Pitch&Putt Papendal

Papendal is one of the Netherlands' most recognized names in sport — the national Olympic training center has been based here since the 1970s, and the surrounding wooded estate on the eastern edge of Arnhem has long drawn athletes and visitors alike. The pitch-and-putt course sits within that broader complex, meaning a round here comes with an unusual backdrop: elite sporting facilities, forest trails, and the quietly grand landscape of the Veluwe just beyond the tree line.

For newcomers to the game, a pitch-and-putt is an ideal first encounter with real turf and real shots — every hole is reachable with a wedge, yet scoring well still demands touch and control around the green. The compact format rewards feel over power, and courses like this one have introduced more Dutch players to golf than almost any full-length layout ever could.

Arnhem itself sits at the western edge of the Achterhoek and near the Rhine crossings made famous in the Second World War. The Veluwe heathlands and forests that frame this part of Gelderland give the region a distinctive, open character that even a short golf outing here quietly reflects.