The foundation

Official name
Stichting Nederlands Golfmuseum

Chamber of Commerce
64785688

RSIN
8558 42 489

Contact details
Stichting Nederlands Golfmuseum
Bleijenbeek 14
5851 EE Afferden
T 0485 53 00 84
E info@golfmuseum.nl

banking relationship
NL98 RABO 0312 0359 42

Objective

The Netherlands Golf Museum Foundation aims to contribute to an understanding of the origin and development of golf in the Netherlands. It does this by making its collection accessible to a wide audience and through publications and presentations. The collection consists of historical and contemporary books about golf and golf in the Netherlands and museum paintings and prints, replicas of historical paintings, prints and books, including the book Tyrocinium linguae Latinae from 1545 by the humanist Pieter van Afferden and museum golf objects such as sticks. , bags, clothing, balls and other attributes. The collection includes unique pieces such as the NGF challenge cup from the KLM (Dutch) Open, the bag with golf clubs and polo sticks from Mr. S.B.W. (Sjuck) Count of Limburg Stirum (1867-1954) and the champion bag with sticks of Baroness E.A.A. (Lilly) van Pallandt-del Court van Krimpen (1887-1980), including the champion stick of Aalbrecht del Court van Krimpen, the father of Lilly.

Vision

Golf is the fastest growing sport in the Netherlands and the Royal Dutch Golf Federation (NGF) is now the third largest sports association in the country. The sport is becoming more and more accessible to everyone and, after more than a century of absence (1900 and 1904), it regained Olympic status in 2016. However, there was not yet a national golf museum, there was not even a golf museum at all. There were and still exist private collections, which are usually not open to the general public. Add to that the fact that it is quite possible that the origin of golf is to be sought in the low countries rather than in Scotland and thus there is enough food for further research and in any case to have the discussion , then there is every reason to establish the Dutch Golf Museum, which focuses specifically on golf in the low countries and in particular in the Netherlands, and to establish this museum in Afferden because of the unique description of golf rules in the above-mentioned renowned book by Pieter van Afferden. Knowledge of and insight into the origin of golf and how this sport has developed and is still developing is interesting from a cultural-historical point of view and socially important to understand where we stand in this widely practiced sport.

Mission

The Dutch Golf Museum wants to arouse interest in the history of golf in the Low Countries and bring ‘early golf’ to the attention of a larger stage than the growing number of current hickory players. It is also interesting to know, without wanting to unleash a third Gulf War, whether golfing indeed started with us and whether scientific evidence can be found for this. Ultimately, we hope that even more people will find their way to golf, a sport in the healthy open air, always beautiful nature and excellent 19th holes, where practice is not linked to age and a handicap does not have to be a handicap.

Outline of current policy and collection plan

The Dutch Golf Museum is for golfers and non-golfers and introduces them to the origin of golf, its development over the years and its social relevance over time.

The Dutch Golf Museum does this:

  • by responsible expansion of its collection and by maintaining it at a high quality level and museological value
  • by safeguarding, strengthening and disseminating knowledge about its collection through collaboration and knowledge exchange with other sports and museums
  • by publishing interesting facts and giving presentations
  • by informing and educating governments and educational institutions, among others
  • by participating in the Bleijenbeek Estate steering group.

Background and social context

The Netherlands Golf Museum Foundation was officially established on December 17, 2015. The Netherlands Golf Museum Foundation has been designated by the Tax Authorities as a Cultural Public Benefit Institution (ANBI).

The Dutch Golf Museum has described its goals in the Foundation Charter:

  • collecting, managing and exhibiting golf historical heritage.
  • performing all further acts that are related to the above in the broadest sense or that may be conducive thereto.

On April 22, 2016, the museum, still housed in a modest space, was opened on a grand scale.

Close contact with the Dutch Golf Federation (NGF) and the NGA-Early Golf Foundation/Commission Heritage, as well as with experts from the golf world and from other museums, guarantee broad support for and an accurate representation of the collection, accessible to all citizens.

A positive operating result will benefit the museum’s museological objective.
In the event of dissolution and liquidation, any positive balance will fully benefit a public benefit institution with a similar purpose recognized by the tax authorities.

The board

John Ott and Ferd Vrijmoed formed the board of the Dutch Golf Museum from the start. Is it a coincidence that both are retirees? Aren’t these people who, as everyone knows, always have plenty of time? No, firstly, there is no such thing as coincidence and secondly, the challenge is simply irresistible.

Despite the preventive care by both parents, the little one will probably not be able to escape from a single childhood illness and soon puberty will begin with all its growth spurts and the road to adulthood will be started under the optimal guidance of expert teachers and caretakers.

These growth spurts have now arrived with the possibilities of the internet. That is why the board has been expanded in 2020 with board member Jacques Schuiling who will focus on digitizing the collection, the website and the audio tour. So that the museum is not only attractive to visit, but can also be consulted digitally.

Board composition
Chairman: John Ott (Conservator)
Secretary: Jacques Schuiling (Information manager)
Treasurer: Mr. Ferd Vrijmoed (Archivist)

Volunteers
Vacancy Librarian
dr. Maria Vrijmoed-de Vries (Project manager, webmaster, minute taker)

Advisors
Do Smit (Kolf)
Iain S. Forrester (Golf)

Reward Policy
The activities of the board, the volunteers and the advisors are unpaid.

Staff members

The Foundation runs entirely on permanent volunteers and has no salaried staff.