Ever heard of a golfvaardigheidsbewijs?

Well I hadn’t before I was over in Holland last week. I visited the lovely Hilversumsche Club and saw people handing over a document which wasnt a handicap certificate.

Since the 1980s Holland and Belgium have had a test which when passed allows people without a handicap to play on most courses without being members of a club or association.

It’s sort of like a driving test – a written theory exam with 20 questions -5 on etiquette and 15 on rules and then a playing test. This is four holes with an examiner the best three are counted and the score must be below 21. The GVB as it is called for short allows casual golfers to play and get practice in without having an official handicap.