Golfclub Heelsum

Golfbaan Heelsum lies near Arnhem on the Veluwezoom, on historic ground. On 17 September 1944 this area saw the largest airborne landings ever, when the British 1st Airborne Division came down here during Operation Market Garden, the Battle of Arnhem. The club marks it every year with an Airborne week.

Back to the heath

The Scottish architect Steve Marnoch renovated the original course into a classic heathland course on Scottish and English lines. The sandy subsoil resembles that of the famous heathland courses of the last century, and heather grew here too before the land was turned over to farming in the early twentieth century. Marnoch took the open heath as his guide and worked the dry valleys left by the ice age firmly into the design. The result is open country, scattered pines and bare sand, with deep hollows and rugged bunkers. That makes the golf tactical: not hitting it as far as possible, but finding the best route and weighing the risks.

27 holes

The course has A status and 27 holes in three loops, Airborne, Sandr and Helsum; the pairings are par 71 or 72. The sandy soil keeps it playable all year, almost always on summer greens. There is a driving range with Toptracer, putting greens and practice bunkers, and information boards about the local wildlife stand along the course.