Golfing in The Netherlands
Information about golfing in the Netherlands: the Dutch golf federation, requirements to play (handicap system, medical certificates), club membership requirements and Holland golf courses…
Golfing in the Netherlands is not new; in fact the game ‘het kolven‘ (first recorded in the 14th century) required a ball to be hit with a stick – not unlike a golf club or hockey stick – towards a target.
The first Dutch modern-day golf courses were created at the turn of the 20th century. The Dutch Golf Federation (Nederlandse Golf Federatie or NGF) was established in 1914, the men’s Amateur Championship was first played in 1898, followed by the Ladies Amateur Championships in 1906 and the first Dutch Open in 1912.
Holland’s flat landscape means course designers often have a challenge making golf courses interesting. Some courses use sand dunes and coastline for a dramatic effect. Since much land in Netherlands lies at or just below sea level, many holes have built-in water hazards. The wind blowing in off the North Sea also plays an important factor.
GOLFING IN THE NETHERLANDS
A medical certificate is not required to play golf in the Netherlands.
Most golf courses are either privately owned clubs or commercial clubs; it is usually possible to play for the day on payment of a fee without having a club membership. Some clubs accept players without a golf handicap.
Golfers holding an official handicap from another country should refer to their local golf course to see how this might be assessed. European Golf Association (EGA) handicaps are valid in the Netherlands.
Beginner Golfers
Learning to play golf begins with lessons from a certified instructor at a specific golf course. Almost all golf instructors in the Netherlands speak fluent English so there should be no communication problems. In addition to one-on-one training sessions, it is also a good idea to study the rules of the game on your own. Much can also be learned from watching experienced golfers play.
Once your instructor determines you have learned basic golf skills, he/she will issue you an NGF Pass. Since 2021 the NGF Pass is only available in digital format using the Golf.NL smartphone app. The pass includes your name, NGF number, GSM number, the name of your golf club and your current handicap. The barcode and QR code incorporated in the pass can be scanned at the club’s POS terminals.
A player only ever has one GSM number (the number starts with the letters NL), but can have multiple NGF numbers as these are specific to a golf club. If you belong to more than one club, you will have a different NGF number (and digital pass) for each one.
Before you can get a handicap, you need to pass the golf proficiency exam. This can be done before or after receiving your NGF pass.
Golf Rules Exam
The golfregelexamen (Golf Rules Exam) is made up of three parts – etiquette (10 questions), playing rules (19 questions) and Stableford (1 question).
- The theory exam is a one hour written test with multiple choice questions
- It is available in Dutch, English and German
- The exam consists of illustrations showing different situations
- The exam is administered by a representative of an NGF club
- To pass the exam you must answer 23 of the 30 questions correctly
- The handicap authority (Handicap Autoriteit) publishes information on where and when the examination can be taken.
Getting a Handicap
Once you have an NGF Pass and have successfully passed the golfregelexamen, you can play a qualifying round on the golf course that issued the NGF Pass. You then play ‘handicap 54’ with a marker that has a registered handicap. When you reach 36 stableford points at 18 holes (or 18 points at 9 holes), you get handicap 54 or lower. Your digital NGF Pass will then be updated to display your handicap.
Certain rules apply to a qualifying round.
- Must be an 18-hole round on a Dutch, NGF approved course
- The game must be played according to those set by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) and the local rules of the club
- Must use the Stableford system
DUTCH GOLF COURSES
There are more than 250 golf courses in Holland. Golf.nl ranks the top 50 18-hole courses and top 40 9-hole courses in the Netherlands.
PRO GOLFING IN THE NETHERLANDS
There are two top-level, European circuit golf tournaments held annually in the Netherlands:
- KLM Open (Dutch Men’s Open)
- Dutch Ladies Open
Related information…