row of trees from the deep stuff to this shallow bunker and will be on the verge of making a big score. I predict a big future for this golf hole (it's a thing). I'm comfortable to call the 9th at Les Bordes New is going to be a modern classic! Hole 13 - Par 5 (590/545 yards) Another par 5 in the list of favourites. This one has the most pronounced set of cross bunkers perched into the top of the hill over the entire width of the fairway. It looks like you can't carry it, but you probably can.The more aggressive the line one takes. the longer the carry becomes. The approach gently swings left and the flattish green placed slightly uphill and guarded by enormous bunkers that must be 5 meters high. Due to the scale of the course and the individual holes, this is not too noticeable from a distance or from the pictures.Hole 15 - Par 4 (308/271 yards) The other short strategic par 4 on the course. This one has a broad fairway with a couple of large center bunkers some 40 and 60 meters of, in cards jargon, 'spades'-shaped green with a narrow back stop bunker, tilted towards the green, which will provide awkward recoveries. Off the tee, one has to choose to go left or right while the right side provides an even lie albeit from a lower level. Parts of the green can be reached with a running shot / aggressive drive. Very intruigeing hole. It is such a cliché, but I hope many of you will eventually get to experience the New Course at Les Bordes despite its exclusivity. Though one thing is certain. The New course is an amazing addition to the Les Bordes Estate and golf in Continental Europe in general, which until today is represented in rather meagre quantity (only 4 in the World Top 100). I myself would be surprised (and a little upset) if the New course would not become the 5th. It's a masterpiece and I'm confident it will become even better as it matures. I hope I can return when both myself and the course are older and wiser, to see if it merits the full 6 ball score. MO

My first round abroad since september 2020 was one I’ve looked forward to for a long time and also one to remember. Having heard and read rave reviews about the drastic renovations that have taken place in Kapelle, on the (now a little less) wooded outskirts of Antwerp, my expectations were high but the course still surprised me in positive fashion. Distance will not be the problem for most golfers playing RAGC. The routing calls for a great variety and rewards the shotmaker, not particularly favoring a certain shot shape throughout the course. Patience is key. As the course is a par 73 with 5 par 5s which are not too long, the player knows that’s where advantage must be taken to post a good score, which in itself adds to the pressure. Trouble lurks when you find one of the hazards or find yourself shortsided on or next to one of the contoured greens with steep runoffs. This is most apparent at the par 3 16th, a heavily bunkered ‘short hole’ with a green sloping back to front and left to right, with run offs on the back half of the green, not leading to a valley of sin but flattening out and making the shot back even more challenging. Good luck getting the ball back on the putting surface if you manage to miss the green. You could use any club in the bag to pull that off depending on the exact location (don’t recommend the driver). I’m sounding very nostalgic for a still sub 30 y/o man, but hey, they don’t make them like that anymore! When they do, it is in most cases overdone and unnatural looking.The Simpson original design shines in all its glory, which is characterized by the endless variety of green complexes, strategic bunkering, deception and optical illusion by the placement of the hazards and the subtle contours of the land. Often, it may look like the approach you’re about to hit is no more than a PW, while in fact you’ll need a full 6 iron or vice versa. Such design features had me in awe for the majority of the round. It’s very impressive given the land on which the course is built, which is perfect for golf topographically and lovely wooded, heathered and undisturbed by road noises or other distractions. Then again the land is relatively flat and just not that spectacular if compared with most of its fellow golden age Continental Europe and Surrey peer golfcourses. It even lacks the subtle movement that the also flattish Hilversumsche is known and famed for. That is solely made up for thanks to the sheer quality of the architecture, and the quality of the renovations and maintenance since. In its current form, Royal Antwerp is nothing less than the best golf course in Belgium I’ve played (Royal Belgium and Sart Tilman still on my to do list). It’s indeed a monument to the golden age of golf course architecture and Simpsons design philosophies, and rarely you'll find it in such obvious form to see and admire. Any (aspiring) golf course architecture student from the low countries should rush to visit Royal Antwerp. MO

Swinkelsche is a very nice addition to the top end of Dutch golf. The course is very enjoyable from begin to end, with a few stand-out holes of staggering design quality which will only become better with time. The lay-out is indeed a potpourri of design ideas and focuses primarily on providing many strategic options off the tee and playability for every level of golfer. Not every hole succeeds at that approach however, for which the level of maintenance can also be blamed – the course needs to have the greens softened and rolling at stimp 8, as intended by the architect. Otherwise they do not hold, and become unplayable for most players. My favourite holes included the par 5 2nd, using the natural features on the edge of the course effectively; the heavily bunkered, but somehow driveable par 4 3rd, the minimalistic par 5 14th, thanks to its wonderful approach shot with the bunkers providing wild visuals and a great green complex, and lastly the beautifully heathered par 3 17th. The rest is equally interesting, for example the par 4 8th which gives the option to hit a heroic shot over the lake by tempting the player with an extended peninsula to land the drive on, leaving a pitch shot instead of a long iron into the green if executed well. The par 4 11th is a controversial hole. It’s almost as wide as it is long and the idea is that it provides 4 different routes to the hole. The more favorable route depends on the pin position, however the right side of the green is the easiest to hit. It was a bit of a shame that the wasteland in the middle of the hole was not penal at all, so I took the dumb approach, went for it and just hit a bad drive straight into the wasteland and my short pitch shot onto the green with relative ease. I imagine that’s not how the hole is intended to be played. It’s impressive what has been achieved by Pont’s team for - allegedly - a low budget. It would have been nice if the minimalistic approach had been extrapolated a little more instead of creating over the top drama here and there, which feels a little artificial. The par 4 13th comes to mind with its crazy tabletop green, as does the par 5 18th which criss crosses through the wetlands. These critical notes do not take away from the overall experience though. This course resides in my Dutch top 15 and has the potential to improve over time. The design is refreshing, strategic and fun. I hope this will be recognised by the average Dutch golf-Joe (probably called Jan), and whets the appetite for more quality strategic designs and renovations of existing sub-par courses built around 30 years ago. Looking forward to return! Maarten Ooms

I was privileged to be able to tick off yet another course in my homecountry. The COVID restrictions increased the urgency to close the gaps in my portfolio of Dutch courses played, which omitted some of the (fortunately scarce amount of) modern private clubs, such as The Dutch and the Duke. The International in my opinion provided the most exciting 18 hole adventure of the bunch so far (Bernardus still to be played). As it turned out, the level of exclusivity, facilities and both courses being laid out suited for championship golf, were about the only common denominators with the rest of these clubs. I found the International to be a very well routed course, sharing the same idea as the routing found at De Goyer as pointed out by other reviewers. Whereas de Goyer is mostly flat, and with the player never losing sense of where he is, the player feels more secluded at the International, thanks to the man-made dunes dictating the sequence of the course. The visuals of the entire hole from the tee also are worthy of remark. Despite the rolling fairways and dunes and changing sequences, the player can often just catch a glimpse of the green far away and put the entire hole in one ‘frame’. To design a pretty looking course in flat wasteland, is impressive, even when big money is involved in the design and construction. Steensels is very good at this stuff. The obvious pitfall lurking in this case ofcourse is overdesign, which is evidently a matter of taste has not bothered me too much on the International, as it does not serve to cover bad design whatsoever. Some of the greens are probably a bit extreme, some bunkers are unnecessary or placed less than ideally for optimal strategic options. A reviewer pointed out that the strategic options on the International feel one-dimensional. Especially around the greens, there are options and possible pin positions in abundance which really add to the strategic variety and excitement. The green complexes are in my opinion right up there in terms of excitement, variety and challenge. They are actual green ‘complexes’, whereas too many Dutch courses have just ‘greens’ that lack interesting surroundings and therefore have suboptimal strategic options around the greens. With regard to the playability, the rough was fairly gentle when I played which made the course relatively forgiveable. But I can imagine that a higher kept rough would make the course difficult for an average player (and probably would take away from the enjoyability). But I would have to return a few times to see more of the course’s faces.The finish of the course is a particularly strong apotheosis for tournaments and matchplay. My playing partner, who is a member, warned me about the challenge of the 190m par 3 17th, downhill into a valley with a wildly contoured green. He told me it can be a scorecard wrecker, but next thing I knew he jarred his 5 wood off the tee for an ace!The 18th provides for one more birdie opportunity, requiring 2 if not 3 quality shots into the green, with the final 150m on the entire left side of the hole being guarded by water. The International is in the top10 in the Netherlands for me, so I’m curious to find its place in the next rankings.Maarten Ooms

Lovely golden age design. It rarely disappoints. This one seems fairly well preserved and having read about this afterwards, the newer holes (1955) fit in really well. The course is quirky, has a great variety, minimal but distinctive shaping and such a tranquil, classy vibe. The holes have a very nice flow, gently through the hills and the golfer can sometimes catch a great vista of the Rhine valley. Every holes seems to have its own charm, challenge or unique selling point.In 2009, a number of holes has been renovated. Two artificial ponds were then created. Hole 3, which is a lovely short par 3, definitely hasn’t improved because it looks very artificial and does not blend in well with the rest. Sure it creates some intimidation interest, but this was just a mistake. I can forgive the pond on the down hill par 5 8th. Visually, it blends in nicely and it creates some interest off the tee as the fairway is very broad. It also makes the hole more stategically interesting as you must keep it short of the pond, especially in the dry summer. It protects the challenge of this mid length par 5 for the modern long hitting golfer. Lastly, I witnessed the pond to be made good use of, as the pond was used as an irrigation reservoir in the dry hot summer of 2020. Compared to the neighboring Jakobsberg, the conditions at Bad Ems were way better. Firm and fast with impeccable healthy greens. Hats off to the greenkeepers! MO

Ulrichs review hereunder is spot on. Georgenthal is a wild design with a in a lovely valley. Althaus took no prisoners when designing this rollercoaster faux-links. He took notes from WinstonLINKS but this course is very different. I imagine the aim of the architect was to create a quirky, spectacular course with drama, sudden elevation changes and what I liked were the subtle hommages to classic templates, such as the fun biarritz green on the front 9, the Himalayas practice green and the overall shaping of the course. Another thing I appreciated was the refreshing fact that the challenge of the course is not at all in the length of it. There are a couple of nice shortish and mid length par 4s which are mostly strong holes with strategic interest and interesting green complexes. I especially liked the par 4 5th, which is a downhill, dogleg right par 4 to a hidden ‘infinitygreen’ with a magnificent backdrop and followed by the most spectacular par 3 on the course, played all-carry over water to a wildly undulating green with runoffs to the water. There is room for a more running shot to the left, but this will leave a very difficult up and down. I actually had to process my findings for quite some time to develop some appreciation for some of the features of the course, as there are so many controversial aspects to it and the playability of the course was a bit frustrating at times. To name a few of my observations: 1)	The holes playing steeply uphill are not particularly fun to play. They’re a slog required to bring you back up for yet another drop shot. The back nine is balanced a lot better in this regard and clearly has a better routing (but also some of the relatively flatter land);2)	The routing has some dubious similarities. For example the teeshots on the par 4’s 10 and 14 are copies of eachother and even playing in the exact same direction. The same goes for the par 5 2nd and 9th which feel very similar, required mid irons off the tee due to the small landing areas, creeks running through the fairways and marble fairways. These holes are not coincidentally neighbouring eachother. Furthermore, all but one of the par 3’s are similar length drop shots; 3)	The larger water hazards are and look unnatural and out of place; 4)	I’m aware that brown is the new green and I usually love that, but a design being this quirky and undulated is very much dependent on playable conditions. This summer, the course played beyond firm and fast (I’m talking rock hard, completely burst ground fairways and even rough and waste areas. The area probably was seemingly going through a dry spell, but I’m afraid mother nature will make sure these will be business as usual from now on, due to our carbon footprint. To be clear, I can look past conditions, but otherwise decent holes became dreadful, unplayable holes due to this and therefore severely affected the strategic merits of the individual holes. This is a shame, because an original, modern design like this deserves more love and especially for the 90 euro green fee, which was more than we paid at all the higher ranked courses in the area. All-in all, I won’t be rushing back any time soon, especially with the classics Bad Ems and Rhein Main and also Jakobsberg being close, but many golfers will find the course spectacular and memorable and it sure gives you something to talk about.

