There are golf courses with history, and then there is Palingbeek.
Golf & Country Club de Palingbeek sits just 3.3 kilometres from the centre of Ypres, in the heart of what was the Ypres Salient during the First World War. The land beneath the fairways saw some of the most sustained fighting of the entire conflict. Australian, British, Canadian, and New Zealand troops all fought here.
Today, the course is a beautiful 18-hole layout set around a lake, with mature trees and gently rolling terrain. But what sets it apart is the historical information panel at every single tee. Each one describes what happened on that specific piece of ground during the war. You read about the battle, then you tee off over the same earth.
The clubhouse occupies the former Voormezele Castle, adding another layer of history to an already remarkable setting.
For our Fairways & Frontlines group, Palingbeek is Round 2. It comes on Day 4, immediately after the Menin Gate Last Post ceremony the evening before. The timing is deliberate. You’ll have stood beneath the arch where 6,000 Australian names are inscribed. You’ll have watched the buglers play. Then, the next morning, you’ll step onto ground where those same men fought.
It’s important to note that Palingbeek only receives visitors on weekdays. Our September 2026 departure is specifically scheduled so that this day falls on a weekday, ensuring access.
After the round, the afternoon is dedicated to the major memorial sites of the Ypres Salient: the Passchendaele Museum with its Dugout Experience, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Polygon Wood, and Hill 60. It’s a day that moves between sport and remembrance in a way that no other tour offers.
There is no cart hire at Palingbeek — it’s a walking course. For our group of golfers aged 60 and over, this is worth knowing. The terrain is manageable, but it’s a full round on foot. It’s also, in its own way, fitting: the men who fought here had no choice but to walk this ground.
Palingbeek isn’t the most famous course on our itinerary. But it may be the most meaningful.