At last count there were 91 well-known golf clubs in Belgium – but, to be honest, you’d be hard-pressed to find a place to build another now.
It is then that there are many beautiful buildings in Belgium with many top courses given the recognition of the Belgian Monarchy.
Belgium’s ‘Royal’ golf courses are not to be confused with the 64 courses that hold the patronage of the British royal family.
Instead these courses are seen by the King of Belgium as the best in the nation and worthy of his funding.
Royal Fagnes
Prominent English architect Tom Simpson and his partner Philip Mackenzie Ross created the Royal Golf Club des Fagnes course at great expense to the commission.
Each hole at Royal Fagnes has its own unique personality, and these two courses – the back nine in the heather and the front nine in the forest – while contrasting, combine to form one of Belgium’s most beautiful 18-hole structures.
The course is more challenging than its length might suggest so visitors should be prepared and bring their best game.
Royal Sart Tilman
Currently, the pine, beech, and birch forest that covers the Royal Sart Tilman’s tree-lined holes is traversed by beautiful roads that lead to fast, winding and sometimes terrible roads that are among the most terrifying in Belgium.
Notable holes are the 497-foot par 14, which has three water hazards and a bunker guarding the green, and the par fours on the 5th and 11th holes, which are listed as the toughest on the scorecard.
A fair selection of short holes, ranging in length from 130 to 189 meters, are also available.
Royal Ostend
The course was destroyed twice as both World Wars took over the area, but it has risen from the ashes each time and after its most recent renovation in 2006 it ranks among the best properties a golfer can find in Belgium.
The course has six par-three holes, and the 145-yard 8 is often considered the best. It is played from a high tee in the sand dunes to a punchbowl green that slopes from back to front and has three layers of protection to catch any short shot. The stroke index may mean that it is one of the easiest holes on the card, but when the wind blows – as it often does here – three on the card will be a pleasant sight.
Royal Belgium (Old)
The Royal Golf Club de Belgique, or Ravenstein is set on land given to the Belgian royal family and has stronger links to the Royals than many other courses.
Ravenstein gets its name from its original owner, Philippe de Cleves, Squire of Ravenstein. The participation of the King ensured that the most beautiful trees around the highways are of the highest quality, and contain a variety of rare species brought to the arboretum near the “Bois des Capucins”.
Royal Zoute (Tournament)
The Lippens family was instrumental in the club’s growth, and the Royal Zoute grew into one of the best links courses in continental Europe before becoming a parkland/links mix due to tree planting and encroachment.
This now famous Championship course was designed by Harry Colt and features classic British flair. Appearances can be deceiving at Royal Zoute. The greens are sheltered and technically protected, and while the fairways look inviting and easy to hit, there are hummocks and curves that, like most ocean courses, can direct your ball in unexpected places.
Royal Limburg
The layout of the Royal Limburg Golf Club is reminiscent of a British heatland course, twisting and turning through beautiful forests. It is located in the vast nature reserve of Campine east of Antwerp, in free-draining land that rarely floods, even during periods of heavy rain.
FW Hawtree developed the course in 1966, and it remains a timeless classic, with two nine-hole loops leading back to the clubhouse over open heathland. Many of the beautiful paths are surrounded by pine and birch trees, with large clumps of heather spread across the land that offer much beauty when in full bloom.
Royal Antwerp (Tom Simpson)
Royal Antwerp is the oldest golf club in Belgium, founded in 1888. Willie Park Junior designed the course in 1913, and Tom Simpson rebuilt it in 1930. It is one of the most prominent golf courses in continental Europe.
Royal Antwerp has little competition for the type of course that passes through forests of pine and silver birch, heather and trees, and has a character similar to that found on a beautiful golf course in west London.
