Scottish flair in the heart of the Netherlands: The Dutch

If you want to understand golf in the Netherlands, there's one name you can't get past: The Dutch. Although the course in Spijk was only opened in 2011, it has long since established itself as the exclusive ultimate in the region. The story of how it came about reads like a modern golf fairy tale: Scottish pros missed the absolute world-class standard in their adopted country that they knew from traveling with their top clients. Without further ado, they founded their own golf Eldorado under the fitting name "Made in Scotland".

The course, located within striking distance between Utrecht and Rotterdam, is an exclusive private club and is also home to one of the most extensive golf business networks in continental Europe. If you want to tee up here, you either have to be a member, come as a guest of a member or gain access via the renowned IMG Prestige network or as a member of a European Tour destination. However, this exclusivity guarantees a service that starts on the first tee: In addition to scorecards and tees, fresh apples and bananas are provided - small gestures that underline the high standards.

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World-class design by Colin Montgomerie

The design comes from the pen of Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie. He created a course that is visually very reminiscent of Scottish links courses - with one crucial difference: water is not a rare guest here, but a dominant design element. The Par 71 layout gained international fame as the venue for the KLM Dutch Open between 2016 and 2018.

Depending on the tee box, the course plays between 5,076 and 6,331 meters. While the opening hole is still moderate, hole 2, a Par-4, with its 90-degree dogleg, immediately shows that precision off the tee is vital. A special highlight of the front nine is hole 8, a picturesque Par-3 with an elevated green framed by water on the right and behind.

Nerves of steel up to the 18th green

The second nine holes increase the pressure noticeably. Hole 11 is considered the most difficult hole of the round: a 444-metre-long Par-4 with two streams crossing the Fairway. Anyone who saves a par here can count themselves among the experts. Another legendary hole is hole 14, where amateurs competed against the stars in the "Beat the Pro" competition at the KLM Open.

The final on the 18th hole, a Par-5, requires tactical discipline. Over a length of up to 557 meters, a large lake accompanies the right side of the lay-up zone. A treacherous moat directly in front of the two-tiered green makes the approach shot a matter of nerves. Anyone who gets the ball safely into the hole here has really earned a cold drink on the spacious terrace afterwards.

Business network with sporting depth

The Dutch is more than just a golf course; it is a top-class business network with world-class sporting aspirations. If you have the chance to play there (as part of a company event, for example), you should make the most of it - and calculate your short game on the undulating greens and the length of your shots in windy conditions very carefully.