Golf in Belgium
A quietly brilliant golf country of fast running heathland and grand old royal clubs, from Royal Zoute on the North Sea coast to the Tom Simpson and Harry Colt classics around Antwerp and Brussels. The courses that matter, the regions, the seasons and how to plan it.
Photograph: Royal Zoute Golf Club, Koninklijke Zoute Golf Club, via Google
Why golf in Belgium
Belgium is one of the great overlooked golf countries of Europe, and a revelation for the traveller who values old world heathland over manufactured resort golf. The sandy belt that runs across Flanders and into the Campine gave the early architects, Harry Colt, Tom Simpson and Willie Park Junior among them, the kind of free draining ground that produces classic, strategic golf, and the result is a roll call of royal clubs whose courses would be household names if they sat in Surrey or the Netherlands. Royal Zoute near Knokke is a true coastal heath, while Royal Antwerp, the oldest club in the country, and Ravenstein near Brussels are heathland and parkland of the highest pedigree.
Belgium also rewards a short, civilised trip. The country is small, the drives are short, and the golf comes wrapped in the food, beer and old towns that make Bruges, Antwerp and Brussels such a pleasure off the course. For a long weekend or a relaxed week, it offers world class architecture, genuine history and excellent value, all within an hour or two of one another and an easy hop from London, Paris or the Channel.
The regions
The Flemish Coast
Royal Zoute at Knokke-Heist, the finest course in the country, a fast running coastal heath a short walk from the beach, paired easily with the art and chocolate of nearby Bruges.
Antwerp and Limburg
The heathland heartland: Royal Antwerp, Rinkven and the woodland courses of Limburg, Royal Limburg and the modern championship test at Millennium, the best concentration of golf in the country.
Brussels and Wallonia
The parkland classics around the capital, Ravenstein and Royal Waterloo, with the Ardennes course at Spa and the modern European Tour venue at Naxhelet further south in French speaking Wallonia.
The courses that matter
Royal Zoute, Championship
The finest course in Belgium, a fast running coastal heath laid out by Harry Colt a few hundred yards from the North Sea, full of subtle strategy and firm, true turf. A regular host of the national championships.
Royal Antwerp
The oldest golf club in Belgium, a magnificent heathland course through pine and heather first laid out by Willie Park Junior and refined by Tom Simpson, long rated among the best inland courses on the continent.
Royal Golf Club de Belgique, Ravenstein
The royal club set in the parkland of Tervuren on the edge of Brussels, a stately Tom Simpson layout among mature trees that has hosted the Belgian Open and remains the grandest address in Belgian golf.
Royal Waterloo, La Marache
A polished parkland club south of the capital near the famous battlefield, a long, well groomed course that has staged international team events and pairs naturally with Ravenstein for a Brussels base.
Royal Limburg
A handsome woodland and heathland course in the Campine that twists through pine and birch in the manner of a fine British heathland, one of the most enjoyable inland rounds in the country.
Millennium Golf
The modern championship test of Belgian golf, close to 7,000 yards through former mining country, used by the Belgian PGA to examine its professionals and a strong contrast to the classic heaths nearby.
Rinkven
A well regarded thirty six hole club in the woods north of Antwerp, quiet, mature and beautifully conditioned, an easy and rewarding companion round in the heathland region.
Royal Golf Club des Fagnes, Spa
One of the oldest clubs in Belgium, set high in the wooded hills of the Ardennes near the famous spa town and motor racing circuit, a cool, scenic round away from the lowland heaths.
Naxhelet
A modern resort course in the Meuse valley that has hosted the European Tour Belgian Knockout, the most contemporary championship venue in the south and a comfortable stay and play base in Wallonia.
Royal Bercuit
A Robert Trent Jones design in the wooded country east of Brussels, a strategic, water guarded parkland that adds a contrasting modern classic to a capital region trip.
Designers, founding dates and host history verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
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When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| May to September | Warmest, driest, long daylight in midsummer | Prime season, the heaths are firm and at their best |
| April and October | Cooler, a higher chance of rain, fine colour inland | Quieter shoulder months with softer rates |
| November to March | Wet and cool, short days, some courses on temporary greens | Hardy golf only, the cheapest and emptiest of the year |
The free draining heathland and woodland courses recover quickly from rain and can play well into a mild autumn.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Zoute, Championship | Around €120 to €140 in summer | High season visitor rate, lower in the shoulder months |
| Inland heathland and parkland | Around €70 to €110 | Royal Antwerp, Royal Limburg, Ravenstein, Waterloo and the rest |
| A long weekend, all in | Around €1,200 to €2,500 per person | Several marquee courses, hotels, a hire car, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2025 to 2026 seasons, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Belgium is one of the easiest golf countries to reach. Brussels has a major international airport, the Eurostar links London and Paris to the centre of the country in a couple of hours, and the dense motorway network means almost every course is within an hour or two of the next. Bruges and the coast sit close to Royal Zoute, Antwerp anchors the heathland region, and Brussels is the natural base for the parkland classics. A hire car is the simplest way to link two or three clubs in a day, though the distances are short enough that a driver makes a relaxed group trip effortless.
Where to stay
Match the base to the region. On the coast, the elegant resort town of Knokke or the medieval streets of Bruges put Royal Zoute within easy reach and add some of the best food in the country. In the heathland, Antwerp is a stylish, walkable base for the northern clubs, while a Brussels hotel pairs Ravenstein, Waterloo and Bercuit with the restaurants and galleries of the capital. Book ahead for the summer weekends, and let one planner line up the right base for each leg.
Plan your Belgium golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Belgium golf questions
What is the best golf course in Belgium?
Royal Zoute at Knokke is consistently rated the finest course in Belgium, a Harry Colt design of fast running, heathy holes a few hundred yards from the North Sea coast. The great inland heathland courses, Royal Antwerp, the oldest club in the country, and the Tom Simpson layout at Ravenstein near Brussels, are close behind and round out a classic Belgian trip.
When is the best time to play golf in Belgium?
May to September is the prime window, with the warmest, driest weather and the longest days. April and October are quieter, cheaper shoulder months with a higher chance of rain, and the free draining heathland and woodland courses can play well into a mild autumn.
How much does a golf trip to Belgium cost in 2026?
Indicative summer fees run to around €120 to €140 at Royal Zoute and roughly €70 to €110 at the inland clubs. A long weekend with hotels and a hire car typically lands between €1,200 and €2,500 per head. Belgium is compact and well priced, so a multi course trip is excellent value. Always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
New course openings, the great European heaths and the booking windows worth moving on before everyone else. Every other week.