The setting doesn’t get anymore Tuscan than at Castelfalfi. The course is laid in a stunning valley in a tranquil part of the region, with cypress and olive trees in abundance surrounding the holes.A previous reviewer wrote that the Mountain Course represents ‘holiday golf at its best’ and I can’t disagree. The main focus of the course is to provide visual spectacle and chances to pull of heroic shots. The 9th and 18th will be widely considered the signature holes – a par 3 with a 50 meter drop and a par 4 with a 30 meter drop on the approach. Both play to a peninsula green surrounded by water and are exposed to the wind. While the vistas arre stunning, ironically they fall out of character compared to the rest of the holes due to their unnatural green complexes, while the 18th is a disaster hole from an architectural point of view, despite the spectacular land it occupies. That being said, many a hole on this course are beautifully blended in, understated holes with strategic interest and also very pretty.Conditions were also very good mid September. Greens were soft and the fairways were healthy. As much as the sun shines in Tuscany in combination with the steep slopes of this course, the course is maintained in a way which will not cause many lost balls as the rough and even foregreens are sometimes kept high (but acceptably high), to prevent balls from getting a kick and being lost. This makes the course more playable but also longer to play as running approach shots will no longer be effective.The routing is exciting but chaotic, as the holes and loops criss-cross and go up and down over the property and following the signs often isn’t enough to recognize the next teebox. The walking distances between holes are also quite long and tough walks, as other reviewers rightfully point out. On the other hand, the course has a nice set of holes – all different and never samish - , great variety in shot values and it is generally tough but fair, a few exceptions aside (12 and 18). Let’s call it a great course for match play and holiday rounds. The greens are fast and slopey and the views are tough to beat.MO

What a joy to play this beautiful members course. The Milanesi lucky enough to call themselves members are very privileged.The stars here are the routing and the topography. There are 6 par 3’s and 3 par 5s, which – you might have guessed it – adds up to par 69. It has an amazing flow. The course starts off with two relatively dull holes, followed by a magnificent par 3 third which makes great use of the natural slopes of the old forest. The rest of the front nine is very solid without any evident highlights, but there is much to enjoy! The back nine however is truly magnificent. Every hole is different, challenging, very beautiful and strategically ingenious. There are no weak holes. The set of par 5s is very good, the par 3s are dramatic and 5 of them require mid or long irons. The par 4s are also challenging due to their sheer length, strategic delicacies, elevation changes or narrowness combined with small targets.Hole 12 is one of the great mid length par 4s I’ve played. It’s about 340 meters. The drive has to be kept short of a big beautiful water hazard left. It has to be artificially made, but you couldn’t tell. A small patch of sloping fairway on the right leads to the back to front sloping green, perched against a natural hill with pine trees and with a small false front. It is stunningly beautiful and my signature hole apart from hole 18 which you’ve seen on photographs.The bunkers on the course are very small, deep, beautifully shaped and highly distinctive. They did not resemble any bunkers I have previously seen. Overall, the shaping of the course was of a very high level. Naturally provided for most of the feautures, but also some extravagantly dug green complexes.Villa d’Este will still be a great golf course in 100 years. What golf needs is more courses like this. The course will never bore you, the clubhouse is great and you’ll be round for 18 in three hours easily if your a member and don’t have the time to spend the entire day at the club as I would recommend any first timer. However, that is just what the members and their families seemed to do when I was here on a sunny September Sunday.So much for this declaration of love, admittedly I have one major concern with regard to this course and that regards the state of the greens due to poor tree management. Too many trees are standing right next to the greens, taking all the sunrays and water away, and leaving most of the greens absolutely exhausted. Some greens were very soft while others were dried out and firm. They were visibly unhealthy and three greens on the back nine had seemingly just died already. You could make a sand castle on most of the green and astonishingly it was still in play. I did not let this define my experience but I do hope that these problems will be addressed in the very near future as this course deserves way better. MO

I wouldn’t consider many courses a hidden gem, but this is certainly one in my book. This is a serious contender for a strong top 10 position in Germany. I find this course superior to Winston Open, Bad Ems, Jakobsberg, Wendelinus and St Dionys which are all ranked higher. Frankly, I wouldn’t have been disappointed if anyone told me it would be ranked around 80th spot in Continental Europe.The property is beautiful, very undulated and very spacious. It’s a challenging walk. You rarely can see another hole, especially on the front nine, as the back nine has had more visible tree clearing this year. The course has a very nice flow to it and a very intelligent, varied routing. Despite the elevation changes, the course is always fair and you can always see the danger ahead. When you don’t see it, the function is to intimidate the golfer rather than to punish. I could only critique the holes heading towards the clubhouse and back (9,10 and perhaps 18) for being a bit dull in comparison with the rest. They get you out on the course properly, but they are straight and easy and lack distinctive features apart from the elevation changes.The presentation of the course was equally pleasing as the lay-out. The course was firm but very playable and the greens ran as fast as I’ve seen in Germany. The course feels very balanced and quite natural in just about every aspect, despite some constructed green complexes and the occasional artificial creek on the front nine’s par 3’s. It surprised me anyone would choose David Krause for a renovation of a classic course (I had only played his wildly contoured Winston LINKS), but it seems he also has respect for classic designs. I especially liked his potbunkers made with lips of artifical grass in the lips which have been designed and constructed very tastefully and suit the course very well. Especially the green complexes have a classic feel with a subtle modern American twist, and the result is a timeless classic. Highly recommended! MO

36 holes at Jakobsberg was a lovely way for a first encounter with this well received German course. The unique selling point of the course are the stunning views over the Rhein valley just south of Koblenz and the spectacular property full of elevation changes, plateaus and just leading you all over the place and offering fun all day. The routing is very exciting, although 3 of the par threes played a 7-iron that day in that wind. My favourite holes were the par 3 3rd, which is played over a quarry to an interesting back to front sloping green with runoffs left and right. The signature hole must be the par 4 6th which is a wonderful semi-Cape hole over a quarry with the green not visible on the left from the tee and a right to left sloping fairway that rewards a great strike with many extra yards. How much do you dare bite off? Don’t be conservative and long either, because there are trees waiting for your ball. Great hole! Too bad it is sandwiched by two absolutely dreadful golf holes (5 and 7), both dog leg right par 4 holes which force a player to hit a fade or a ‘massive slice’ with a mid- to long iron (that’s the name of the 7th. So far so good, but you also have to aim way right over large trees while being blocked by bushes right next/in front of the tee box and the reward for a well struck tee shot is that your ball ends up in a ‘catch-all’ bunker and you’ll have 170 meters left for your second shot on this (only) 340 meter par 4, with a green guarded by bushes and steep fall down the right side of the fairway. That’s just silly and a bit frustrating.Another point of critique are the narrow corridors recently created with young trees in the middle of the hole at the par 5 9th (in an attempt to add challenge to an otherwise fine, but easily reachable par 5) and the same for the par 4 17th. In ten years, they will have become too big and you have to cut them down again. From a strategic and agronomic point of view, these features also don’t work because with the extreme drought that the course will be suffering (not for the last time this year due to global warming), it will be a miracle if your ball will 1) clear the trees so you have a shot to the green, and 2) stop running out before the trees on the far end of the fairway You have to let the ball stop on a 20 yard patch of grass or you’ll have no chance to reach the green on this mid length par 4.Then again, Jakobsberg is not about architectural perfection. It is impossible not to have fun at this course and it is a tough cookie to score well on, that’s for sure. The greens are exciting and good quality and there are some unique standout holes that are worth playing the course alone. If you are a fan of classic lay-outs though, you might be better off at nearby Bad Ems for a proper Golden Age park/woodland experience.I won’t bore you with more complaints about these drier than dry conditions (excuse me, where are the fairways?) but let’s say I sincerely hope they sort out the hydrophobia and the place will be even more of a joy to play. It’s what the course deserves.MO

It was my first time visiting this club. We were made very welcome by the staff. The presentation of the club and the course is unique in the country and it is the best asset of the club. Every detail is taken care of. If you can practice here year round, you’re a lucky person because the facilties are of the highest order. The club certainly reflects character. where I found that De Lage Vuursche had a stiff, stand-offish atmosphere. The Dutch deserves praise for becoming the first club in the Netherlands to fill the niche it created in the country, or the gap it filled if you will.The Dutch is a proper test of golf for players of all abilities, and a very suitable playground for either matchplay or strokeplay events. Water comes into play on many holes, but there is always a safe(r) route. The course has a good variety of heroic, strategic and penal shots and holes and thus provides interest in the sense you’ll need more than to hit your trusty 7 iron straight through to score well. You can’t opt blindly for your driver on the tee, as there are some nasty creeks cross the fairways that will gladly accept your teeshot, or angles. The Dutch is surprisingly good a keeping the interest of the golfer and that is an achievement given the flatness of the land.There are some tricky narrow holes like the 12th and the 17th, meandering through creeks and lakes to keep the golfer’s attention. The 12th is worthy of remark given it has the potential to be one of the best holes visually. I’d describe it as a semi-Cape hole, but one that does not favour to bite off many meters. There’s a big bush of gorse that prevents you from seeing the green and to trick you into taking risk, even though the patch of fairway in the far corner is very small and guarded by bunkers, water and the mentioned gorse. It’s a deceiving hole but its not used to it’s full potential. All players in our foursome felt so. The finish is rather good with plenty of hazards and a variety of shot options and risk/reward shots. The fragmented but edgy property does not provide for an inspired routing, but Montgomerie probably made the best out of it. Does make you wonder with such a high budget, why the founders didn’t opt for a bigger property to increase the scale of the course. A particularly strong part of the course I think are the green complexes. The contours, that are somewhat inconsistently shaped, the fast and true rolling undulated greens and steep runoffs make for some very interesting shots around the greens. Although they do not have a particularly natural feel and somewhat inconsistent, they are fun. You’ll need plenty of creativity and skills to scramble. You’ll need more than one round to figure out the slopes and lines of play. For me, the Dutch sneaks into my current top 10 in the country but I can’t imagine it will ever move up on that list. There’s definitely room for improvement with some small tweaks here and there. I doubt that the image it created is serving the club well, as the polder conditions resemble anything but Scottish links. I’m afraid the Swilcan Bridge replica on the 18th or even the impressive bushes of gorse do not change this. The Dutch might sound like a pretentious name, but I have to admit it makes perfect sense, as I challenge you to find some nature that’s more quintessentially Dutch than the Dutch, although a windmill seems to be absent. The meadow birds and herons flying around will agree.MO

Geijsteren lies in a pretty part of the Netherlands. It’s peaceful and quiet and far away from noise and distraction, apart from the quite fitting farmersland where top quality asparagus is harvested right next to the 4th fairway. It is one of those courses that proves that a course does not have to be long to be challenging. This is however to a large extent due to the fact that the holes are extremely narrow in places, and the fact that the trees are very dense and the rough is very high. I was told before that the course could use a chainsaw here and there and I could not disagree. The course does need the narrowness as it is its natural defence and it also provides some tough course management choices, but I can’t help but think that at least the rough should be reduced some meters into the woods to speed up play considerably ór trees would have to be removed to boost the quality of the course. Preferably, a bit of both. Lost balls aren’t fun, nor is searching for your (partners) ball! If this course was more crowded, it would lead to extreme congestion. The course is never spectacular, but very solid and there are no bad holes, which is pretty unique. Some holes look a bit samish at first, but you’ll reconsider when you walk to your ball and find out there is more to the hole than it seemed. The course is mostly pretty flat, but there are some gentle undulations and small ridges from time to time, that blend in very nicely with the course and are also of strategic and aesthetic value. The green complexes however tend to be raised a little compared to the fairway every time, which could have been tiresome and onedimensional but for some reason it keeps being interesting enough. They also seem to slope back to front most of the time, which looks pretty but lacks a little variety. The bunkers neither have the most inspiring shapes, but they are well placed and cut into the greens very nicely, often leaving one narrow part of the green suited to host a nasty pin position. There are nice runoffs, hidden gullies and the greens themselves are enjoyable and challengingSome holes definitely stood out of the crowd: the par 5 8th and ninth were particularly strong and very pretty and are indeed class holes that would make any course proud, especially with the rhododendrons in flower. The 8th is another example of a tight drive, but the player can opt for a shorter teeshot to the broadest part of the fairway, or can be rewarded with a bounce to the middle of the narrow fairway from either side of it. The par 5s are all short by modern standards, but they are all very different. You’ll think twice before choosing driver on the 8th and 10th (and even the 14th in open land but with water and OB on both sides of the fairway)as it probably isn’t worth the risk, but very tempting.After the 13th, one comes out of the forest and a whole different course looks to be entered. Its a bit odd as the style of these ‘blue’ holes is so different, but in their own right they are fine holes. The 18th especially is a very good finisher, with a daunting drive over a large water hazard and the tee box placed cross tot he fairway, leaving ample space for a short carry over the water, but challenging the player to take an aggressive line which only increases the required carry. If you really exaggerate, you do need to make sure you’re not blocked by the few trees on the shore of the hazard, blocking sight of the green. It’s funny, as there are not many courses in the Netherlands with such a consistent quality of good golfholes, in a beautiful tranquil place and one will guaranteed enjoy their round at Geijsteren, but still so many criticisms in this review in my sense. The reason might be precisely because the course has that much quality and charm, that we want it to rise to its full potential. In my opinion, Geijsteren could be in the same league as de Hoge Kleij, which is also a Pennink and Steel design that does provide for some controversies, but seems to be more ambitious in its presentation at least. Maarten

