Royal Zoute Golf Club

This is a cracking course and well worth making the effort to find. Just a shame that €95 to play the superb Harry Colt designed Championship course will be beyond the pockets of many visiting from the UK. Royal Zoute has the feel and atmosphere of Royal Lytham & St Anne's with springy links turf but far enough inland to have developed some mature silver birch and poplar trees, but the smell of the sea salt air and sound of gulls is never far away. I played early on a Friday before the ladies go out and was round in under three hours. The pro shop was not even open when I teed off on the long par four first but the caddy master was happy enough to trust me to pay having completed my round. You get well looked after at Royal Zoute.. And what an immensely satisfying round it was, with some testing, long par fours and tough par threes, especially the monstrous bunker on the right hand side of the 167 metre 16th that I narrowly missed tumbling into. Some of the greens had suffered frost burn during an exceptionally harsh winter band the genial groundstaff were hard at work on those during my round, but they all played truly and should be in terrific shape later in the year. Royal Zoute has played host to three Belgacom Opens with Lee Westwood twice winning here and Robert Karlsson lifting the trophy on the other occasion. Nick Faldo and Darren Clarke have also been victorious in the Dunhill Open so you will be walking in illustrious footsteps. There is also a shorter par 64 executive course for practice or less capable golfers. The Championship course needs sensible plotting so do get a Strokesaver from the pro shop if you can. I didn't and was playing towards the wrong green on one occasion on the back nine before being flagged back on track by a friendly green keeper. It is not cheap, but money well spent especially if you can get a deal with a tour operator. I was staying some 30 minutes away in Bruges and the next time I visit would most certainly come out to play it again. It is easily in the top three courses I have played along the French and Belgian coast bearing strong similarities to Colt's other beauty, the Sea Course at Le Touquet in neighbouring France. I thought it was absolutely top drawer and the ideal venue to combine, as I did, with a long weekend in historic Bruges.

Classic golfing layout and in very good condition. Helpful and welcoming staff. Sandy soil and similar to Lytham with playing characteristics of a links.

Awesome golf club place ! Very romantic, chic !

Royal Zoute GC Harry Colt design. in my opinion, it’s More like a manicured links. Built on links land but not on sea so I believe it’s classified as a links like course. Grasses, dunes sandy rolling hard fairways all similar to links but have been refined or possibly I should say modernized and are not raw like links fairways. The bunkering is very effective and no mistake, from the back tees, this is a Tough course. Played first thing in am and no early bird green fee. A pricey round of golf, but this is a very beautiful and enjoyable track to play. Excellent par 3s, and long par 4s. In comparison, I preferred the rawness of Royal OSTEND GC. Pro shop staff were very nice, thanks. Happy Canadian ??

Best course no doubt

Really great courses, with excellent greens. The rough is TOUGH, and there is lots of it. The only major issue, is that even with a push trolley, you were prevented from walking near greens. It felt like you were not welcome to walk the whole course. New club house will be fantastic when it is finished.

Great course. Well-designed holes, supreme scenery. Greens are in good condition. Some of the most challenging holes I've ever played.

Excellent golf club. High end course. Very well maintained. Shop has best gear, Olivier is always helpful, great energy. Restaurant has wonderful food.