
Tom Simpson Course
Royal Antwerp Golf Club
About this course
Royal Antwerp Golf Club, established in 1888, stands as one of the oldest golf clubs on the European continent. The course is located in Kapellen, just north of Antwerp in the Flemish region of Belgium. John Halliwell designed the layout, which occupies gently rolling terrain characteristic of the Low Countries, with mature trees framing many holes and creating definition throughout the property. The routing takes advantage of the natural contours and established woodland, offering a traditional parkland experience that reflects the club's long history. The design incorporates strategic bunkering and requires thoughtful course management rather than overwhelming length. Several holes play through tree-lined corridors, while others open to broader views across the landscape. Water features appear on select holes, adding variety to the challenge. Royal Antwerp has hosted numerous Belgian national championships and remains an important venue in the country's competitive golf calendar. The club maintains a strong tradition within Belgian golf circles and reflects the continental European approach to the game, where golf clubs often serve as social and cultural institutions as much as sporting venues. The clubhouse and grounds carry the character of a well-established private club with over a century of history behind it.
Quick facts
- Location
- Kapellen, Antwerpen, BE
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1888
- Designer
- John Halliwell
- Holes
- 18
- Par
- 73
- Length
- 5,636 metres
- Difficulty
- 76.8/135
Getting there
Royal Antwerp Golf Club is most easily accessed via Brussels Airport (BRU), roughly 45 minutes north by car through the flat, orderly landscapes of Flanders. The drive traces motorways that give way to quieter provincial roads as you approach Kapellen, a leafy commune just beyond Antwerp's northern edge where the urban pulse softens into wooded residential calm. For those arriving by private aircraft, Antwerp International Airport lies a mere 15 minutes south, offering discreet proximity to one of Belgium's most storied clubs. The final turn off Brasschaatsebaan delivers you into a world of towering beech and oak, where the clubhouse emerges like a manor from another century, its brick and timber framing a sanctuary of pre-war elegance.
FAQ
Common questions about Tom Simpson at Royal Antwerp Golf Club
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Tom Simpson was designed by John Halliwell.
Yes. Tom Simpson at Royal Antwerp Golf Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Tom Simpson is 73.
Tom Simpson plays 5,636 metres from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Tom Simpson is 135.
Tom Simpson is a 18-hole course.


