Drentse Golfclub De Gelpenberg

De Gelpenberg is Drenthe’s historic championship course, shaped successively by Frank Pennink, Donald Steel and restoration architect Frank Pont.

Founded in 1970, De Gelpenberg is the oldest golf club in Drenthe. Frank Pennink designed the original nine, opened in 1972 across forest, heath and drifting sand. Donald Steel added a second nine in 1992, increasing scale while respecting the landscape. Between 2009 and 2011, Frank Pont completed an ambitious renovation. Bunkers, greens, tees and strategic lines were reshaped to improve visibility, choice and architectural unity. The work elevated De Gelpenberg into a nationally important course capable of hosting Dutch championships while remaining playable for ordinary club golfers. The course lies near Aalden in rural Drenthe, surrounded by mixed woodland, heath and sandy natural areas. Its most dramatic feature is the large drifting-sand area on the eighteenth hole, often described as one of Western Europe’s largest natural bunkers. Ecological management is unusually visible. A flock of sheep maintains rough areas and pigs have been used to control invasive Japanese knotweed. Golf, pastoral management and landscape conservation are therefore closely connected.

Pennink’s original nine is compact and intimate, using natural clearings. Steel’s later nine is broader and longer. Pont’s renovation successfully joined both generations. He restored strategic width, improved approach angles and made bunkering visually clearer. Greens usually allow more than one route of attack, but the preferred drive position strongly influences the next shot. Heather, sand and woodland are used as architectural materials rather than simple decoration. The course measures roughly 6,100 metres and plays to par 72. The front nine feels enclosed and traditional; the back nine is more open and powerful. Sandy ground provides firm conditions and allows running approaches. The eighteenth hole’s natural sand area creates a memorable finish, but the course’s real strength is its overall variety: changing angles, visible hazards and greens with meaningful internal contour.

De Gelpenberg combines history, nature and serious sporting standards. Visitors are welcomed by reservation and encounter a club proud of its pioneering role in the province. Practice facilities and clubhouse services support a complete day, while nearby villages and natural areas make the course suitable for a short golf break. For The Round, it offers strong editorial depth and a distinctive sense of place. Club founded in 1970; original nine by Frank Pennink opened in 1972; Donald Steel extension in 1992; major Frank Pont renovation completed in 2011; host of Dutch national stroke-play competition; sheep and pigs used in ecological management; exceptional natural sand area on the eighteenth.

Compétitions NGF, opens régionaux et compétitions de club — Calendrier annuel