This is a very polarising course, undoubtedly of a world class pedigree, but with a number of idiosyncrasies that may not be to everyone's taste. It is routed over pure linksland for the most part, but there are also a few holes in a pine forest and they are very tight and penal. Not that the links holes are necessarily forgiving, they are bordered by brutal rough and unplayable areas of all sorts. Advancing the ball towards the green is very difficult and then the problems start for good: those putting surfaces are some of the fastest to be encountered in links golf.

Anyone, who manages to avoid the back tees and play within himself in order to keep the ball out of the deep stuff, is in for a superb links experience. The course plays firm and fast, the breeze comes in from the sea and there are some wild and quirky holes to be discovered. The terrain should be very walkable, but for some reason it is tougher than expected. Much walking occurs on uncomfortable gravel paths instead of on turf and some green to tee distances are pretty long.

There are rumours about the club wanting to lengthen some of the holes, this would definitely set Noordwijkse off in the wrong direction. It already is a very difficult course, the focus should be on playability and flow. The holes in the pine forest are nowhere near as good as they could be - Hardelot Les Pins would be a good model as the terrain is quite similar. Next, the emphasis on the back tees has produced a scorecard with a large number of par 4s within a couple of yards of each other from the regular tee. This should be remedied in the interest of variation.

However, no matter which measures the club should decide on, the stretch of glorious dunesland will always remain and push this course into the upper echelons of links courses around the world. And that by itself is no small feat.