The World of Greenkeeping: Noordwijkse Golfclub, Netherlands
Greenkeeping has always been close to home for Remco Klinkenberg.
His father built his career at Noordwijkse Golfclub in the Netherlands and, when an opening emerged, Remco decided to find out whether the profession might suit him too.
Now, four-and-a-half years later, he is forging his own path at a links course with a glowing reputation.
Noordwijkse is undergoing a major renovation and Remco is enjoying the challenge, alongside his studies at SRUC and the benefits of being an R&A Scholar.
How did you first get into greenkeeping?
My dad has worked at the golf club for 36 years and, when I was little, he sometimes took me with him during weekend shifts. It felt special to go to his workplace because there were all these big machines and he was working outside in nature. As I grew up, I used to joke that I would like to work there too. Then, when I was 20, a job became available and I applied. I came in with no real knowledge of golf or greenkeeping, but it has really added something to my life. Whether you are operating a mower, working on irrigation or carrying out another task, you are creating something or trying to leave it better than it was before.
How would you describe Noordwijkse?
It is one of the few true links courses in the Netherlands and it has been ranked as the number one course in the country for many years. It has also been inside the top 10 in Europe. It is very different from most other courses in the country. If I stand on one of the higher points, I can see the North Sea. We are concentrating on the renovation at the moment, so we have dropped down the rankings, but the focus is on the project and making the course better for the future.
What does the renovation involve?
The greens will be much bigger because the old ones are very small. They were built on soil in the 1960s because there was no irrigation system and that was the way to retain moisture. We are bringing them up to a modern standard with a better construction mix and suitable sand. Enlarging the greens will also give us more possibilities for pin positions and create longer putts, so the course should become more challenging.
We are upgrading the irrigation system too. Contractors are carrying out the main shaping and construction work on the greens, including scraping away the old surfaces and dealing with the contaminated soil. The greenkeeping team is involved in other parts of the project. When the new sprinklers are installed on the existing fairways, we level them, make sure they sit correctly and put the turf back afterwards.
Are you enjoying being involved in such a major project?
I really enjoy it because you are creating something completely new. There might previously have been a tree or simply a piece of land, but you are helping turn it into part of the golf course. You do not get to experience that every day. We still have the back 9 open, so we are also carrying out the normal day-to-day work and maintaining that part of the course to a good standard. That gives us a mixture of project work and everyday greenkeeping, which is good.
How important is the environmental side of the project?
The Netherlands is very strict about what chemical products can and cannot be used and we are being pushed to use as little as possible. We still use some chemicals, but there are clear limits. In some cases, the products do not completely stop a disease but help slow it down, so creating healthier growing conditions and using good cultural practices is very important. There is plenty of wildlife around the course, including deer, rabbits, foxes, pheasants and owls. The deer are not around as much while the heavy machinery is operating, but they will return once the work is finished and the course is quieter again.
What has being an R&A Scholar added to your development?
I became an R&A Scholar in 2023 and it has been a very good experience. You become part of a special group and have opportunities to volunteer at golf courses or attend meetings with other scholars. It is particularly useful for networking because you can meet course managers from important golf courses and learn from people at different stages of their careers. I am also moving into the second year of my HND at Scotland's Rural College. I may then add a bachelor's degree.
I don't have a definite plan, but I would like to become a course manager at a good golf course once I have built up the necessary experience.
A course transformed
Noordwijkse Golfclub's major renovation is taking place between 2024 and 2027.
The work includes enlarging and rebuilding the greens, replacing old, contaminated soil and upgrading the irrigation system. The aim is to protect the character of a course that has provided a distinctive links experience for almost 60 years while improving its playability and long-term resilience.
The club is also working towards maintenance completely free of chemical pesticides and enhancing the surrounding landscape within the Natura 2000 nature reserve.
From early May 2026, only the back nine has remained open while work continues elsewhere on the course.