Bit surprised to see this sneak into the Continental Europe top100 to be honest! This is clearly the second course on the property. Doesn't say anything of course, but we're not quite talking Winged Foot, Barnbougle or Sunningdale here. The course for the largest part has a parkland feel to it and it's wide open. The property didn't cause for many restrictions and this shows. The routing goes up and down and through the hills and goes to every end of the property, ususally guarded by clods of forest. There are some very interesting and challenging blue holes. Even to begin with. The first is a solid, but relatively gentle par 5 to start with; 2 is a great hole reminiscent of Le Golf National, where one plays from a highly raised tee box, where an iron is enough but you can decide to bite some yards off, but the fairway narrows. this is probably the best hole on the course. The player is encouraged to go as close to the water as he dares to keep the approach over water as short as possible and the green is guarded by bunkers and drops towards the water. the 18th hole is also a guarantee for drama overlooked by the terrace) but the rest of the holes are mediocre, forgettable holes lacking features and relying on the beautiful countryside backdrop, with a few exceptions. There's a little too many par 4 in the 300-340 meter range. The round was still enjoyable however for a relaxed round. Maarten

A few months ago, when it was still permitted by the government to play a round of golf, I hit the links at Golf del Sur. After paying 35 euros for 11 rental Titleist clubs without wedges (cause who needs wedges on a soft soil golf course that is not overly long right?) I got out before a group of pensionados as one will encounter when on the Canary Islands. 	The opener is a gentle par 4 with a wide, slightly mounded fairway and ends with a steep downhill approach that can play blind depending on the yardage. The green is well guarded by two sidebunkers and the prevailing wind. You immediately see a buena vista over the dry plains and ravines all the way to the lone rock near the airport accompanied by the scorching sun. The start is quite good actually, leading the player to the very edges of the property and exploring all the nice corners of it. This is also the most undulated part of it and it is quite interesting. The second is a par 3 with a shallow green guarded by bunkers and the 3rd a par 5 with a ravine along the entire right side of the hole. There is more than enough room on the left but also a chance to get home in two for those who want to play the hero. I also liked the par 4 4th, which with the right wind is reachable. There is a fairway left for the conservative, and the more agressive the line of the tee, the deeper the drop for the balls that won’t make it. Those will be treated a blind second from deep rough or a bunker. The green has a semi-punchbowl on the left side and drops down on ts front right, giving a great sight over the island. After the fourth, we proceed to the inner part of the property. There are some nice parkland holes but nothing too spectacular. Just solid. The back nine starts off with a nice awkward short par 4 with a dogleg right to a higher green running off tot he left. The wind will try to blow it there. The 2nd is the most famous hole on the course and maybe the island, a par 3 with many tee options played to an island green surrounded by the volcanic black sand that the bunkers at Golf del Sur consist of. The green appears to be lying on the side of a subtle hill and it makes for a beautiful natural green site with a deceiving perspective as seen from the teebox. The remaining holes are all quite nice, without any obvious standout holes. I liked the par 5 14th and the short par 4 16th which has a cross ravine which makes you think from the tee that you can easily carry it while it actually isnt. Because it runs cross the fairway diagonally, much depends on the line you take from the tee. And you’ll have guessed that this goes hand in hand with the risk you are willing to take. Writing this, it occurs to me that you shouldn’t probably go for it at all as a lay up leaves a pretty straight forward pitch to a flat green. This hole certainly got me, that’s for sure… holes like these make Golf del Sur a nice place to play with some really good strategic golf holes. I’m still mad I did not get any wedges but I might consider returning anyway, when I’d travel to Tenerife again.

It took me a while to write this review. Of course my Tassie pilgrimage wouldn't have been complete without having played the Lost Farm as well as its bigger sister next door. Thanks BB for making me realize this just in time. Playing all 38 holes in one day gave me a lot to process. It helped that I was out alone, which facilitated in absorbing the greatness of the venue. I had never played a Coore and Crenshaw course before. One thing I learned is that they have great respect for the natural contours of the amazing piece of land they were given. I loved the rugged bunkers and the fairways that transition seemingly effortless into the greens. It's a scenic rollercoaster ride that starts on flatter land, then takes you to the fantastic stretch 3-6 in the corner of the estate. The ninth hole is probably the least spectacular hole on the course. It brings you back to the clubhouse just fine though. Also, the elevated tee shot on the par 5 10th also justifies this. I find the back nine tot be particularly strong, as it is a little more protected from the wind and presents one world class hole after another. It also felt unique in a way that you can sense very well that you are playing a links course at the end of the world rather than in Scotland or Ireland. The 11th is a world class long par 4. The drive is blind, played over a massive central bunker to a fairway on a plateau guarded by another bunker and more bush trouble lurking. It's a long carry and visually very narrow. Good drives are rewarded with a long approach still, but to a green that is hidden behind a hill on the right depending on where you ended up. The good news is that it is not guarded by bunkers. The 14th and 15th are outright gems. Bloody amazing golf holes right next to the roaring ocean. The 14th reminded me of the 10th at Ballybunion playing straight into the prevailing wind heading for the ocean and a tiny green. This one is a just better and harder though. It's reachable in terms of distance on a calm day but you'll probably be lucky to just find the fairway and have a nice angle to the highly raised narrow green that is put in the far right corner of the little valley that the hole lies in. The ball wants to roll down to the left valley of sin very badly. The finish to the course is fitting. Quality golf holes, beautiful views and the fun little tiebreaker hole that is nothing more than a little wedge. Mixed feelings will be experienced. It sucks this day ever ended but it was so satisfying and memorable. Just go, you won't regret it.

I had my doubts when I came to visit Winston. Arriving at the car park and having passed the countless man-made pyramids of earth demarcating the boundaries of the course, I thought this would be the antithesis of Falkenstein, which we also paid a visit this weekend. In terms of style, there's no point in comparing the both. More interestingly, I was curious if the experience would be 'over the top'. I must say this is not the case, the links is well designed and well built and it is as spectacular as it is a fair test. The front nine have been place near the edges of the woods and therefore have a mature natural feeling. The par 5 3rd is s nice hole, playing into the gorse-lined valley from an elevated tee. The corner can be cut off with an aggressive line over a bushy water hazard. I was smart though (this time), but it left me a long second all the way up to the green again that has two tiers which alter more than two meters. Guess where my chip ended up. The par 3 5th is a gorgeous one shotter in a natural stadium/punchbowl. 6 is a monster par 5 into the wind with trouble down the left , then heading down on the second shot and next to the green on the right. From hole 8 and onwards the holes are more exposed to the wind and trees are scarce. I can't imagine the amount of earth that has been transferred to build the course. On the back nine, a few holes are built around the man-made 'grand canyon' and the wind comes into play even more. The course can show it's teeth then because the long par 4's play into the prevailing wind. It was a very windy day when we played, and I caught myself smelling a salty sea breeze multiple times before realizing each time this could not be the case. Favourite holes here are 12 15, 16 and 17 but they are all very good actually. Greens are big and undulated and often decorated with architectural gimmicks as false fronts, awkward angles, deceiving views and . You often have multiple options to reach to green, with high approaches as well as running shots and multiple preferred angles into the green depending on the pin positions. Therefore also higher handicappers are able to enjoy the course (but please don't meet up in a weekend-fourball…) All in all I was impressed with Winston LINKS and the first ever course I encountered that could genuinely be described as an inland links. A very modern interpretation of this, but it will stand the test of time andThe club and clubhouse do lack some atmosphere if I have to be critical. It's clinical and a bit depressing , but luckily there's two quality golf courses that are completely different. The commercial focus is evident, but The Open is also a lot of fun to play, albeit quite easy, because it's hard to miss the fairway and the course is not long. Combined with a stay in Schloss Kaarz you will be in for a great weekend of golf, but you should have some time for the trip to get there. Well deserved top 100-spot in continental Europe, 84th might even be a bit underrated.

Falkenstein is in a class of its own in Germany. This course is very consistent, varied, gorgeous and challenging. Colt and his mates and German Von Limburger really did a sublime job here, and the club is doing an equally sublime job in maintaining the grandeur of the course and design. The course is perfectly in balance and the routing is magnificent. It is 100% natural and benefits maximally from the landscape, also strategically. The greensites are among the best I've seen anywhere. You need to use the natural slopes to work your ball towards the green or the hole and it's very satisfying to judge them right. When you fail to do this, it can be quite educational to look at the same shot from the other side. As for the club experience: It's a warm welcome when you enter the grass on the members side of the clubhouse and one is greeted with an abundance of rhododendrons and top notch practice greens. We got 20 percent off because the greens had recently had a necessary treatment due to some recent championships. The greenkeepers are very passionate about their job and entrusted me we should have played the course the week before, as the greens never had been that good in their opinion. They were still bloody quick though. Favourites on the front nine include the par 5 th, par 4 6th and par 3 8TH. From 8 onwards, an amazing stretch starts all the way to the 15th. The 16th is a little boring (out of place) perhaps.The par 3 10th next to the clubhouse with a 20 meter drop is fantastic and the 13th is one of my favourite par 4's everywhere. It's only 314 meters and it couldn't be better. The tee shot is played from a hill and the fairway narrows at 210 meters, where a big bunker awaits one's tee shot. On the left, There is room for a longer tee shot but you risk not having a line to the green due to tall trees in front of you. To far to the right and you're to far into the bushes. So an iron it is for mr. conservative, but the fairways looks really tempting, and the iron shot will inevitably roll down to the right part of the fairway leaving an approach that plays considerably uphill to a back to front left to right sloping green. The 17th must be one of worlds most beautiful par 5's. One should be careful to not drive it through the fairway. Then you can go for the green on this short par 5, but you have to hit it over 50 meters of heather, also stretching the whole length of the par 3 8th that lies next to the 17th. It really doesn't get any better. This is the kind of course where you want to play every day. It's a fair championship test and it's glorious. Every hole is a challenge, very beautiful and different. Not unimportantly, it is perfect as it is. I find it hard to compare it to other Colt designs or heathland courses. We're lucky to have a couple in the Netherlands. I'd say Falkenstein is as good as De Pan minus 1 or 2 mediocre holes. Fontainebleau is superb, but it needs some love aka deforestation. Falkenstein shows it's full potential and that is very special. Therefore I think Falkenstein is underrated. I would not be surprised if Falkenstein sneaks into the World top 100 one day, it's a worthy contender at least and it has my vote! MO

St. Dionys is a surprisingly good golf course in a beautiful dense forest with sand drifts. It ticks all the boxes to challenge players of all abilities and is maintained with great care. The course is not overly long, but there are some narrow tee shots to be negotiated and tricky doglegs that favour a considerable draw or fade. I'm not sure what the plan is on the par 4 3rd hole. It now has an O-shaped fairway with a big old forest in the middle, giving the player the chance to decide to play the hole as a dogleg right or left, although the pin location could be awkward considering the green is big and wide and multi-tiered and badly reachable with the approach if you drove to the 'wrong' side. It's a lot of fun and kind of intriguing though. It's also an impressive sight to see the amount of earth that has been moved here and turned into a sand drift. As the course progresses, we find some raised greens, strategically placed diagonal water hazards guarding fairways and greens, and often greens are placed right next to thick bushes. The par 5 4th is a very good three shotter unless you risk hitting a fade over the water splitting the fairway. The long par 4 5th is another fantastic hole. It is a dogleg to the left where the approach is played over a lake. A drive to the left side of the fairway makes the approach a lot easier, but one does risk being blocked by the forest or flirting with the water. A more conservative drive however leaves a daunting long iron/hybrid over the water, and there isn't exactly much room on the left and right either. The back nine has a slightly more open feel to it, but form a design perspective also a bit boring (hole 10, 13, 14, 16) at least compared to the rest of this fine course. Long drivers can take advantage here.As I said the Luneburg Heath forest might be old, but the course itself has a modern, slightly immature feel to it. I find it hard to appreciate clearly artifcial elements such as water hazards in an otherwise very natural environment. St. Dionys has done them right however and many geese on the course beg to differ with me. They are functional in that perspective, they provide a challenge and they have been put in the right places. Give it some years but this course will definitely stand the test of time. Not quite in the same league as Falkenstein and De Pan but a quality course nonetheless. I do recommend putting it in the itinerary when you're to visit Falkenstein and Winston perhaps. MO

