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Koninklijke Haagsche, Netherlands |
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Koninklijke Haagsche Golf & Country Club
Groot Haesebroekseweg 22
2243 EC Wassenaar
Netherlands |  | Harry Colt and Charles Alison |  | John Woof |
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 | +31 (0) 70 5179607 |  | 2 km NE of Den Haag |
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Golf Club Website
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 | Contact in advance |  | Flip Wirth |
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The Hague or Den Haag (in Dutch) is known as the “Legal Capital of the World”, thanks to the likes of the Peace Palace and the International Criminal Court. With royal palaces and regular music festivals, the Hague could never be labelled as a boring city but, with Koninklijke Haagsche Golf & Country Club located nearby, and Noordwijk and Kennemer a little further along the coast, the Hague could be the most exciting links golfing destination on mainland Europe.
Golfers worldwide first sampled the delights of this royal club in 1963 when Byron Nelson played Gerry de Wit in one of the earliest games during the popular “Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf” series of televised challenge matches.
The similarity between this section of Dutch linksland and that of the British coastline is uncanny. Even though the Koninklijke Haagsche Golf Club was founded way back in 1893, we must thank Harry Colt and Charles Alison for today’s legacy, which was laid out in 1939 and little has since changed.
It’s an exacting layout which pitches and rolls across undulating land. You can be forgiven for having a lack of balance at Haagsche because you’ll find many uneven lies. Host venue for the Dutch Open on numerous occasions (the last was back in 1981), Haagsche is course that cannot fail to impress links traditionalists.
Top-flight professional golf returned to Royal Haagsche in 2010. The inaugural Van Lanschot Senior Open was hosted here in the Hague and Englishman George Ryall prevailed, claiming his maiden European Senior Tour title. Irishman Des Smyth claimed the 2011 Van Lanschot Senior Open title in thrilling fashion with a brilliant final round of 65.
It makes a pleasant change to find great links courses outside Britain and Ireland, so get your skates on and discover this stretch of North Sea coastline for yourself. You won’t be disappointed. | |
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If the above course review article is not accurate, let us know by clicking here |
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 |  | | Average Reviewers Score: |   | | Played Koninklijke Haagsche Golf & Country Club on Wednesday May 9th at 10:40 AM from the back tees. I was impressed by the majestic tree lined entrance and looked forward to playing this historic links established in 1893. I prepared for my round at home by watching the 1963 match between Byron Nelson and Gerry de Wit in the Shell's Wonderful World of Golf Series on YouTube. The black and white series did not do any justice for the bright green color of the links that awaited me when arriving on the first tee. The caddie master that greeted me was extremely friendly and told me to enjoy my day on the links and indicated that sheep will be out during my round. She was right, I did see about 100 sheep during my round. The greens crew was busy on the day top dressing the greens with sand during my round. I can say that I enjoyed every minute of playing this great links. For anyone that thinks the Netherlands is flat, come to this links and see the elevation changes that rival those in mountainous regions. KHG and CC is an excellent links that I would highly recommend to play. The tee areas and fairways were in excellent condition and the fairways were hard and firm. The fairway and greenside bunkers were well maintained and the greens crew certainly was excellent. It was hard for me to judge the quality of the greens due to the top dressing but they did roll well.
The round started out with a relatively easy 460 meter par 5 that was playing with the wind and is downhill.  I did make my one birdie of the day on this hole and it was nice starting on a hole like this. The second and third holes were solid par fours that play about 350 meters. The second fairway slopes broadly from left to right and the green slopes from back to front. The third played uphill and accuracy is the key. The 4th is an excellent downhill 202 meter par 3 guarded by bunkers on the left, front, and right of the green. I thought the views from the green to the tee were excellent. The fifth is a 441 meter par 5 which was highlighted by the undulating fairway and tiered green. I thought the 441 meter par 4 sixth was the most difficult on the links as it required long and precise shots. The views again were excellent after finishing this hole. The 345 meter par 4 seventh was another excellent hole with a blind tee shot and a pole placed on top of a dune where to aim. The 209 meter par 3 eighth was another excellent hole guarded by a bunker in front. The 328 meter par 4 ninth was another excellent shorter uphill hole highlighted by a green that slopes broadly from back to front.
