After a 20-year permitting process, six new holes have opened at Golf Club De Dommel in the Netherlands.
Designed by Frank Pont of the Infinite Variety Golf Design firm, the new holes bring the total number at the club up to 18, after years being one of the few 12-hole courses in Europe.
Located near the town of Sint-Michielsgestel and one of the oldest courses in the Netherlands, Colt designed the first nine holes at De Dommel in 1929. Three additional holes were added in 1984, designed by Donald Steel and Hans Hertzberger.
Pont was selected to lead the recent project in 2010 due to his experience of successful restoration projects at numerous Colt courses in the UK.
“We are delighted to finally have 18 holes after so many years,” said Jan van Opstal, president at De Dommel. “Not only that, but the new holes fit in perfectly with the original Colt holes, something that is very important for our club. Frank has played a very important role in the whole process, coming up with a design that was both accepted by the environmental groups and at the same time adds variety and consistency to the original Colt holes.”
“De Dommel is another very good design by Harry Colt in the Netherlands, a country which he also blessed with classics such as Royal Hague, De Pan and Eindhovensche,” said Frank Pont. “The routing of the original nine holes is quite varied. The par threes are great and despite the moderate size of the site the course does not feel cramped.”
The new holes were constructed in the summer of 2012 and a period of growing in has taking place, with the six new holes now open for play.
“The remit of the club was to design six new holes that would both fit with the existing 12 holes, while at the same time complementing the existing course by creating even more variety in the holes,” Pont added. “The new holes encompass two classic Colt style short holes, a very tricky par five and a very driveable short par four. In my view there is no reason given the quality of the total package now why De Dommel won’t be seen in the same light as some of its famous Colt neighbours.”