Golf introduction sessions in Flanders: what to expect and what comes next
Almost everyone who takes up golf in Flanders starts the same way: with an introduction session, known locally as a golfinitiatie. A couple of hours on a practice ground, a coach explaining how to hold a club, and your first balls. What comes after that is much less clear, and it is exactly where a lot of people lose the thread. This article covers both.
In this article
What an introduction session actually is
A golf introduction session is a taster, not a training programme. In one to two hours a coach gives you a brief overview of the sport and you hit your first balls. Equipment comes from the club, so you do not need to buy anything to try it.
The purpose is limited and honest: finding out whether golf is for you. You will not learn to play. You will discover whether it suits you.
That is more useful than it sounds. Golf divides people sharply. Some are hooked after one session, others realise they do not enjoy the pace. Better to know that after two hours than after paying a year's membership.
Start to Golf
Golf Vlaanderen, the Flemish golf federation, runs a joint open day twice a year called Start to Golf. Participating clubs offer free introduction sessions that day, and you get to see the club itself at the same time. It often falls during the Easter holidays.
Outside those days you can go year round. Many clubs run introduction sessions continuously, and each club sets its own rate. Sessions are listed on starttogolf.be and you see the price when you sign up.
With 55 golf clubs and 13 indoor centres across Flanders there is almost always something nearby. You can go alone, as a couple, as a family or with a group of friends.
What to wear
Not golf clothing, that comes later. Sports shoes with a flat sole and loose clothing you can move in will do.
Going outside? Factor in the weather. A rain jacket if it is wet, a cap and sunscreen if it is bright. Two hours on an unshaded practice ground feels longer than you expect.
Dress codes only apply once you go out onto the course itself. They vary by club but usually come down to a polo shirt with trousers, a skirt or shorts, plus proper golf shoes for stability through the swing.
What an introduction session does not give you
This is where a lot of beginners get stuck, and it is rarely explained in advance.
After an introduction session you still cannot play a full course. You have no handicap, no registration and no proof that you know the rules. You have been introduced to the sport, nothing more.
To actually play eighteen holes you need two things: proof that you have the basics, and a registered handicap. In Flanders that runs through a starter package and Route 36, the Golf Vlaanderen programme that replaced the older certificate system. It is a guided build-up towards a handicap, spread over several months, and it requires affiliation with a Belgian club.
The choice you face afterwards
This is where the path forks, and it is worth understanding both sides before you pick.
The Flemish route. You join a club, take a starter package there and work through Route 36. You build up gradually, you belong somewhere immediately, you can enter club competitions and you have a home course. Expect months rather than weeks, and around 179 euros a year in club membership plus federal contribution, on top of lesson fees.
The Dutch route. In the Netherlands the golf certificate still exists as a single course with an exam, and you can complete it in one day. You take a day course with a PGA professional, sit the theory exam and play your qualifying round. By the end of that day you have your certificate and a handicap registered with the Dutch federation. At Zalm Golf a day course starts from 100 euros, and registration afterwards costs 66 euros a year with no club obligation.
Which suits you depends on what you want. If you want to belong to a club and build the sport up slowly, the Flemish route is better. If you want to play a round this summer without tying yourself to one course, the Dutch route is faster and cheaper.
Practical: how to book a session
starttogolf.be lists every Flemish club running an introduction session, both on the joint Start to Golf day and throughout the year. You sign up directly there.
For a full overview of all 55 Flemish clubs, including information on the course, clubhouse and facilities, golfinflanders.com is the place to look. You can book tee times there too.
Three things that help on your first visit
Arrive fifteen minutes early. You do not want to rush your first swing, and it gives you a moment to watch how others do it.
Do not expect to hit the ball. Most people miss the first ten attempts, which is precisely why there is a coach standing next to you. People who feel embarrassed about it learn more slowly.
Ask what comes after the session. Clubs do not always explain the full programme unless you ask, and you want to know how much time and money it involves before you commit.