A lovely sunny morning in Fingal and I was the first to arrive on the parking place. Even my girlfriend hadn't noticed me sneaking away for a nice 18. The course starts off with some really solid golf holes. The first eases you in to the round with a scenic downhill drive into the valley. The approach is tough: it's a blind shot due to an 'alp' left in front of the green. A blind approach from the right part of the fairway gives a better look at the flag. The second hole has a broad fairway guarded by central bunkers and slopes steeply uphill. You probably don’t want to hit driver. The fairway raises all the way up to the narrow green that is guarded by greenside bunkers left and right. The green slopes from back tot front which can be awkward with a front pin location. The approach should not be longer than a short iron or wedge, unless the wind is giving you a hard time. The third is also a nice hole. Not much trouble with the drive that favours a slight fade, but the approach is challenging. Negotiating he gap between a hill covered in bushes (And tiger snakes probably) on the left and more trouble to the right is the first challenge, than distance control is tough on this hole considering the green is not that receptive for incoming balls. The approach has to carry the false front, but given the slopes from front to back, you should not land much further on the green either. Chipping from the valley at the back is not that bad though.Then follows a good long par 3, then the wide open dogleg left par 4 5th with its tiny green and a beautiful 180 yard par 3 6th that is basically bush all the way to the green. The back of the green has a steep wall that protects the ball from travelling too far. The green slopes pretty severely. Then we are off to another valley which hosts the next couple of holes. The 8th has another semi-blind approach, depending on the line of approach (in other words just how wayward your drive was). The 9th and 10th are great holes that both feature raised greens and play in opposite directions. The ninth is typically a wedge approach into a half punchbowl green, while the tenth left me a long iron into the prevailing wind playing to a table-top green. Beautiful hole and approach, but a vicious one…Next favourites were the twelfth hole, one of the longer par 4s that can reward an aggressive line into the doglegged fairway, and then another green with a raised entrance, sloping towards the back. The 14th has a blind tee shot but the brave will be rewarded with a chance to attack the green on this par 5. The green is a punchbowl but devilishly small.The fifteenth is a really interesting reachable par 4. The 18th is a nice par 4 worthy of concluding the round. St Andrews beach is just a really solid minimalistic design that is a fair test and really pleases the eye as well. It blends in with the surroundings very well and that is one of the strong backbones of the design, as it really makes the most of the land strategically, aesthetically and routing wise. At St Andrews beach the challenge seems to be in the positioning and in the greens, that often have hidden parts or at least can give a deceiving look at the pin location and the best place to miss. Some local knowledge won't hurt! The greens are not that undulated by itself, but the favourable approach really differs every hole depending on the form of the greensite, angle, the wind and the distance of the approach. The greens are all set in fitting, natural and fun locations. The course is definitely diverse in its demands and testing the golfers shotmaking abilities. MO

I easily would have been willing to make the journey to Bridport just to to see if the venue lies up to the expectations. Thanks to my girfriend studying in Sydney and some subtle, careful manipulation, the trip would actually take place: 9 days to spend on the wonderful island of Tasmania and 38 (!) holes tucked in one long, satisfying day at the links. First: the Dunes, then Lost Farm.When the day arrived, lots of rain had settled down in the sandy soil and the skies quickly turned blue, the caddiemaster laughed in my face when I asked him if he thought the wind might lay down at any moment: “No way, not a chance. Just a tough day out there”, I can still hear him resounding. I do already apologize for the amount of referentions to the conditions, but the design is built to a great extent with the wind in mind. How windy are we speaking? 8 Bft! Two blown away and never to be found headcovers, my big wheel trolley falling on flat surfaces, wedges into the greens on par 5s and more often than not, completely lacking the imagination to visualize a shot that would leave any perspective for the next one whatsoever. Still, I had a wonderful time absorbing the whole experience. I started off downwind at the tenth. The stretch from the 12th in particular is impressive and drop dead gorgeous in terms of the view. The 12th is a 254m par 4 that requires a perfect long carried fade off the tee to a small hilltop fairway and green guarded by a large bunker in the line of play. Visually, it’s a daunting hole for a first timer in gale winds. It really actually is hard though, don’t be fooled by the yardage. On more playable days, holes like these really show the masterful architecture by Doak. Barnbougle is a pretty short holes, yet test every club in the bag and there are so many options off the tee and into the greens. The greens are very undulated and will take many rounds to adjust to. I’m guessing half of the greens surface will never see a golfball stopping to move there. Knowledge of the lines and slopes really are key to hitting it close. The 14th is an interesting par 5. It’s a short one but it does not accept a running shot into the raised, long green. The fairway is really broad but it does not really show from the tee that deceives the view and tricks you into playing a shot down the right part of the fairway that slopes to the right and where you will find trouble lurking (or the odd kangaroo if you are lucky). It’s one of the half-par holes at Barnbougle. Oddly enough, this concept makes the golfers mind work overtime. Then we have arrived at one far end of the figure 8 lay out. The next hole plays right next to the water and into the prevailing wind. The tee shot is not the hard part, although there is a central bunker. Given the wind, the approach to the narrow green nestled on a large dune and the deep run off on the left, this one is not easy to pull off. All the holes on the back nine are of exceptional quality and feel balanced. The dunes have a similar feel to Tralee’s thrilling back nine. Everything just falls in place at Barnbougle a little bit more though. It is subtle and in your face at the same time and a very tough test for even the best golfers. The front nine at the Dunes is where the course really convinced me, even in the at that moment unplayable conditions. The wind took care of my decisions regarding the temptations on the 3rd and 4th holes, which are truly world class and often described. As is the walk from the 4th to the fifth tee. It will make you forget the score on the 4th, good or bad. Although the 7th is most people’s pick of the par 3’s, I really enjoyed the fifth as well. The green is really intriguing, with a slope in the middle to the back that makes it a game of roulette to which side of the green the ball will tumble. In a very good way however. It makes for tap in birdies as well as terrifying long putts with 180 degree turns and no intention of stopping anywhere near the hole. The 7th is a wonderful little par 3 as well, but unfortunately simply unplayable on the day. It does not need a storm to be nasty though as the green has a slippery false front and slopes from left to right as well, while deep bunkers are happy to punish the slightest of mistakes throughout the hole. Quite noticeably, the wind is a big influence in finding the slopes and the next thing you know, yous ball is in the exact same spot as it was two shots ago. Nowhere near the green. It’s got to be the hardest hole on the smallest amount of land in topgolf, measuring just 98 meters. The hole is easily the best of the finishing stretch. 17 and 18 are very solid par 4s with strategic options off the tee. I do advise to play the course the right way round, starting from the first tee, when you are a first timer at least. I do hope to return in more benign conditions. While the course feels and is stupidly good the first time, it seemed impossible to really catch everything what’s so great about it already. Another couple rounds I’m sure would make me rave about the sophistication and creative variety of the course even more. I find it quite hard to review the course. It is a course of contradictions as well. The course is rugged but manicured. It is forgiving and penal at the same time. It allows for bombing drivers but it remains very much a shotmakerscourse that rewards that favours delicate accurate play. Revenge and further insight in the secrets of Barnbougle will have to wait until a next trip to Tasmania. Cape Wickham will make for a proper excuse to make the journey again in the future. Time is precious, don’t hesitate and don’t forget to discover the rest of this remarkably special island while you’re at it! MO

Hainaut is in a tranquil place south of Brussels, in a very old forest. We played the classic lay-out Quesnoy and Bruyeres. The course is short by modern standards, but it still is an interesting design. Although most fairways are tree lined, fairways are very wide and missing it does not have to be fatal. The green complexes are of high quality and very naturally blended in and contoured. Greenside bunkers are sometimes elevated on one side, which also influences the shape and slopes of the greens. Fairways were very patchy unfortunately, and not in a ‘firm and fast’way. Favourite holes were probably the par 4 3rd, which is one of the longer par 4s. The drive is hit to a narrowing corner. It leaves a mid-iron approach to a green that slopes tot he back and tot he left, with a bunker in the left front. I also liked the par 5s that featured some exciting punchbowl greens and some nice risk-reward dogleg right par 4s on the back nine (15 and 16) played to beautiful raised greens. Club selection and agression of your line off the tee can result in a variety of second shots. The course reminded me of Club du Lys a bit. Both courses are not the most well known layouts by Tom Simpson, but they do show similarities in the design, historic feel, little bit beyond its prime-grandeur. Both have feature some really good holes and some straight forward holes but in places they show their delicacy and lasting quality and I can imagine you will not soon grow tired to play this course. If you’re in the area, I recommend paying it a visit if you are into classic golf courses. MO

Courson was a very pleasant surprise and imo a great supplement to the otherwise rather classic courses that Ile de France boasts, other than Golf National and the lesser known Paris International (the latter I have not played).We caught the course on a splendid sunny day and we weren’t the only visitors since it was the Ryder Cup week. It seemed fitting to play another Robert Von Hagge layout and it certainly did not disappoint. Driving off the Periferique, and into some shabby outskirts of Paris, the entranceway does not impress until you suddenly find yourself in the countryside. The venue has 36 holes of which we played the Vert et Noir loops, considered to be the strongest combination. The clubhouse is a lovely manor with a courtyard. And how French, to enter the bar and terrace, gloriously overlooking the valley in which the Noir layout and some more holes are situated, one has to pass a madame selling all the sophisticated French wines. We saved the burgundy for later on and were overwhelmed by the speed of the (practice)greens. The greens on the course ran true as well and were a joy to putt on.Now, about the course: the course has an ‘American’ feel to it, which I don’t mean in a negative way (still offensive?), but it’s not quite targetgolf you play here. The greens have multiple levels and are very undulated. The ones guarded by water as well. IT makes for exciting green complexes, such as the risk reward par 5 fifth on the Vert layout. It has an increaslingly narrow undulated fairway with a valley in the middle and the lake coming in from the right. An agressive drive to the right side (don’t hit it too well if you’re a long hitter…) leaves you about 150 to the right front of the massive green. Back left can be reached as well, but it requires a carry of 175 or a well executed draw that catches the slope that runs trough the back of the green. Cowards can lay up to the left and hole their putts to win the hole either way. So, great exciting hole that can be played in different ways!I also liked the par 5 ninth. If you want to go for it in two, the approach requires a blind shot over a dogleg right. The fairway rises, but the green is lowered and accepts running shots. IT is also guarde by a bunker left. The Noir loop I think is equally strong, yet more pleasing to the eye. The first half strolls through the hills and features a returning design element: large grassbunkers with sharp edges. Really, your ball can end up anywhere depending on how you hit them… In a fair way though, or I must have caught a lucky break. Some raised teeboxes on this loop that give you a nice panorama over the beautiful land. The two par 5s that share the same moonshaped green guarded by a grand lake can’t be missed. Both good holes, the last being a true threeshotter where the 5th is reachable. The entrance to the green over land is very narrow however, and a bad bounce right of the fairway will lead your ball into the water left. The reward will be great however. There is also a tiny bit of rough around the edges of the green that mercies a ball that keeps running too hard. My favourite hole of the loop was the 7th. The drive is straight forward, although there are bunkers left and right within shooting range. It’s about being in position here to hit to the right part of the Biarritzgreen (Credits to Jim!), as it slopes steeply to the back in the middle, where it also narrows and leaves the back of the green circled by water! That’s where the pin was. Great fun and great greencomplex. Beautiful modern course and great value as well. 4,5 stars for me. MO

Thanks to my friend BB, I returned to play the South Course after a couple of years. A few alterations have been made in the meantime. The first hole is a gentle opening hole, yet a challenging risk reward hole. It’s the only tree-lined hole you’ll find on the course. That give you a wrong idea of what’s up ahead, as the course is quite open and has an inland-links meets parkland-character furtheron. The fourth is a nice double doglegged par 5 with an approach over water. It’s too bad a great drive in the middle of the fairway can turn out not so good due to a lone giant tree. The par 5 17th has the same problem. A good drive can be punished and it’s quite arbitrary. The tree stands in the narrowest part of the fairway to make it worse. The 16th also has a tree in the way near the green, but at least this one can be meaded by good course management or a quality golf shot.As for the routing, there are negatives and positives. Bruno Steensels did a great job creating a course on a compact piece of land, making use of two loops: the outer loop for the front nine and the inner loop which consists of the back nine. You rarely have the feeling that you’re packed. The par 3 fifth is a nice example. It’s a short and compact hole tucked between holes, but with a really wide sloping green that makes it a great hole providing variation off the tee. Especially at the end of the inward half however (17 and 18), you need to walk back to the mens tees quite a distance which does not feel necessary.The back nine has some great holes as well. Especially the stretch from 13th til the 16th is enjoyable. 13 is a stunning par 5, a genuine three shotter (for most people) with a raised green with wasteland in front of it. 15 can be a completely different hole depending on the tee you play from. Multiple options from the green and you can probably even reach the green, although it’s guarded by large bunkers.It’s great fun playing this course, given the conditions, a couple of great holes, speedy greens by Dutch standards and the beautiful terrace overlooking the 18th hole. On a sunny day like we had, you can’t really wish for more. MO

Heelsum has improved a lot with the years and the ambition is really paying off. Starting as a dull, open course it has become more and more challenging and aesthetically pleasing. It has the character of a modern inland-links with rough edges (large waste area's, bushes, sharply cut bunkers and contoured, undulating greens).The Helsum-nine is also a lot of fun to play. You can play here year round thanks to the sandy soil. Give this course a few more years to mature and I think it can continue to improve. I do think the course plays best when it has the hard and fast conditions, which I know some members have disliked, forcing the greenkeepers to slow down and soften the greens in previous years.If you really want to treat yourself, have dinner at the neighbouring restaurant De Kromme Dissel! MO