The back nine started out with a 439 meter par 5 highlighted by a broadly undulating fairway and an elevated green that slopes from back to front. The pine trees on the left seemed out of character to the links up to this point in the round. The eleventh was a solid uphill dogleg right 378 meter par 4 and the 153 meter par 3 twelfth was highlighted by the Donald Ross type crowned type green that was perfectly manicured. The 385 meter par 4 thirteenth was another solid hole. The 387 meter par 4 fourteenth was my favorite tee shot into a valley with more excellent views. This green was highly elevated and the walk to the green was one of the steepest I have encountered on any mountainous course. The 386 meter par 4 fifteenth requires another precise drive and is just another excellent hole. This is a hole where two members in a cart went through me and they asked me how I was enjoying the round and I told them am enjoying every minute. The 350 meter par 4 sixteenth required two precise shots and the 155 meter uphill par 3 17th was another excellent hole with a tiered green. The round finished off with the challenging downhill 500 meter par 5 eighteenth culminating with the view of the fabulous clubhouse. Overall an excellent golfing experience and another solid test of golf. Click here to see the You Tube photo slideshow video I’ve created. Jim Brady |
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| 15 May 2012
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| | 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. |
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| 23 April 2012
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| If you’ve ever wondered how a golf course receives the designation of Royal (Koninklijk) all you have to do is pay a visit to Koninklijke Haagsche (De Haagsche) Golf & Country Club and you will quickly understand.  Truth be known, in the Netherlands the title Koninklijke (Royal) is a title that must be requested, for sport clubs it can only be requested by a very special anniversary. In the case of De Haagsche this request was made and bestowed upon it in 1993 when the club celebrated its Centennial (100-year) anniversary.
The US country club idea is for some reason a concept that hasn’t really seemed to catch on in Europe perhaps that’s due to the fact that it brings with it much higher membership fees and creates a lot more work for the facilities or perhaps it’s just a matter of history and the fact that many of the courses far outdate the concept all together. In any case, De Haagsche comes as close to this concept as I’ve yet to see on this side of the pond. Beautiful tennis courts, a complete fitness facility and an enormous, warm and inviting clubhouse that just gives the feeling you need to stay for dinner and later gather around the fireplace for drinks. All this and I’ve not even started on the golf yet.
Right out of the starting gate it becomes abundantly clear that a round of golf at De Haagsche is truly like a wild roller coaster ride. Literally, this may well be the most undulated course I’ve ever experienced. Hands down by far the most undulated in The Netherlands otherwise known to be the flattest country in the world. The landscape moves like the swales of the North Sea on a windy day. This makes the importance of a few extra meters on your drives often tremendous and the difference between hitting a blind 4 iron and a pitching wedge approach on many different holes. Another challenge as you might be able to imagine is that this also means that flat lies are pretty rare and blind shots on approaches abundant.… click here to read the full review from Top 100’s Benelux correspondent, David Davis. |
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| 23 November 2011
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| | 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 |
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| 12 November 2011
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| | This is a fun course which can be very challenging when the wind is blowing. 17 of the greens have now been renovated and are very fast by Dutch standards (normal by British links standards). Unfortunately the 18th green has not been renovated and is very bumpy. However its a relatively easy par 5 giving a fantastic view down to the clubhouse from the tee on top of the dunes.
Most of the holes here are short so course is also playable for short hitters. Fairways are fairly narrow, but bigger challenge is that the fairways run over the dunes, making them very steep in places. Also quite a lot of blind shots so it takes a few rounds to get to know your way around the course.
Lovely clubhouse and good practice facilities. |
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| 22 December 2009
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| | This is a traditional member’s club but visitors are made most welcome. Indeed a very friendly club. Nothing snooty here. The course itself is a Masterpiece despite its rather short yardage. The 2 loops of nine wander through high dunes and pines alike. The front nine is especially strong with 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th being my personal favorites. It doesn’t have a links feel as it is so often referred to but here you will find a very penal rough nonetheless. The course is undergoing lots of renovation work at the moment and 8 greens are still temporary (10th to 17th). The other 10 are brand new, yet still a bit fury and slow. But here is a traditional club that wants to keep its course to the highest standards, respect the environment and make every player someone special for the duration of the round. Bravo! That doesn’t happen in a minute! Despite being a little disappointed by the back nine for the reasons explained above, I don’t regret any second of my round there. My advice is, give yourself a year or 2 and then rush to play that course, it is going to be quite an experience when the greens are back to the highest quality. The Clubhouse is superb too and offers great food and a great service. Hard to believe that the whole place burnt some years ago! A model club…. Cédric |
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| 29 August 2007
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