History

Origin of the club

In the early Sixties a number of prominent Limburg-based families were introduced to golf and started to regularly practice their sport at the Royal Golf Club du Sart Tilman in Liège. But as the number of golf fans in Limburg increased over the years the dream of a golf club in our own province started to slowly take shape.

At the initiative of the dynamic founder-president, Jean Boes, an agreement was concluded with the municipality of Houthalen. Limburg’s first golf course with all the necessary facilities would be built on a stunning 65-hectare piece of land in the 'Tenhaagdoornheide' nature reserve.

The founding members contacted the renowned British golf course architect, Fred Hawtree, who designed an interesting course, partly on the heath and among the sand dunes, and partly in a more wooded area. The not-for-profit association Limburg Golf & Country Club was founded in 1966. The original 9-hole course was built in 1967 and it was inaugurated in April 1968. In 1970 another seven holes were added and the two last holes were finally ready for play in 1972. The 18-hole golf course was now complete. Soon the course earned a reputation for itself as an excellent course for tournaments, which can be used in summer and winter, and even in wet weather thanks to the ideal playing conditions.

Development of the club

The club's financial clout improved thanks to the many new members and visitors. The annual surpluses were used to improve the course, the club house and the practice facilities. Over the years the club gradually earned a reputation for itself as a fine course, for professionals, top players, recreational members and visitors alike thanks to the club’s significant efforts to improve the facilities, including the crucial works on the course in the last few years.

In 2007/2008 all this hard work was rewarded when LGCC was voted the best golf course and the number 1 course in Belgium in a big national referendum. In the spring of 2012 Belgium's leading golf players and golf personalities once again voiced their appreciation for the club by ranking it the no. 1 golf course in Belgium. This excellent result is due to the selfless devotion and skills of the board members during the last decades and to the brilliant team and the amazing efforts of our loyal employees. The club has always managed to maintain that family atmosphere, which it feels is paramount to guarantee the values that are unique to golf: i.e., practising an exciting outdoor sport, regardless of your age, in a friendly and sporting spirit, with respect for etiquette, more specifically for golf etiquette.

Sporting highlights

In addition to the many club tournaments and friendly matches the club has also earned a reputation as the organiser and host of several major Belgian and even European competitions. The Challenge Cristal Alken Junior Interclubs of Belgium in the early Seventies kicked off this trend. This tournament would subsequently become the federal Junior Interclub. The first Omnium of Belgium in Houthalen, the most important tournament on the national calendar, was contended and won in 1977 by the American Bob Wynn.

Several more Omnium of Belgium tournaments, which were sponsored by Concentra, were organised in the subsequent years. Over the years LGCC became the preferred course for this fine tournament, with excellent scores and some amazing feats. Six-country and Four-country tournaments were organised in Houthalen and also contributed to the youthful and enthusiastic atmosphere.

In 2006 the first 'Telenet Trophy' European Challenge Tour was organised at LGCC and the Finnish player Toni Karjalainen took home the trophy after finishing the course in hellish weather conditions. In 2008 the ‘Telenet Trophy’ was also organised at LGCC and won by the Briton, David Horsey. In 2012 the Omnium of Belgium tournament will once again be organised on this course, which is the favourite course of many Belgian players.