Rosendaelsche Golfclub (Arnhem)

Pennink heathland, since 1895

Rosendaelsche Golfclub sits inside a Natura 2000 heath-and-woodland reserve on the Veluwe, at the edge of Arnhem. The club dates itself to 1895, which makes it one of the oldest in the country, and it credits the layout to the architect Frank Pennink. It plays as 18 holes, par 72, at 6,057 metres from the back tees, with a course rating of 72.3 and a slope of 132.

One detail shapes the whole round: there is no water on the course. The test lives in the ground and the greens instead. Narrow fairways run between heather and pine, the green complexes are subtle, and the bunkers sit exactly where a loose shot likes to drift. Golfers on LeadingCourses give it 8.7 out of 10 from 344 ratings, and on Hole19 it holds 4.9 out of 5 across 62 ratings — strong marks for a course that asks you to think your way around rather than overpower it.

Suits: stronger players and thinking golfers first — the championship setup and slope 132 reward accuracy and a steady short game. But the club also runs a golf academy and a covered driving range, so it is a place where a keen learner can build toward that kind of game too.

What a visitor needs

Rosendaelsche is a private members’ club, and visitors are welcome by introduction. You will need a valid handicap or Dutch NGF golf card (GVB), and you can arrange a tee time online or through the secretariat. A green fee for 18 holes is €110 (checked 25 September 2026), which places it in the premium bracket for the Netherlands.

Practice is well covered. On site there is a covered driving range, a putting green, a short-game area with practice bunkers, the academy, a pro shop, and a restaurant with a bar and terrace for after the round.

Straight beats far here

Pennink kept these fairways narrow and left the trouble in the heather, so the round rewards a repeatable, well-placed swing far more than raw distance. The slope of 132 says the same thing: position and a calm short game score on this heath, not the driver. Building that kind of controlled, in-play golf is the part of teaching I enjoy most.