Royal golf adventure: Paul and Jeroen on the Hague

Paul and Jeroen van Haarlem enjoyed a wonderful day of golf at the Royal Hague Golf and Countryclub

It took us a while to find a suitable day, but March 4, 2024 was finally here. We will cash in the green fees won on King's Day for the Royal Hague!

It is Monday morning as we drive up the long avenue of majestic trees toward the Royal Hague Golf and Country Club.

It is still slightly cloudy with a patch of blue sky here and there when we report to the starter. We receive a very friendly and hospitable welcome and are shown how the course runs. Just to be sure, we ask for a course booklet, which the starter gives us as a gift. From the starter's cottage you have a nice view of the course and quite a few holes are visible from here. And it looks beautiful and impressive.

Unfortunately, the driving range is closed on Monday morning so then just some putting to warm up. And what is that practice green fast.... that takes some getting used to.

Even though we enter the course cold, the first turn is straight on for both of us, so that is a good start. Hole 1 is a par 5 that does not look difficult at first glance, but it soon becomes clear that you have to take the slope of the course into account on almost all holes here. After all, we are playing on a dune course. The fairways are never flat, you play over dune tops and valleys and there are several blind tees. The course booklet really helps here!

Balls you hit into the rough are amazingly good to find at this time of year but getting them out is an entirely different story. Fortunately, the course is not crowded and we also occasionally manage to record a tidy score. But what a setting! The whole course looks beautiful and it is a treat to play here. At the end of the round you play the 18th hole straight to the clubhouse and this hole does feel a bit intimidating.

By now the sky is clear blue and we decide to have another beer on the terrace. As we sit there, a deer crosses the fairway. A wonderful end to a fantastic day. An experience we won't soon forget!

Thanks to Tespelduyn!

Paul and Jeroen from Haarlem