Two years since the last review! Seems legitimate, since we were the only ones on the course that rainy morning. After spoiling ourselves during the one hour delay in the great pro-shop at the Dunluce course, we got off and after two or three mediocre holes , we arrived in the valley that this course was built in. The Valley course has a wide variety of golf holes, has a very fair feel to it and actually is a class-course. I loved the par 5 7th, the par 3's are very scenic and the finish is especially good. One can only see the sea on the 18th tee, and the wonderful sight made for a great end to our yearly trip. Portrush and it's neighbours very rightfully make the destination one of the golfing capitals in the world, as you can strongly feel the history, purity and love for the game. MO

Castlerock shouldn’t be missed. It’s a classic links on a fantastic parcel. Dunes, burns and elevation changes make for an interesting course with lots of variation. The second half of the front nine is where it really gets going, with some cracking strategic and long par 4’s and the magnificent 8th, a long one shotter which narrow green makes it look daunting from the green. The back nine is more open but also very enjoyable. The finish however is wordlclass. The 17th is one of my favourite par 5s in the world. Visually stunning with the sea clearly visible and playing towards it and also a great strategic hole with a massive fairway bunker that catches everything right of the middle at 100 meters into the green. The 18th is a wonderful dogleg right playing to a highly raised green with two levels sloping severely back to front. It reminded me of the 18th at Sherwood Country Club, given the clubhouse that is only meters behind the green. Then don’t forget to play the Bann course while you’re here anyway! MO

Hands down the best nine hole course I've played! While the course does not have any bunkers, they really aren't missed. The course really lays on the most spectacular piece of land on the parcel, next to the river 'Bann' on the coast. The course is tucked between dunes and it has a wide variety of short holes, blind tee shots and small greens. The par 5 fifth is one of the most scenic par 5's on the Irish island. It really should have been part of the Mussenden Course. The Bann really is a good warm up for its bigger sister, but we played it afterwards and still it did not disappoint! My playing partner and I agreed though, that Castlerock should have consisted of a more roomy 18-hole course than the compact 27, with parts of the main course being laid out on duller land.

One immediately feels the difference between The Glashedy and the Old Course. The Old has a more classic feel to it. The bumpy fairways have not been leveled so level lie will be found rarely. Especially on The first 11 holes, I all found them good golfholes but in my opinion they lack a bit of diversity. Alsho having played the Glashedy, it seemed that there were a lot of short-mid range par 4’s with a slight dogleg right that played roughly the same and therefore weren’t too special. There are a few standout holes like the brutal par 3 5th. It played downwind with 5 Bft. To a highly raised, shallow green between dunes and a front pin position. Anything short would be 40 yards back down the fairway. Luckily my 5 iron punch worked like a charm and now forms a fond memory. The back nine is where it really gets good, with some holes right next to the sea with sloping fairways, deep swales and some long finishing holes. No surprise that Sir Nick appreciates this course. I’d love to go back but I do feel after having played Sandy Hills (for a fraction of the price) and the Glashedy, that 120 euro’s might not be the best deal in Donegal. However, I thoroughly enjoyed my round on this classic links and Ballyliffin is a great destination that shouldn’t be missed. MO

Early in the morning, we teed off on the Glashedy. The opening holes are short-to mid length par 4’s and all great holes. Positioning off the tee is of great importance and the greens are well protected. The second hole is the loveliest of the three. The fourth hole changes the direction heading towards the sea. From the new backtee, the views are breathtaking and the landingarea seems small. For us mere mortals however, this hole is the first birdiechance of the day , as a good drive leaves an approach within shooting range. You will have to clear a large swale in front of the green, or lay up. I found these awkward shots to play very difficult at Ballyliffin. The greens are firm and fast and the contours of the green as well as the wind can have a great deal of influence on the flight and roll on your ball. The fifth is a lovely little false punchbowl par three en the seventh is where it really starts to get serious. Good luck with the club selection! Having played my fair share of Ruddycourses, I found the Glashedy surprisingly fair and playable. That does not mean it is an easy course, but it is a feature of the truly great linkscourses: Combining spectacular land with characteristics of a mature championshipcourse. Tough to make a par, easy to make bogey. Sandy Hills for example,in my opinion lacked that feeling. (And yes I played really bad ok?) The Glashedy’s backnine is equally good if not better than the front. 11 is great and 12 is one of the best par 5’s I’ve encountered. It’s not long. I had a 4 iron left but it has to be struck perfectly to have a chance to get to the tabletopgreen, that slopes from back to front. Add a severely right to left sloping fairway that pulls every ball to the deep valley down left of the green, or to the nasty green side bunker just above that. I’m sure a lot of golfers left this hole frustrated, thinking how on earth they could have turned this birdie opportunity in a bogey or even worse. Then look back over the fairway and be overwhelmed with the beauty of the wild Atlantic and mystic Glashedy Rock . Off to the clubhouse for a quick lunch and off we go on the Old Course! MO

Portsalon was the second course we played last week and the drive along the Wild Atlantic Way got us right in the mood. After a warm welcome by some members we teed off on the rather peculiar first hole, where one drives right over the entrance to the beach, which leaves a net across the fairway. Same thing on the 18th hole, where I think it's a shame that it lays right in the landing area. Since there were no courseguidesto be found in the shop, it was hard to guess your way around the course being a first timer. The second hole is worldclass, gorgeous and unique. Certainly one of the best in Ireland. The course is pretty compact, with some quirky features such as driving over the green of the hole before. The holes themselves are all very good though and I can't blame the architect for these little compromises. I really liked the back nine as well, that is a bit wider but positioning is increasingly important. the 14th is great, with a sloping fairway to the right. If you can get a good kick, you'll have a wedge left but if you play safe there is a bunker left and you'll have a long iron approach. Looks can be deceiving at Portsalon! Portsalon is a charming course and every bit as worth playing as the more highly regarded courses in Donegal. MO

To start off our trip, we played the Old Tom Morris course and I enjoyed it a lot. The front nine has some cracking holes like 6,7 and 9 but the other holes have a very compact routing which I didn't really like. It gives the course a less serious feel. The back nine is completely different however. The holes close to the sea are very spectacular and wouldn't misfit on any top linkscourse. It has a great mix of holes, including a great reachable risk-reward par 4 13th. the following one shotter is also a worldclass hole with a valley between tee and green. Old Tom Morris is a friendly course that can show its' teeth when you're not paying attention. Play both courses to see how they contrast! but if you're in a hurry, I hold nearby Portsalon higher in esteem.

I can only confirm that the hype around this course is utterly justified. Conditions were really tough with 5 Bft. and some showers every now and then. This really hadn't been necessary for Sandy Hills to send me home with not much left of my pride. It's a cracking course but man is it difficult. I found the landing areas to be increasingly small for 3 woods and drivers, where an iron off the tee would often result in a long iron into the prevailing wind to a raised green between dunes. A lot of shots therefore felt awkward. Visually, Sandy Hills is as good as it gets. Few holes reveal sights of the next one, and not a single hole is alike. For my liking though, there are just a few too many blind shots to be played but that could be my grudge speaking for all the brand new balls I sprayed around the course. Sandy Hills is beyond memorable and really a fantastic course. Don't bring your pencil however, just enjoy the beating and pure linksgolf. MO

I wasn't too impressed on my last visit here. It's ok and some of the holes have some nice risk-reward challenges in them, but overall I found the course to be not so difficult. The course usually plays rather soft and the fairways are quite broad. Add no relevant elevation-changes or daunting bunkers and an up and down is quickly made.

You'd have to drive a good hour or two to reach this course, and it could be worth the trouble when you combine it with dinner at Heeren van Harinxma. Nice parkland and forest course, but not quite as good as the courses belonging to 'De Oude Negen'. Probably the best course in the north of the country along with de Noord-Nederlandsche en De Gelpenberg

De Dommel is a beautiful little gem. It used to be a 12 hole course in the forest, and these older holes are a delight to play, whereas the newer holes have a whole different character. Not that they are bad golf holes, but they are laid out on a rather small piece of moorland and tucked really close to each other on the farthest end of the course. Even with some maturing, they will never really fit in the traditional course. The course is short by modern standards, and a driver would be too much on most of the holes. There are some very tricky holes though with narrow fairways and sharp doglegs. The green complexes look great and the 17th is such a lovely signature hole. Don’t be fooled, if you make a mistake you’re likely to drop a shot . Definitely worth playing!

What a treat. Few courses are as picturesque as Sherwood. The clubhouse is set on a plateau so the views over the course are very pleasing to the eye. The course is not overly long, but challenging enough! The greens were very fast, especially for april. Highlights were the little wedge par 3 7th, with its lowered narrow green surrounded by bunkers and the following par 5 that is a fairy talehole. Now the gorse was i bloom but I cn only imagine what it looks like when all the heather is in bloom. The back nine has some tough long par 4s and you cannot lose your focus until the very end. The concitions were very good and I loved the beautiful mowpatterns. After the round we met the most wonderful lady from the bar Maureen, she couldn't have made us feel more welcome. I will definitely return.

I visited Nottinham in late april and plyed this course and Sherwood. I loved them both but Hollinwell is a cut or two above Sherwood. The clubhouse and first holes are set in a wonderful valley and it whets the appetite for the round you're going to play. The gorse was in bloom, and the greens were a joy to put on, however not as fast as the immaculate greens on Sherwood. Notts really is a second shot course. Most of the fairways, however treelined, are broad but angle tot the green is of great importance. There are some quirky blind shots that were hard to judge for a first timer like myself, given the elevation changes. Unfortunately the courseguide also didn't really help.Had an absolute blast though on a very memorable course with no weak hole whatsoever. It's a bit peculiar that there's a driveway right next to the hard and fast and downwind playing thrid green, which results in some awkward downhill chipshots that have no place to land when you miss the flag there. It does look very charming though, as does the rest of the course. The course is very fair and it's definitely possible to make some birdies out there. Would love to play again! LAst remark: we played in a winterdeal on the 24th of april, including18 holes and a meal afterwards, which is great bang for buck!

I was very surprised to see Noordwijk take such a leap in the wrong direction- in the rankings that is. I finally could tick off the best in the country for many years, and it was no letdown. What a beautiful course, and what a beast from the tips. Great risk-reward holes, some quirky blind shots and the forest on the front nine is reminiscent of a fairy tale. I haven't seen better conditioning by a countrymile elsewhere in the Netherlands (not having played the nouveau riche courses yet) The clubhouse is traditionally put on the highest point of the land, and the sea can be spotted from there. It gives you a phenomenal panorama of what you're about to enjoy. This really is a course with a lot of tricks up its'sleeve. Think false fronts, undulating greens, weird slopes that you must avoid, but when you do there are some birdies out there. I can't choose between de Haagsche and Noordwijk, but they are most definitely the two that stand out head and shoulders above the rest. Albeit they are linkscourses and therefore always win...

Druids Glen is a delightful resort in a beautiful piece of Ireland. It truly is a kaleidoscope of colours and flora. We had the (mis)fortune to play the course after rounds on the European and Portmarnock which gave the course a tough task of living up to the high standard of golf we had been having thus far. The start is quite tranquil with 2 medium length par 4s and a one shotter in between. There’s quite some room between the trees and grass still grows underneath them so it’s easy to find your ball. The course is surprisingly undulated, which hardens the course and adds to the experience as the holes are all very pleasing to the eye. After having played great natural links all week, it did have a sort of unnatural feeling, which ofcourse is because it is just that. No matter how beautiful it looked, it sometimes looked like Disneyworld. The flowers and the greatly manicured fairways and greens were a joy to see and play on, but it just couldn’t provide the thrill that the links could. The amen corner definitely was a stunning set of holes, but I was a bit underwhelmed when I hit 3 wood- 7 iron to a meter and birdie on the longest and hardest hole on the course. The fairways ran very hard while the greens were really soft and the rough was juicy but not too long. You just had to aim at the flag and a good always turned out great. This made the course quite forgiving and short. I really have to play this course again because it might be the best parkland-course I’ve ever played, so it really is a strange feeling to be kind of negative about it, that just isn’t fair. That being said the par 3s were absolutely magnificent and especially the eight and the 12th are truly world class. The moral of the story is we had a blast on a wondeful course with stunning scenery, but I couldn’t wait to play the European again the next day. MO

