It seems that the Naarderbos golf course, which has been dilapidated for years, will no longer open. Golf course owner Michael van de Kuit finally pulls the plug on the golf course after years of wrangling with the municipality. “I’m done with it and I’m taking my hands off it,” says the real estate entrepreneur.
“I will never do anything with the golf course in Naarderbos again,” says owner Van de Kuit resolutely.
Van de Kuit bought the Naarden golf course five years ago, in his own words ‘for the love of the sport and not to make money’. But it became a headache file. “We have had three bankruptcies in recent years. The municipality thinks that I earn a lot of money from it, that is certainly not the case.”
Eleven million
Golf course Naarderbos has been lying fallow for more than five years. The once so tightly mowed grass is now meters high. This is the result of a conflict between the golf course owner and the municipality. The matter came to a head when the golf course was denied permission to build a new clubhouse. Without a clubhouse, the golf course went bankrupt.
Efforts have been made for years to get things back on track, but few steps seem to have been taken. Van de Kuit points an accusing finger at alderman Hugo Bellaart. According to the golf course owner, the alderman wants an amount of eleven million over a period of 40 years to facilitate the golf course.
Power politics
Too crazy for words, says Van de Kuit. “It is no longer about the sport, but about the money. It is not about facilitating things for residents, it has become power politics,” he says.
Van de Kuit thinks that it is not the golf course that is the problem for the municipality, but himself. It is not the first time that he has been in conflict with the municipality. Earlier there was a lot to do about the plans with Speelpark Oud Valkeveen, also owned by the real estate entrepreneur.
The most logical option for Van de Kuit seems to be selling the course, but he does not want to do this: “If I sell it to someone else, the plans may be different in a year’s time. This is about me, not about the golf course.”
It is unclear what will happen to the area.
No solution
Residents of the municipality of Gooise Meren also have a need for the golf course. Currently the course is neglected and used as a dog walking area, has active hunters and little to no social control in its nearly one million square meter area.
A solution for the environment seems necessary. “If the municipality comes along with an excuse, we can sit back at the table and otherwise we will see it again in 4 or 8 years when there is a different board. It is a beautiful area and I am an entrepreneur who wants to.”
The municipality of Gooise Meren does not want to respond to Van de Kuit’s statements and only responds in generalities. The municipality is currently considering this situation with regard to the golf course in Naarderbos.