Rosendael Golfclub. (1895 – 1909)

The Rosendaelsche Golf Club was founded on 17th February 1895. Together with the Royal Haagsche Golf & Country Club and the Utrechtse Golf Club "de Pan", the club is one of the oldest in the Netherlands. In 1908/09 the club moved to its present location and therefore the original nine-holes of today’s Rosendaelsche Golf Club are the oldest golf holes in the Netherlands still in use.

 

Rosendael Golfclub. Bye Laws and Local Rules July 1899.

 

Rosendael Golfclub. Bye Laws and Local Rules July 1899.

Bye Laws and Local Rules 1899.

 

Even though the club is now based in Arnheim it kept its old name, which is due to the fact that the club originally played in Rozendaal, about 3 km east of today’s course.

The club originally used a piece of land located on the border area of Rosendael on the grounds of the Velpsche Geërfden near the Emmapiramide. The exact location is difficult to determine. One of the founders of the course proudly wrote in the Book of Sports: "Because of the unevenness of the heath and the presence of many gravels, the course required a lot of work” He also states that despite the dryness of the soil the club succeeded in sowing grass and once they had obtained a heavy roller the club also managed to flatten the greens.

Unfortunately, the piece of land chosen was also the practise area for the Gele Rijders (“Yellow riders”) artillery regiment. This famous regiment did not care much that a ball game that was now being played on their exercise grounds’ though regularly causing damage to the course. Only ten years after the course had opened the club decided to leave the area as in the meantime the rent had also doubled.

Initially there were only two days to play golf per week, Thursday and Sunday "after church time". In the beginning, it was also planned, that the course would close in July and August, as many members spent their summer time elsewhere. However, enough members were found to keep the course open for 14 days in July, whereas in winter the course was closed, which was not unusual at that time. Over the years the members started looking to find a new location as the situation with the regiment was not ideal.

Finally, a satisfactory location was found on the Delhuyzen estate at Arnheim where in 1908 a project called Arnheimse Golfbanen was started by A.A. Del Court of Krimpen, the owner of the land, who was also to become one of the most important Dutch golf pioneers. He came up with an offer which the Rosendaelsche Golf Club could not refuse and since 1909 Delhuyzen has been the home of the club.

Christoph Meister, October 2017.