Ah The European; where to start... After having played Portmarnock Old Course the day before we doubted the European could compete with that magnificent golfclub, but but these doubts quickly went away. I’ve rarely received a warmer welcome than at The European, and the sun was shining with a comfortable breeze, so everything looked like it was in our favour. We pretty much had the course for ourselves so we had enough time to enjoy the stunning views and make some photographs. The wow-factor has been described on multiple occasions, and today I experienced it once again. What I had not expected was that I would find myself thinking Wow! Or something alike on nearly every single hole, or perhaps I thought it all along during the whole round. I really like Mr. Ruddy’s philosophy on the course. Every decision he made for the sake of golf and his love for the game.  The two bonusholes that were laid out just because they are both delightful par threes that fit great into the surroundings and the rest of the course. Also the fact that there are no blind shots whatsoever (except when you’re out of position) is really a fantastic effort. The conditions were just impeccable. I had expected the greens to be slightly harder, especially after Portmarnock which greens played like smooth rocks. For a change, it was nice however to be able to stop your balls on the green rather than over by some margin.It is of great importance to drive well in order to score well. When you’re out of position, it is very hard to recover and the angles into the greens can be frightening. What doesn’t help either is that mr. Ruddy had so many tricks up his sleeve when designing the course, constantly tricking a player to take unnecessary risks or even worse, tricking one into laying up only to discover a full shot would have been a  lot safer. He is a master of optical illusion just like Alister Mackenzie. Even Tiger Woods, when he played a preparatory round for the Open Championship on the European about a decade ago, appears to have mistaken multiple holes on the stretch of long par 4s around the turn for par 5s and couldn’t believe his eyes. There are only 80 members whom, in my opinion, are the luckiest people on the planet. Mr. Ruddy is very generous however, in the sense that visitors are made so welcome and because the visitors who are willing to pay the steep greenfee (worth every penny) can replay for 70 euros the same week. That really adds to the experience and enables you to relive the fantastic course, understand it better and maybe knock a few strokes of your initial score. The european undeniably is a modern course, but it is designed with so much respect for the game and it’s history. It wouldn’t be fair to call it Ballybunion on steroids. Then add the most exhilarating location with the towering dunes and it remains just a matter of taste how the European compares with the great old links courses. I consider myself a proper traditionalist but the European is my new all time favourite course, ahead of the likes of Portmarnock, Ballybunion, Tralee, Saunton and Royal Porthcawl. MO

From far away on the other side of the bay you can see the beautiful clubhouse arise and it is the first clue that one is about to enjoy a day on a traditional, historic linkscourse. I was pumped to play here and we teed off a bit after 8 am on a beautiful summer day, with dew on the grass and low-hanging clouds. The opening teeshot is daunting, although the fairway is fairly generous. The hole is a cracking long par 4 that ususally plays into the prevailing wind as it did today as well. After a shaky start I found my game pretty soon and I really enjoyed the shot making skills required on this wonderful course. The wind blew very hard so it only depended on the wind how long and difficult a hole was. I reached the 600 yard par 5 6th in two but sometimes a 110 yard 8 iron blew away completely. The surfaces were unbelieveably hard. Downwind, you had to land your approach shots 20 yards short of the green and then they could still end up 10 yards past the back of the green. Portmarnock really shows what proper linksgolf is about. You will need evy club in your bag, think your way around every hole and never lose your focus or cool as you will be punched in the face immediately. The back nine is especially amazing. One of my great golf memories is making a solid up and down for par on the 190 yard downwind par 3 15th (9 iron that rolled of the back of the green after landing it way short of the green) and the next thing you know is you’re being taken over by a certain Rory McIlroy playing a round with the lads and of course his shot from the tips did hold the green. The green complexes are stunning with runoff-area’s bumps that can give nasty bounces and a few punchbowls and ridges that can take your ball towards the hole or a bunker. Few things are as rewarding as a well considered decision paying off.4The bunkering is so beautiful and in all the right places. Positioning is of great importance. You could score well even in tough conditions but a triple bogey is made so easily and all the hard work put in is lost. I would love to come back to this marvellous place to see if I can keep the high ones off the scorecard. It really lives up to the expectations, and it doesn’t need the towering dunes to be spectacular. It is a reaaly tough test but very fair and given the history and conditions this is a must play course. MO

Ostend is a relatively short but solid course in a cosy little town De Haan. Public roads divide the course in four different parts.  The course starts off relatively easy with an reachable par 4 and 5 on flat land. My swing was nowhere to be found the first few holes and let this get inside my head until the 4th, the last of the holes in the parkland part of the course. The fifth hole starts off the seaside part of the course which unsurprisingly is my favourite part of the course as it has some great links holes on undulated terrain. The greens and or tees are mostly elevated and the  potbunkers are placed strategically. 7-9 I believe is the best stretch of holes on the course. Not only does it give some great views over the North-Sea, but you can either make or break your round on these holes atlhough they are pretty short. The prevailing wind will always play a major factor on any of these holes and positioning is very important. The eighth is a delightful little par 3, probably just a pitching wedge to a relatively large green guarded by bunkers and runoff-area’s. If you therefore miss the green on the left right or far, a par is far away because the green slopes from back to front. When I played last summer the greens ran fast and true and the fairways were in dry but good shape. Approach shots however could be hit a little too close by the pin for my taste, considering Ostend being a links course.  Other highlight holes for me were the par 4 12th, where the tee shot is hit to a fairway with bunkers all over the place. In order to score well around Osten dit is key to take advantage of the short par 5s that play with the wind in favour, keep the high numbers off the card on the narrow, long par 4s and to take some well considered risks where possible on the short par 4s, although birdies are definitely possible when hitting irons off the tee for position. Probably better value than Royal Zoute, which is the better course by some distance. All in all a very enjoyable course for some holiday golf, you won’t be bored. I opt for a strong 4 ball-rating and I’ll be back. Maarten (MO)

It’s been a while since I last played here, but recently having played Royal Zoute, Spa and Royal Ostend I can still clearly remember Limburg, because I compared these to Limburg everytime. When I played here the heather was in full bloom and this was a delight to see. In fact I’ve never seen heather as beautiful and abundant.This however doesn’t distract from the fact that even without these aesthetic pleasures Limburg is a great course. It plays ‘hard and fast’ year round with true and fast greens and it has matured really well over the years. In my opinion, Limburg can really compete with the Dutch Colt-designed heathland-courses while having it’s very own character. My favourite holes were 8-10 and the 18th. Limburg has holes with great diversity: You’ll find a few tricky risk-reward par 4s, some devilishly long par 4s and the par 3s are pretty, mostly tree lined and harder than they appear. Limburg should certainly be listed in the top 50 in continental Europe, unless something weird has happened over the last few years.I think it’s the most interesting, challenging and complete course I’ve played in Belgium and I’m sorry to say (not really) Limburg has the edge for me against Zoute.Maarten (MO)

Southerndown was the first course we played on our tour through South Wales and North Devon, and it turned out to be the perfect place for a nice afternoon-round. The club is set in a very tranquil atmosphere between peaceful sheep, just chilling in the bushes, which can be awkward when, hypothetically ofcourse, you have to retrieve your wayward ball there. The course is very undulated and you’re required to hit some blind shots, especially when you’re out of position. The conditions were a little scruffy around the edges but that never really bothered me. As the curse isn’t overly long, positioning is of great importance. Especially towards the end of the round there are some really good golf holes that wouldn’t be out of place on some great classic courses. The two leveled fairway on the dogleg-right finishing hole for example, is an absolute cracker. The par 3s are often played from a raised tee over a chasm. The Carling afterwards tasted delicious, while enjoying some beautiful views over the coast. That about sums up my memories of Southerndown: it’s an ideal club for a laidback summer-evening-round and an ideal warmup for the other great courses in the area. Maarten (MO) 

Pyle and Kenfig was the last course I played in South Wales before driving to Saunton and Burnham & Berrow, and having played some wonderful courses that week made me feel slightly underwhelmed by P&K. It certainly is a proper course but it just didn’t grab me as much. It doesn’t feel balanced. The front 9 isn’t bad at all but it’s just a nice walk in the park where you can spray your drives left and right and get away with it. Then out of nowhere there are 5 great links holes in the dunes followed by some cracking long par 4s playing into the prevailing wind that, let’s be honest, ruined an otherwise solid round. All in all, it sure is a nice course to play but don’t be sad if you miss it. I strongly recommend playing nearby Southerndown to complement a round on the outstanding Royal Porthcawl.

Our group played Pennard twice in july 2014. I didn’t have a clue what to expect  as i couldn’t really put my finger on what ‘the links in the sky’ was supposed to mean. Now I do know and I relish the experiences we’ve had. The staff were warm and welcoming and playing the first couple of holes, it immediately comes clear what a nice little quirky linkscourse Pennard is. There’s cattle and sheep all over the place but it only adds to the experience. I dare you to knock your approach stiff when there’s a gigantic bull lurking over your shoulder! The fairways were rough and patchy but somehow it really matches the raw, pure linksgolf that Pennard is all about. On top of that, I heard they’ve recently put in much work to improve the conditions. The greens on the other hand were top-notch. The back nine is just spectacular. To review every hole would be too long a story, but thinking back every single hole was a standout hole. The 10th is a fantastic risk reward par 5, the 14th is a magnificent par 4, especially from the raised back tee which gives you the most beautiful panorama over the bay, and the back to back par 5’s 16 and 17 are fantastic holes that really make Pennard stick with you. Pennard is a short course for modern standards, but you will need every club in your bag and a lot of long irons and 3woods will be required from the tee. You’ll need to imagine every shot before hitting it, and preferably be able to work the ball high, low, left and right.When we finished and had tied for all square after a finishing silly 3 putt- bogey by yours truely, we asked the caddiemaster if we perhaps could go on for a sudden death play off, partly because we both had such a great time playing the course. The caddiemaster insisted we played another 9 holes which ofcourse we accepted gladly, before we had to hurry to arrive in a local pub right on time for Hollands’ quarter final of the World Cup Football. Combine all of the above with a steal of a greenfee: I could play this course every week for the rest of my life and never grow tired of it. Yes it’s quirky, and some landing area’s make you frown at first, but real good shots never ended up badly. Is it worth 6 balls? No, but Pennard puts an ear- to- ear smile on your face and that’s worth a lot. Maarten (MO)

The East course starts with an intimidating teeshot (if you had to run straight from your car to the pro shop to the first tee) that is set on a large dune that gives you an overwhelming panoramic view over the superb linksland that both courses were built on. My father and I played both courses on the same day and boy was it a treat. You need to be 100% from the start (which I wasn’t) or this course will eat you up. This course requires great shotmaking skills more than anything, especially when the wind is blowing. There are many doglegs, gorse , high dunes and deep rough and most approaches are played to fast, sloping greens. If you keep the ball on the fairway there are some scoring opportunities though, but when I eventually got in my game I lost my momentum a few times because I didn’t have the local knowledge, which I think is a great advantage on this course, tricky as it is. Of course this is a great reason to visit Saunton again (and again and again), and let the course grow on you; because I imagine you will never get tired of playing Saunton. This is, apart from <A href="/golf-course/ballybunion-old" target=_self>Ballybunion</A> maybe, the best 36 holes- venue I have played, as the <A href="/golf-course/saunton-west" target=_self>West course</A> is equally enjoyable albeit a little easier. Go see for yourself and have a blast. In the area the East has the edge for me against <A href="/golf-course/burnham-berrow-championship" target=_self>Burnham & Berrow</A>, that we played the following day. MO

A wonderful experience from begin to end. I loved that the course starts with 3 excellent par 4s along the sea. Every hole provides its' own challenge and every hole is different than the one before. It played really firm and fast and the fairwaysand greens were immaculate. When playing downwind, it was incrediby tough to let the ball stop on the greens as they were really quick and undulated. The finish is quite hard too with long uphill par 4s and the complimentary lunch in the cosy clubhouse was more than welcome. Definitely the best course in Wales.

