At Golf & Country Club De Palingbeek (near Ypres) you play on a World War I battlefield. The golf course is a beautiful open parkland with 18 holes guides you past several war relics and the old Mahieu Castle in Voormezele.
The Palingbeek golf course was designed by Harold J. Baker, a top professional player for more than 30 years and a highly respected course architect. Baker believed that a golf course should merge naturally with its surroundings, so that not only sporting but also aesthetic considerations could be satisfied. The Palingbeek is one of the finest examples of the Baker philosophy in practice.
The well-conceived layout makes excellent use of the natural terrain, notably the valley in the middle of the course and the many hilly holes. It’s a course that rewards good play, but where an occasional bad shot is not painfully punished. In short, an ideal place for both club and green fee players.
The Palingbeek golf also has some rather nice practice facilities with indoor, floodlit driving mats, a separate pitch-and-putt green and four practice holes that are ideally suited for beginners or to sharpen up your short game.
The clubhouse – which in days gone by was the pavilion of the once majestic chateau – is light and spacious, with an air of friendly informality. On the beautiful terrace you can unwind with stunning views over the Flemish hills. You can also sample the excellent cuisine and wine cellar. In other words, there’s nothing preventing you from enjoying a round of golf, history and pleasure!
Mahieu Castle
Mahieu Castle was built at the beginning of the 20th century as a summer retreat for the Mahieu family, a rich industrial family from the nearby town of Armentières in France. This utterly luxurious Renaissance-style building was located in a 60-hectare park through which the Palingbeek flowed.
When war broke out in 1914, the castle came under fire and was alternately occupied by German troops, who gave it the name ‘Castle Bavaria,’ and the British army, who called the castle ‘White Chateau’. This mighty building was destroyed by shelling and only a few ruins remain, to the right of hole 1.
The Mahieu family itself suffered considerably in World War I, both sons, Auguste and Michel, dying in action. A monument commemorating these brave warriors stands next to the path that runs between the tees on hole 11.
Other remnants of war, such as an under- and above-ground German bunker, a German mine shaft and a British observation post, can be seen from the golf course.
The clubhouse at Palingbeek Golf & Country Club, built in the 30s, was also the scene of heavy fighting during World War II. Soldiers died here during the British retreat to Dunkirk in May 1940 when a German regiment stormed the building.
Out of respect for the countless victims here in both conflicts, the club has placed information panels alongside the tees and published a brochure “The historic Palingbeek” which explains more about the relevant historical sites.
In a nutshell, Golf & Country Club de Palingbeek is the place of choice for all those wishing to play a round of golf in a green and historical setting in Flanders.