Efteling at Golfclub Efteling

Golfclub Efteling occupies a distinctive setting in Noord-Brabant, adjacent to the famous Efteling theme park near Kaatsheuvel in the southern Netherlands. British architect Donald Steel designed the course, bringing his characteristic approach to working with natural terrain and integrating golf holes into the existing landscape. Steel, known for his restoration work at classic British links and his original designs across Europe, created a layout here that reflects the region's wooded, undulating character.

The course sits within a landscape of mixed woodland and heathland typical of this part of Brabant, where sandy soils and mature trees shape the playing corridors. Steel's routing takes advantage of elevation changes and natural features, creating variety in hole character and strategic interest. The design emphasizes positioning and course management rather than pure length, with doglegs and green complexes that reward thoughtful play. Water features appear on several holes, integrated into the strategic framework.

The club's proximity to the Efteling theme park creates an unusual context for a golf facility in the Netherlands, though the course itself maintains a traditional character focused on the game. Membership draws from the surrounding Brabant region, including nearby cities like Tilburg and Breda. The facility serves both members and visitors, offering a Donald Steel design in a part of the Netherlands where heathland-style golf has deep roots, though the course itself represents a more contemporary interpretation of golf in a wooded, parkland setting.