Millennium is a really enjoyable course with some cracking holes. I loved the par 5 3rd that is named after <A href="/golf-course/pebble-beach" target=_self>Pebble Beach</A> as it is reminiscent of the 18th we all know. The par 4 7th plays on a peninsula surrounded by two lakes which is really cool and the 18th is a great risk reward reachable par 4- if you can carry your drive far and high. The facilities are state of the art indeed, as Jim already stated. Millennium has a corporate feel, and having experienced the tranquility and majesty of <A href="/golf-course/royal-fagnes" target=_self>Royal Fagnes</A> the day before, I tend to say that is what I really love in a golf club. There's nothing wrong with Millennium, it's just not a club or course to fall in love with. It also seems a bit unnatural in places, although the site is perfect for a golf course (a bit loud though due to roadnoise). Not quite a five star course for me; maybe it has to mature but I understand that golfers can have a great time playing this course. MO

We went on a short weekendtrip to the area of Liege and found ourselves playing Spa on Friday, Mergelhof on Saturday and <A href="/golf-course/millennium-championship" target=_self>Millennium Golf</A> on sunday. Spa obviously standed out from this trio, as it is the oldest and most prestigious of them. I played really bad but still enjoyed every minute of my round. Tom Simpson had some great land to work with and has created a masterpiece of a golfcourse. The starting stretch allows for some early scoring, given the 2 reachable par 5s and the short downhill par 3 2nd. Each of them are great holes. Tom Simpson is known for his magnificent design and placement of bunkers and Spa is no exception. The fairwaybunkers are not in the corners of the fairway, but right down the middle and a really cool feature is the heather that marks and "betrays" that a bunker is in play. What I don't get is why the club hasn't turned around the front and back nine, because I think the front nine is better than the back nine and the par 5 9th is a brilliant par 5 playing towards the majestic clubhouse. The greens were true and pretty quick considering all the rain of the last weeks, and boy did they bite! There is not a single weak hole to be found. The course is fairly short but some of the toughest holes are the short par 4s. For 55 euros midweek Royal Fagnes is a steal to play! MO

Played on a mild summer-afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience from begin to end. One needs to be sharp from the start to score well, as hole 1 is the second ongest par 4 on the course. I especially enjoyed the reachable par 5s which will host eagles as well as double bogeys. The fairways are pretty narrow and the semi-rough is thick but it's possible to catch a break. If you hit it even more wayward you definitely lost your ball. The greens were of incredible quality and pace, however a tad soft for the nature of the course. The fairways on the other hand were absolutely grilled and dried out, which was really charming and cool and gave some roll on your tee- shots. The best holes to my taste were the par 5 fifht and the stretch 13-16 is one of the best I've ever played. Hands down the best course in Belgium, although I love Limburg G&CC as well. As for the other northsea-courses I slightly prefer Koninklijke Haagsche and Kennemer, but I like quirky links courses. Zoute oozes quality and is a fantastic club. MO

On an astonishingly cold saturday I had the honour of being allowed to play the routing that is used for the KLM Open; which De Kennemer will host for the upcoming three years. The routing (as stated by other reviewers) consists of B1-3, C4-9 and all 9 A-holes. The four of us took off on B1 and were confronted with a severe wind of 7 Bft. My standbag usually fell over on every hole several times and it was very hard to make good strokes or swings. So far the conditions: The course was outstanding. B2 is a lovely par 3 playing uphill that plays harder than it looks. The next highlight hole is C6 (or 15) another uphill par 3 with a valley between the tee and the hole, but a visual elevation change of about 20 meters and a bunker beneath all of this to catch the shots that didn’t quite make it and tend to roll back slowly all the way down the slope just to leave a near impossible long blind bunker shot. This one and the next three are all part of quite an exhilarating finish consisting of the reachable par 5 C7 (16), the wonderful downhill 17th that’s reminiscent of the greatest short holes in the game such as the 7th of <a href="/golf-course/pebble-beach" target="_self">Pebble Beach</a>, however lacking no glamour in terms of the backdrop; as the clubhouse that is placed strategically at the highest point of the course is quite a feast for the eye in its’ own right. De Van Hengel course commences with a long downhill dogleg left par 4 which played impossible considering the prevailing wind. The rest of the holes are all great holes except for 2 which is a bit boring but by no means weak. The standout holes are the great strategic and reachable 6th, where you think the Tiger-line at the blind tee shot most certainly leads to an OOB while in fact it doesn’t. The 204 meter downhill par 3 8th might just be the best and most beautiful hole in the Netherlands. It has a similar feel to the 4th at <a href="/golf-course/koninklijke-haagsche" target="_self">Koninklijke Haagsche</a> and even the 15th at Ballybunion. One stands on the teebox all exposed to the elements (WIND) and there’s the choice between hitting a pure long iron or with some winds a driver might be necessary, or hitting a low running shot, using the large landing area in front of the green. Did I mention that the green is very small, long and sloping to the right trying to push the balls away from the green and there’s gorse on the left and trees on the right and some bunkers here and there? What a magnificent hole. The 18th is just a nice finishing par 4 and the none can enjoy a well deserved beer in the awesome clubhouse. It is hard to judge where the course should stand in the rankings but I believe the KLM Open routing is a more fair but slightly less exhilarating a test as de Koninklijke Haagsche, and therefore equally enjoyable. MO

The four of us teed off around noon on the 1st of december. The first few holes let you ease into the round before you play the hardest holes, 7-12. Broekpolder is a pretty long course but doesn't really play so because there are 5 par 5s and most par 4s are of reasonable length, even from the back tees.  I was told that since the Deloitte Ladies Open (LET) the greens had been outstanding and I couldn't argue with that. the whole course was wet and cold but the greens didn't show the slightest blemish whatsoever and were a joy to putt on. The course is pretty flat and the area isn't all that inspiring but the sheer quality of the design and the conditions of the course surprised me in a good way. The best holes in my opinion are the par 5 3rd, the 199 meter downhill par 3 9th and the Amen corner of Broekpolder, the 11th, the very hard long dogleg par 4 12th, with a beautiful water hazard on the right of the green and out of bounds down the right side of the fairway and the beautiful par 3 13th that plays over water. This course is not  a must play by any means but it is a good test of golf and the greens were absolutely delightful. MO

It was a joy to play this wonderful course on a mild day in late summer. I teed off at 8.50 and it was still a bit foggy and moist, so the course was a little softer than I had expected because my home course De Rosendaelsche played ridiculously firm and fast the week before and I reckoned that the soil would be pretty similar, given that De Hilversumsche is pretty nearby as well. The conditions at the golf 'Society' as the members call it were incredible. The fairways were mown like I've never seen before and the beautifully designed bunkers were constantly machine-raked by the greenkeepers, who were overall very nice. The greens ran at 8.6 on the stimp and but I had expected more of them because some were perfect but others patchy and appeared to be running slower. As for the design: Kyle Philips has done a terrific job. The course is right up there with the classic Dutch courses. There are a few great risk reward holes and some brutal par 4s. The fairway bunkers really are hazards one should negotiate with, I hit a lot of three woods and long irons from the tee, while the course played to its' full length of 6285 meters from the tips. The opening hole is a terrific slight dogleg longish par 4 where the approach plays downhill a meter or two and the 546 meter par 5 8th is also a fantastic hole playing into the neck of the woods, followed by another well bunker-guarded long par 4. The best holes on the back nine are the amen corner of Lage Vuursche, as the birdiebook suggests: holes 14-16 and they are indeed great holes. The finishing hole is also a cracker par 4 that I double bogeyed. There is water all along the right side and in front of the green that is guarded by deep bunkers also. The driving range is also a unique experience in the Netherlands because there are pyramids of balls on real grass instead of the usual mats, which really adds to the experience. I will definitely be back.MO

I played Oitavos the 13th of August, returning after 3 years and had a blast from begin to end. The opening hole is very good, giving you many options with the approach to a bowl green. The fourth hole surely is a cracker of a par 4 from the tips having about 10 bunkers. From the 7th hole on you're starting to get the 'links feeling', especially on the back nine where you're closest to the see and the fairways widen and the amount of trees get scarcer. The par 3 9th and the 14th are among the best and most beautiful par 3's in the world. Although I really enjoyed myself this time, the problem with this course seems to be that people have too high expectations of it; and that is due to Golf Magazine ranking it way too high at no.68 in the world. In and outside the clubhouse the first things you see are all sorts of billboards that state: No 68th in the world, which sets the expectations even higher. But can you blame the staff for being proud of their course? Ofcourse not. The green fee is steep and the ranking high and when people don't quite get what they expected they are disappointed and can't see what a gem Oitavos in fact is; in terms of sheer design quality, conditions and the beautiful surroundings. Oitavos is a very tough test, a great golfcourse and a guarantee for a very well spent day of golf. 19th in Europe is a well deserved ranking for this course (may even be a bit harsh) and if you bear that in mind you will have a great experience playing here,because without doubt this is a very special course. MO

I cannot for the life of me understand why Penha Longa dropped out of the top 100 in Continental Europe in the latest rankings. I played here mid august after having played Oitavos and Furnas , both which I very much enjoyed. Penha Longa is a sensational course and everything about it has an amazing aura. When you drive to the hotel you have the feeling you could have been in the rainforest in Borneo. RTJ II did an amazing job because there isn't a weak hole to be found on the hole course, although in my opinion the fourth and the 10th are a bit dull. The holes that have elevated greens are definitely no flaws in the design. It can be not your cup of tea, but let's face it: The terrain is very hilly and when you go down you have to climb at some point too. Therefore I think the 16th is a worldclass par 4, playing down at least 30 meters with the teeshot to a treelined fairway, followed by a devilish approach shot to a small tabletop green with a big bunker in front of it. That means it doesn't accept any running shots: you have to fly it all the way or lay up and play it as a three shotter. I reached 3 of the par 5s in two so there are the scoring opportunies (2 lipout eagle putts!) The finish to this course is especially strong, starting with the long par 3 16th over water into the prevailing wind followed by the earlier described 16th. then there is the beautiful downhill par 3 17th with trees guarding  the green and the 18th rewards big drives with a ridge that pulls your ball within reach of the green. The hotel is the best I've ever seen and I especially recommend the sushi restaurant Midori that is quite the experience. I can't decide if I prefer Oitavos or Penha Longa, but hey are both very different and definitely worth playing so see for yourself! If Oitavos is overrated, this course is severely underrated because this is a cracker of a course. MO

The Island of Sao Miguel is uncannily beautiful and this course is no exception. If there's such a thing as a 'hidden gem', this might be the perfect example. Mackenzie Ross had some incredible land to work with and the extension of the course has been done really well. Apart from the amazing Japanese cedars that <IMG alt="Furnas Golf Course - Photo by reviewer" hspace=5 src="https://www.top100golfcourses.com/images/furnas-golf-course-review-FURN004.jpg" align=right vspace=5 border=1>surround most of the old holes (as well as some of the newer) you can hardly tell them apart if you don't know about it, as the style has been copied excellently. The green complexes are without doubt the coolest I have seen. Their cnontours are so wild with may false fornts, backs and sides that you really need to get to know the course. There are many bunkers and they are seriously DEEP. The sand is almost black which looks very special and makes you think about the volcanoes on the island. the greens are mostly raised by a few meters which makes the approaches even more interesting. my favorite hole was the par 4 12th, an incredible mid length par 4 that doglegs to the right. I drove a 2 Hybrid down the middle of the fairway and then there's between 170 to 90 meters left, depending on how agressive your line is since both sides of the approach are well guarded by cedars. The small green is a bit below you and guarded by devilish bunkers. I am only giving it 5 stars because I'm a links lover and I think the 6 ball rating is only for the absolute top courses. The course is definitely well deserved ranked within the top 100 in Europe and I can recommend flying into the Atlantic ocean very dearly as indeed the course is worth the travel on its own: But while you're on Sao miguel any way you might as well discover the rest of this paradisal island.

It was a warm sunny day in mid- July just a week after The Open de France when I played the Albatros for the first time. Later that week I played it again after a round on Fontainebleau which was just as delightful an experience as Le Golf National. Normally I’m a fan of old courses. Colt and Simpson are among my favorite architects so I was afraid I wasn’t going to like the Albatros having read a few negative reviews about being reminiscent of Celtic Manor and Gleneagles Ryder cup course.All I can say is the reviewers must’ve caught this course on a bad day because it overwhelmed me from the start. The lay-out is AWESOME. Conditions were AWESOME. The greens weren’t just big but they ran 11 on the stimp as they got grilled by the sun. The course is the hardest one I’ve ever played and yet every bogey you make is your own fault! Make sure to play from the right tees because you’re not going to play your handicap anyway the first time.You need every club in the bag and you need to strike the ball great; to keep the ball in play in the first place and to make some length. The rough is deadly at best; In some places it looked like US Open rough x2... The course doesn’t feel unnatural at all, apart from the waterhazards at holes 15,16 and 18. The days I played it played like a links course because of the firm and fast conditions.The planes taking off above your head indeed is a shame but it really couldn’t bother me after a few holes. See for yourself just how good this course is. MO

My expectations were pretty high considering all the great reviews i had seen and the course definitely lived up to them. There are no weak holes to be found and some are just spectacular. The opening par 4 is one of the best opening holes I have encountered and they include a fair share of the top 100 courses of Continental Europe. There are rock formations all over the course and due to that there are some spectacular raised tees like the 3rd and the 13th that both rise a good 20 meters above the fairways. The course is not really long even from the backtees but the many bunkers make up for that. There are some tough doglegs and blind holes and you will need all sorts of ballflights to score well. I managed to score a 76 with a 10 footer for birdie on the last. One negative point is that there is  a nearby hippic sports center or so where seemed to be going on some european championship which was very noisy and terrible music was played very loudly. This however isn’t the case every day and has nothing to do with the quality of the golf course and club. The greens were running a nice 9 ft. On the stimp and were a pleasure to putt on. All memebers and staff we met were extremely helpful and sympathetic. I’m very glad to have made the one hour journey from Le Golf National which is completely incomparable to Fontainebleau, although both courses are well inside my top 10. All in all it was a glorious day on a glorious course. MO

Just five weeks ago was the first time I played here, and it was such a great experience that I rushed back today. The course was quite 'firm and fast' despite some rain earlier this week. The greens were the best I've played in all of The Netherlands. There were greenkeepers to be found all over the course, maintaining the course to the tiniest details. It was quite a busy day but still the tranquility was amazing. I shot a very nice 77 off the back tees and I nearly aced the 14th this time, as the ball stopped just 2 inches in front of the hole... The caddy master is also a very welcoming man as are the rest of the crew. I'll be back soon! MO

