Kennemer Golf & Country Club
Harry Colt laid out Kennemer among the dunes behind Zandvoort when the club moved to its present seaside site in 1928, and it remains the finest links experience in the Netherlands. Frank Pennink added a third nine in 1985, giving 27 holes of tumbling, heather framed dune golf, and the championship eighteen, a par 72 of about 6,600 yards, has hosted the Dutch Open many times.
Photo: Joris Tinbergen via Google.
The verdict
Kennemer, founded in 1910 and moved to its dunes site near Zandvoort in 1928, is the work of the great English architect Harry Colt, and it is the Dutch course every visiting golfer should see. The original holes run through genuine linksland, marram grass and heather clad dunes a few hundred metres from the North Sea, with the celebrated thatched clubhouse of 1928 presiding over it all.
Frank Pennink sympathetically added a nine in 1985, so the club now plays 27 holes across the Van Hengel, Pennink and Colt loops, and the championship combination has staged the Dutch Open on numerous occasions. The turf is firm, the greens are subtle and the dune setting is timeless. It is a members club with a real welcome to visitors, and the centrepiece of any golf trip to the Netherlands.
Kennemer Golf & Country Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1928
- Designer
- Harry Colt, 1928
- Type
- Dune links and heathland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,600 yds
- Green fee
- From €170
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases. Kennemer was laid out by Harry Colt when the club moved to its dunes site near Zandvoort in 1928, with Frank Pennink adding a third nine in 1985 for 27 holes in all. The championship eighteen, a par 72 of about 6,600 yards through heather framed linksland, has hosted the Dutch Open many times and is the finest links in the Netherlands. Indicative fees change by season and year, so always confirm access and any green fee directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Kennemer plays as classic Colt heathland and links, the fairways winding through the dunes with heather and marram waiting for the wayward shot. The genius is in the green sites, set on natural shelves and plateaus among the dunes, so the approach and the angle matter far more than raw length.
The wind off the nearby North Sea is the great variable, turning gentle par 4s into stern tests and rewarding the player who can flight the ball low and run it onto firm greens. Pennink's 1985 nine blends so well with Colt's originals that the championship eighteen feels of a single hand.
It is a course of subtlety rather than spectacle, but it rewards repeated play and good ball striking like few others on the continent. Kennemer gives back the pleasure of authentic dune golf, the firm turf, the heather, the sea breeze and a clubhouse that feels like the soul of Dutch golf.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Members club that welcomes visitors; generally midweek with a recognised handicap, by prior arrangement |
| Green fee | Indicative visitor green fee around €170 in the main season (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Reserve in advance through the club; weekend visitor access is more restricted |
| On the day | Walking on firm dune turf is the tradition; bring wind layers for the exposed North Sea site |
| Getting there | At Zandvoort on the North Holland coast, about 30 minutes from Amsterdam and Schiphol airport |
| Best months | May to September for the warm, firm dune conditions; spring heather adds to the setting |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; policies change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit with the club or your trip planner.
Where to stay nearby
Most visiting golfers base either in the seaside town of Zandvoort, a few minutes from the course, or in Amsterdam, a short train ride away, which puts the city's hotels, museums and restaurants within easy reach of the dunes. Either base makes Kennemer an easy day's golf.
Kennemer pairs naturally with the other classic Dutch links and heathland courses for a short tour, or with an Amsterdam city break for a long weekend of golf and culture. The compact geography of the Netherlands makes several of its best courses reachable from a single base.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Kennemer Golf & Country Club.
Build a the Netherlands golf trip
We secure the Kennemer Golf & Country Club tee times where access allows, pair them with the best of the region and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Kennemer Golf & Country Club questions
Who designed Kennemer and when did it open?
Kennemer was laid out by the English architect Harry Colt when the club moved to its dunes site near Zandvoort in 1928; Frank Pennink added a third nine in 1985.
What is the par and length of Kennemer?
The championship eighteen at Kennemer is a par 72 of about 6,600 yards, played over the Van Hengel and Pennink loops of the club's 27 dune holes.
Can visitors play Kennemer?
Yes. Kennemer is a members club that welcomes visitors, generally midweek and with a recognised handicap, by prior arrangement. Weekend access is more limited.
Has Kennemer hosted the Dutch Open?
Yes. Kennemer has hosted the Dutch Open, also known as the KLM Open, on many occasions, making it one of the most important courses in Dutch golf.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.