Review by Marina Romanik
Reviewed by Marina Romanik PGA-certified golf instructor
I am Marina Romanik, a PGA golf teacher near Utrecht, and I love a course where anyone can just show up and play. No big membership, no pressure — you book online, you tee off, you smile. That is my kind of golf, and it is exactly the kind of place beginners feel safe to start.
Golfbaan Crimpenerhout sits in Krimpen aan de Lek, right in the green heart of the Krimpenerwaard polder in Zuid-Holland. This is classic Dutch scenery — flat, open, quiet, with that soft polder light that makes an early tee time feel like a small holiday. The course is parkland in style, so you play among trees and gentle shaping rather than wild dunes. It is comfortable underfoot and easy on the eye.
What I like most here is how welcoming it is. It is a pay-and-play course, which means you do not need to be a club member to enjoy the 18 holes — you simply book your time online and come. There is a driving range to warm up, a bar and terrace to sit and enjoy after your round, and a trolley to save your back on the walk. The people who run it clearly want golf to feel open to everyone.
And there is a real golf academy on site, with lessons available. This matters. Many new golfers tell me the same thing — they felt shy to try golf because they thought a course would judge them. At a friendly pay-and-play course like this, that worry melts away by the second hole. You are just a person enjoying a walk with a club in your hand, learning as you go.
For beginners, juniors, and anyone getting back into the game, Crimpenerhout is a lovely place to build confidence. Group outings work well here too, so it is nice for a fun day with friends or colleagues who have never held a club.
★ Best for beginners, groups
4.0
★★★★★
Marina Romanik
PGA Golf Trainer
“Golfbaan Crimpenerhout is a friendly pay-and-play 18-hole parkland in the green Krimpenerwaard where anyone can book online, warm up on the driving range, and enjoy a relaxed round without needing a membership — a perfect setting for beginners and casual golfers alike.”
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A round is always more fun when your shots go where you want them. That feeling — a clean strike, the ball climbing straight into the sky — is what keeps me in love with this game after all these years. And it is much closer than most beginners think. Grip, stance, balance. Small steps. Small steps win in golf.
Golfbaan Crimpenerhout is about a 40-minute drive from Utrecht, so if you play here and want to sharpen your game, I would be happy to help. I teach at Chi Chi Golf in Utrecht and at Golfschool Hoenderdaal in Driebergen, in Dutch, English, Ukrainian or Russian — whichever feels easiest for you. Beginners are my favourite students, because the start of golf is the best part.
Book a lesson with me, and then go enjoy your round. You will be surprised how quickly golf becomes your new happy place.
No. Crimpenerhout is a pay-and-play course — no membership, no handicap card, and no introduction from a member required. Simply book online and show up ready to play.
A 9-hole round costs €25 and an 18-hole round costs €35. You can book and pay online at golfbaancrimpenerhout.nl.
Yes. Online tee-time booking is available directly on the club website — open to all visitors, no membership needed.
Very much so. The flat, forgiving parkland layout is low-pressure, there is a driving range to warm up, and a golf academy on site offers lessons. First-timers and returners are genuinely welcome here.
Yes — the club has a restaurant, a bar, and a terrace. A lovely spot to sit, relax, and talk through your round over something cold.
Marina teaches at Chi Chi Golf in Utrecht and Golfschool Hoenderdaal in Driebergen — both an easy drive if you want to sharpen your game after a round at Crimpenerhout. She teaches in Dutch, English, Ukrainian, or Russian, and beginners are especially welcome.