I played 36 holes yesterday and those being my 4th and fifth round at de Pan, it was the first time it really made me realize what a special place this is. Every par 3 is a masterpiece and I couldn't imagine the famous Surrey courses being much more beautiful than this course. The back nine however is considerably more spectacular than the front nine, with almost every hole producing a Wow!-moment, starting with the beautiful short par 4 10th. For me it just misses out on a six star rating because it just cannot compare to the feeling you get when playing <A href="/golf-course/ballybunion-old" target=_self>Ballybunion</A> or <A href="/golf-course/tralee" target=_self>Tralee</A> for example. De Pan is meant to play from the back tees since the course isn't the longest but it can be tough to score well. I unfortunately lost twice in matchplay that day but still I was in awe with the quality, tranquility and atmosphere of this place. I have also never seen the greens this good before. you had to keep your approach underneath the hole otherwise the putt back was incredibly hard to get close. Go see for yourself how good De Pan is! O

It took me three hours to get here by train, bus, and a half an hour walk so I was really hoping it was going to be worth the journey ( which could have been a lot shorter). I was expecting a lot from this place having seen the KLM Open on tv. It seemed the preparations have already started for this years tournament because the conditions were absolutely brilliant. The fairways were outstanding and the greens were beautifully kept. We played off the tips and we knew we were in for a test. The par 4 2nd measures 314 meters which plays longer because you can't hit a driver due to the very small opening to the green; and there are 4 par 4s that play 411, 413, 434 and 435 meters from the tips. Combine this with the tree lined fairways and you're going to need your A-game to score around this course. The famous par 3 14th of only 114 meters is also a joy to play. It has a big round flat greena nd 5 bunkers of which only one is visible from the tee! The par 3s as a set I think are among the best in the Netherlands. the fifth is a beautiful long par 3 that plays over heather into a punchbowl green (sort of) and the eighth is also a brilliant one shotter. If I had to choose between the four major heathland courses in the Netherlands <a href="/golf-course/utrecht-de-pan" target="_self">De Pan</a>, <a href="/golf-course/eindhoven" target="_self">De Eindhovensche</a>, <a href="/golf-course/rosendaelsche" target="_self">De Rosendaelsche</a> and this one De Hilversumsche I think except for the 2 easily reachable par 5s is the hardest test, and especially when the heather blooms I reckon also very esthetically pleasing. MO

I played 36 holes on april 22nd from the back tees and what a beast this course can be when the wind is blowing. Due to a lack of rain the fairways and greens were really hard so it wasn't at all easy to get a lot of check on the greens. I loved the course even more then the first time I visited. The greens unfortunately had been hollowtined but were still pretty fast. And reaaly, it couldn't distract me from the overwhelming beauty of this place. Standoutholes are: 2, 4,6,7 and on the back nine 14,15 and 18. The 18th is the only hole on the course that doesn;t have a links feel but yet it is considered oe of the best closing holes in continental Europe and in my opinion rightfully so. The clubhouse is astonishing as well. It was a great day and I really recommend playing here. If you're in for a challenge; play off the tips.

Since the last time I played here, Frank Pont has made some pretty big changes around the place. I played 36 hole here yesterday and I thought most of those changes were done really well. The bunkers all look very pretty, especially the ones with heather on top of them. It also became a very lengthy track, measuring 6390 meters from the back tees. The par 5 12th is now 552 meters and few par 4s measure under 400 yards. Some bunkers do seem out of place. For example the fairwaybunker on the 18th, which used to be a very good par 4 of 417 meters from the tips, is placed exactly in the spot where the best drives end up. There are trees down both sides of the fairway and you're being forced to hit a 3wood while the hole is almost 420 meters! I think thats rather unfair. The par 3 14th is one of my favorite par 3s in the Netherlands. All in all go play here and see for yourself! MO

I played Les Dunes right after <A href="/golf-course/hardelot-les-pins" target=_self>Les Pins</A> and <A href="/golf-course/le-touquet-la-mer" target=_self>La Mer</A>. i had already played the course once two years ago, but back then it was all torn up and played as a par 67. The first next to the clubhouse is incredibly beautiful as you play an all uphill par 4 and you see the great downhill 18th on the other side of the water. The back to back par 5s 3rd and 4th are very beautiful but not too challenging holes, as I had only a 6 iron and a 7 iron left. I managed to miss the green however, but I holed my bunkershot for eagle on the fourth! On the back nine the course gets more feel of a dunes course,, because the front nine pretty much plays as a very undulating tree lined course. You can score really well around this course. You don't need your driver on most of the holes but if you hit it straight, you're in for a lot of birdie opportunities, The only letdown besides some weak holes wwas the condition of the greens. The greenkeepers certainly spend more time on Les Pins than on this course because they looked terrible and I doubt that they would make 5 on the stimp... If they had been good, I'd have given 4 stars but for now this is all I can give!

Played here on the 23rd march 2012 alongside <A href="/golf-course/le-touquet-la-mer" target=_self>La Mer</A> and <A href="/golf-course/hardelot-les-dunes" target=_self>Les Dunes</A>. I was quite surprised by the quality of the course. I found La Mer to be a sterner test of golf but I really enjoyed my round on Les Pins. You need to play well around the par 5s to score well. The bunkering is truly magnificent. They were all well kept and were placed in the right spots. Th edges were very high and it really causes trouble to be in one, especially on the fairway. The best holes in my opinion were the par 3 fifth, which is a lovely little hole with brutal bunkers all around the green, the par 4 ninth that gives you a lot of options from the tee, challenging to take risk and play a blind shot to leave an approach as short as possible; the eleventh, a great risk and reward par 4 and the finish is quite special with the downhill par 3 17th and the fantastic long downhill par 4 18th. A remarkable hole with a great view on the clubhouse over the narrow pine tree- lined fairway. MO

I returned here after two years and I can confirm that the condition of the course definitely has improved in comparison to march 2010 when I last played here. Or threesome teed off early in the morning from the back markers when there was hardly any wind. The course still proved to be anything but a pushover. The opening holes are fine golf holes, especially the long and narrow par 3 second hole coutning 5 bunkers in front of the green. The other highlights on the front 9 would be the long fifth and the fantastic long par 4ninth hole with water on the left and bunkers all over the place. the ninth is also the start of what I think is the best stretch of holes on the course, that is 9-11. I also loved the high tabletop greened par 5 17th and the 18th is a heck of a finishing hole. We caught a great winter-deal on the greenfee: 51 euros for a round and a two course lucnh! I will not award La Mer 6 stars, having played <A href="/golf-course/koninklijke-haagsche" target=_self>Royal Hague</A> that in times has a similar feel; <A href="/golf-course/ballybunion-old" target=_self>Ballybunion</A> and <A href="/golf-course/tralee" target=_self>Tralee</A>. I really recommend playing this great course! It's definitely a harder and in my opnion better course than nearby <A href="/golf-course/hardelot-les-pins" target=_self>Hardelot Les Pins</A>

Nunspeet provides 3 very challenging loops of golf holes. Paul Rolin has made a great effort here. Each loop has some spectaculair holes. For a Dutch municipal course the conditions are generally amazing. The greens ran at stimp 9 last summer and the fairways were nice and hard as they should be on a course that is layed out on sandy soil. If you find yourself in the area, it is a course not to be missed. Dutch tourplayer Robert-jan Derksen recently opened his putting academy at Nunspeet, which will help the dutch talents improve their putting skills so they will not struggle on the greens like the current tour players. There is a link betwen their level of putting and the conditions of the greens in the Netherlands, apart from very few courses that are always in great shape. ( <A href="/golf-course/dutch" target=_self>Dutch</A>, <A href="/golf-course/noordwijkse" target=_self>Noordwijkse</A>, <A href="/golf-course/koninklijke-haagsche" target=_self>Koninklijke Haagsche</A>). Nunspeet is a joy to play and is good value for money. Because The Netherlands is such a small country it's hard to decide what courses are actually nearby, but <A href="/golf-course/hoge-kleij" target=_self>Hoge Kleij</A>, <A href="/golf-course/utrecht-de-pan" target=_self>De Pan</A> and de <A href="/golf-course/rosendaelsche" target=_self>Rosendaelsche</A> spring to mind. They are all within 45 minutes of Nunspeet.

This is a very nice track! it's still a pretty young course so it will only improve with the years. It's an exciting lay out that has some superb holes. It's not an easy course because it's really tight with narrow fairways. The conditioning is also a plus. The Utrecht area is blessed with some great courses, such as <A href="/golf-course/utrecht-de-pan" target=_self>De Pan</A>, <A href="/golf-course/goyer-north" target=_self>De Goyer</A> and Anderstein, that unfortunately isn't featured on this site yet.

This is a phenomenal golf course. I'm lucky to have played it on a very sunny day in a modest breeze. The greens are very fast by Dutch standards and they are very true as well. There are some steep and tricky slopes  so it really is all about hitting good shots and hitting the RIGHT shot that fits the situation, or you'll get punished. The clubhouse and the practice facilities are great and conditioning is from a very high standard. Even in november the conditioning was great. I think this course is underrated, but that may be due to the greens that have been rebuilt a few years ago. The greens are now one of the strongest features of the course in my opinion. You really need to score well around the par 5's that are all relatively easy and short, but great risk and reward holes. This is a must play course. MO

I fell in love with Tralee . There isn't a weak hole at all and I can't think of a course with more ocean holes. The stretch from 11-17 is just magical. the twelfth is the hardest hole I've ever set foot on and however I managed to struck a great drive twice, I have bogeyed it and double bogeyed it when the wind stormed in my face. All in all I will never forget Tralee and for me it has the edge against both the courses at <A href="/golf-course/ballybunion-old" target=_self>Ballybunion</A>. the Old Course there is no. 2 in my top 5. The green fee of 180 euros is a lot of money, but you can come back for a free complimentary round which is a great deal.

The Old course is simply stunning. I didn't think the first stretch was weak at all, although the par 5's were a little easy in my opinion, maybe because the wind was favourable when I played. From hole 6 to the very end it is an absolutely magnificent course. Especially holes 11, 13,15,16 and 17 in my opinion. I loved the <A href="/golf-course/ballybunion-cashen" target=_self>Cashen Course</A> as well. It may not be the fairest course out there, but I had great fun playing it nonetheless and the views are breathtaking. I hope I'll return to this fantastic golfclub.

What an extraordinary golfcourse. I understand the arguments that the course is too quirky but I think that's one of the charms of the course; never a dull moment! There was stormy wind when I played it and managed to reach the turn in level par. The back nine unfortunately killed my score. Will play the <A href="/golf-course/ballybunion-old" target=_self>Old course</A> and I'm very eager to discover if it lives up to my expectations. For the green fee you can almost play the Cashen course three times!

Nice course, it is quite easy because there's so much room for errors.The finishing 3 holes are great golf holes next to the lake.The course plays quite short, especially the par 5's that can all be reached in 2. All in all had a great day but can't compare to either <A href="/golf-course/killarney-killeen" target=_self>Killeen</A> or most of the nearby links courses.

Played all of the Killarney courses and the Killeen was the best by far. Had great fun. The holes by the lake are fantastic but I wasn't disappointed by the rest at all. 7 is a great reachable par 5 and 13 is a magnificent par 4, in my opinion even better than 18. The european tour players should look forward to playing this course in a few weeks from now.

This is a very good course with stretches of heathland-holes, dune holes and forestholes, so there' s a wide variety and the upkeep is immaculate, using American grass for the greens. The clubhouse could be the best clubhouse in the country, providing very high standards of dining and atmosphere. The changing rooms are excellent as well. It is'nt far from Amsterdam and it could be a great combination along with <A href="/golf-course/hilversumsche" target=_self>Hilversumsche</A> and <A href="/golf-course/utrecht-de-pan" target=_self>De Pan</A>! Go play if you're in the area!

I played the course in May 2010. The conditions were challenging, windy and chilly. The greens were fast and true and I found the lay out quite good, but it just didn't live up to my high expectations (and the steep greenfee!) I'd gladly come back though, the area is great.

I really liked this course wen I played it twice on a sunny springday. I am a member of the <A href="/golf-course/rosendaelsche" target=_self>Rosendaelsche</A> but I have to confess De pan is just that tiny bit better in every aspect. It is however a bit short, but that is compensated by the narrow fairways and often difficult approaches the course demands.

Beautiful course! Too bad I played it february 26th, with the greens being taken care of, but it obviously is a great course that requires shot-making and little mistakes. I still prefer The <A href="/golf-course/rosendaelsche" target=_self>Rosendaelsche</A>, but that may change if I can come back this summer.

Excellent golfcourse in the south of Holland. Played it twice in two years time (both in August) and was very surprised by the quality: Great greens and fairways, and beautiful views