[Will Lozier]

Some believe the Dutch invented the game (kolf).  If they had taken to it with a bit more desire and intention, does Holland have the land - specifically their spectacular dune systems - to have developed (or one day develop) into one of the greatest links golf destinations in the world?

I've played Kennemer and seen the other handful of world class courses.  I've also seen, from satellite, the seemingly dozens (maybe more) of other undeveloped duneland sites that seem to be restricted from development.  While not necessarily a bad thing, one has to wonder, "What if?"

[Frank Pont]

The dunes land area in Holland is huge.

It runs for about 80 km along the Dutch coast (excluding the islands above Holland), and is between 1 and 5 km wide.

Plus population density behind it is very high, its where Amsterdam, Haarlem, Leiden, The Hague and Rotterdam lie.

If golf would have developed at the same pace in Holland as in the UK we would have had more world class links courses than England.

If only.....

[Ulrich Mayring]

The Dutch did invent Kolf, but it is today an indoor game more similar to bowling than golf. It used to be played outdoors, but also to a stick as target, not a hole. I would call it a predecessor of golf. There were never any standing courses or clubs, they just plucked the stick in the ground wherever there was room.

Ulrich

[Brian_Ewen]

The Dutch did invent Kolf, but it is today an indoor game more similar to bowling than golf. It used to be played outdoors, but also to a stick as target, not a hole.

Ulrich
So you believe golf was first played in Aberdeen ?

[Ulrich Mayring]

I don't know where golf was first played. The evidence in my view points to "somewhere in Scotland", but I am not aware of any pointing specifically to Aberdeen.

Ulrich

[John Butler]

Steven Van Hengel's 1982 book Early Golf discusses the relationship between Dutch colf (not a later different game kolf) and Scottish golf and Robin Bargmann's Serendipity of Early Golf does likewise in an updated (2010) and more extensive way.  Both Van Hengel who has passed away and Bargmann are Dutch historians.  I highly recommend Robin's book and just visited the Netherlands for two weeks of golf and touring.

[Ulrich Mayring]

I would also highly recommend Bargmann's book. He is naturally a bit reluctant to openly criticise van Hengel, seeing the connection to Kennemer, where van Hengel rightly is well respected. But if you read between the lines, you'll see that many of van Hengel's "revolutionary" insights did not stand up to the test of time. Modern Dutch historians do not side with him anymore. AFAIK only Gillmeister still stands firm.

Recommended reading:
http://www.ancientgolf.dse.nl/pdfs/1457.pdf
http://www.golftoday.co.uk/history/golf_the_true_history_0.html

Ulrich

[Brian_Ewen]

I don't know where golf was first played. The evidence in my view points to "somewhere in Scotland", but I am not aware of any pointing specifically to Aberdeen.

First mention of a hole.

[Ulrich Mayring]

This one is from the first half of the 15th century and seems to show holes with flagsticks:



So a hole by itself may not be enough.

Ulrich

[David Davis]

There is no doubt that some of the best untouched links terrain in the world exists in The Netherlands. I look upon it all the time and dream of what could be.

Let me be the first (or maybe second) to tell you that this is where that dream ends. The dunes are so highly regulated that I promise you right now that in my lifetime there will not be another links course built along the Dutch coastline. We can't even manage to move our first hole 100 meters to the left on our own property while being able to prove we will enhance flora and fauna, bring back the original nature of the dunes landscape and make great improvements to the benefit of the dunes. So as much as I look and dream across the fence, I will win every major lottery in the world first. And "no" the money I win from all these major lotteries will not affect the situation either.

As to whether the Dutch invented golf...uh, no. I certainly hope not as if they did they sure neglected it and didn't seem to embrace and learn all the tricks of the trade. I have seen historic paintings of them doing something similar on ice and there are strong ties between Scotland and Holland historically as well but given all the proof or lack thereof I'm more of the opinion that there sport transformed into something like field hockey or perhaps speed skating. This is for the better, as the other inventions like Fokker, Philips and KLM have or are all experiencing painful deaths. I wouldn't want the same to happen to golf.

(embrace the sarcasm please)

[Ulrich Mayring]

Looks like we need a Dutch Donald Trump

Ulrich

[Frank Pont]

I think its safe to say that is the last thing we need......

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