Past Champions support Golf Week
Twenty-eight year old Dutch golfer Christel Boeljon will long be remembered as the Dutch Ladies Open Champion. Indeed, I suspect for far longer than she or anyone could ever have imagined. Last summer Christel became only the second Dutch player to win the championship when it was held for the third successive year at The International golf course, near Amsterdam. And she will retain the honour of being the reigning champion of Holland for the foreseeable future. Here’s why.
Instead of a big thirty-year celebration for the championship this month, the Dutch Golf Federation (NGF) together with sports marketing bureau, TIG have decided to scrap the traditional Dutch Ladies Open, which has attracted players from around the globe since it began in 1986, and replace it with a Golf Week for professionals and amateurs which tees-off at The International today.
Always a favourite with the 126 players from the Ladies European Tour (LET) who happily flew into nearby Schiphol for the Open, the last edition of the Dutch Ladies Open in 2015 attracted once again some big names such as England’s Dame Laura Davies, winner of 79 tournaments around the world.
Yet despite the strong field and a number of high-profile sponsors over the years such as ABN AMRO, KLM, Mexx and Deloitte, and the change of venue in 2013 from Broekpolder in Rotterdam to Holland’s new crown jewel in Amsterdam, the Dutch Ladies Open attracted too few spectators.
Looking on the bright side …
But it’s not all bad news. While the new Ladies Nations Invitational event will only see 24 LET professionals in action from 8 different countries playing in teams of three, that tally does include a pick of the best with former champions such as Melissa Reid (England), Kylie Walker (Scotland) and Gwladys Nocera (France).
Further good news is that Dutch professionals Christel Boeljon and Dewi-Claire Schreefel, who spend most of their time playing on the LPGA Tour in America, are back in Holland representing their country in the pro event. Bitter disappointment, however, for the final team member Anne van Dam who had become the fresh, young face of the new event in its publicity. Alas, the 20-year old second-season LET pro has had to pull out due to a back injury. Holland’s young amateur talent, 18-year old Roos Harman has snapped-up the invitation to play for ‘Orange’ in her place.
Young amateur talent Roos steps in
Roos isn’t the only Dutch amateur who will be teeing-off in Amsterdam today. Sixteen Dutch golf clubs will compete matchplay in teams of four over the next three days for the honour of winning the first edition of a separate amateur event: ‘The ING Private Banking Cup’.
The ultimate aim of the Golf Week is to attract more youth to the take-up the game. The NGF hopes to increase the number of golfing youngsters in Holland to 50,000 over the next five years. Only time will tell as to whether this step away from hosting a traditional-style open golf championship, which is part of the Ladies European Tour, is a good one for the future of golf in Holland. Will it breathe new life into the game or be the kiss of death? It’s a bold move. Let’s hope the future is orange.
Wendy Hoad
PICTURED: Reigning Dutch Ladies Open Champion, Christel Boeljon, making a ‘selfie’ amidst delighted fans – June 2015. © Photography by Golfing Inspirations.
MORE INFO: The ING Private Banking Golf Week tees-off today at The International Golf Course near Amsterdam and finishes on Sunday, 22nd May. For more information, check out: www.inggolfweek.nl where you’ll also find details of a host of other golfing activities and trick shows taking place around the course to entertain both you and the kids.