Amsterdam Old Course (Amsterdam-Duivendrecht)

Colt’s nine, since 1934

Amsterdam Old Course is a nine-hole parkland course with a real pedigree. The club dates it to 1934 and credits the layout to Colt, Alison & Morrison — the design partnership behind some of Europe’s most respected courses. It plays to a par of 36 over roughly 2,160 metres, so a full round twice around gives you a proper par-72 test. Rolling parkland sits in the shadow of the Johan Cruijff ArenA, a very Amsterdam kind of setting for classic golf.

Golfers on Hole19 rate it 4.4 out of 5 from 73 ratings — a warm score for a course this compact. The club places it in the challenging band, which is honest for a Colt design: the fun here is in shot-making, not in brute length.

Who does it suit best? Golfers who already have a little experience will get the most from nine well-shaped holes. And because there is a golf academy on site, it is also a place where a newer player can build the game to enjoy it.

What a visitor needs

Good news for visitors: this is a pay-and-play course, open year-round, and it welcomes guests. You do need a valid handicap — a Dutch GVB or NGF card, or your national equivalent — so check yours is current before you book. Tee times can be reserved online through the club.

The green fee is €35 for nine holes and €45 for eighteen, which is friendly for a course of this heritage. To warm up you have a covered, floodlit driving range, a putting green, a short-game area and practice bunkers — a full set for a proper pre-round routine. There is a restaurant to sit down in afterwards, and the on-site academy offers lessons.

Shot-making over muscle

A Colt design like this rewards a repeatable swing and smart club choice far more than raw distance. If I were helping a player get ready for these nine holes, we would spend our time on approach shots and the short game — the parts that turn a challenging par 36 into a fun one.