First Golf in Flanders Media Challenge well appreciated by international media delegates.

Golf in Flanders, a joint initiative between the Flemish Golf Federation (VVG) and VisitFlanders (Flemish Tourist Board) partnered with the European Golf & Travel Media Association to promote the destination to the international golfer via media and IAGTO exposure.

Sixteen international journalists from the Netherlands, Germany, Luxemburg, Sweden, Czech Republic, UK, Ireland and the USA travelled extensively through Flanders to see for themselves the benefits the destination has to offer to golfers from all over the world. 

The week started with dinner at Belgium’s newest golf project, the National, where a Belgian meal kicked of the week. Belgian beer, shrimp croquettes, Flemish stew and home made fries with mayonnaise immediately set the tone for the week. Delegates returned to the Martin’s EU hotel right next door to the EU Parliament buildings.

The participating golf clubs all made sure the international media delegates had the best impression of the facilities. Greens mowed, bunkers raked, coffee served, a few souvenirs to make sure journalists had all the information required to promote the clubs. Journalists started at the 27 hole ‘polder’ course Damme Golf & Country Club and them moved on to Cleydael Golf Club near Antwerp which surrounds a 14th-century moated castle. They played the Millennium Golf which meanders around the ‘Paalse Plas’ and is situated in a mixed recreation area where cyclists, walkers, sailors, paddle boarders and more all engage in soft recreational activities in harmony with each other. Next up was the Spiegelven Golf Club laid out in an area of heathland and carved out of a pine forest followed by Winge Golf & Country Club, the challenging undulating lay-out in the fertile Hageland, where EGTMA members played their final round.

Chris Morton, General Manager Damme Golf & Country Club: “At Damme and being near to Bruges, we already get our fair share of international golfers visiting our golf course but an initiative like this deserves all the support so we can finally get a consorted effort going to promote Flanders as an alternative golf destination. We all know golfers make for ‘great’ tourists as they tend to spend more than your average visitor. Not only is it good for the golf courses but it brings in a lot of additional spend into the region with hotels, restaurants, bars and shops all getting their share.”

EGTMA members were also treated to some exceptional hotel stays and additional activities. The city’s tourist boards all provided guides to explain the history of the cities visited. In Gent, while staying in the Marriott Ghent, journalists were treated to a boat trip on the ‘Leie’, the river where back in the day the majority of the world’s wheat and grain trade was conducted and the short trip showcased all the historic buildings with the ‘Gravensteen’, the medieval fortress, the highlight of the trip. The Marriott Hotel, situated in three original ‘guild’ properties is right on the river and just a short stroll from all the historic buildings in Gent and with their recently opened Midtown Grill, a fashionable steakhouse, a fantastic location for any tourist. In Mechelen, the converted Franciscan church turned Martin’s Patershof Hotel provided shelter for the weary golf travellers and in Leuven, the historic nunnery converted into the Martin’s Klooster Hotel allowed the tired golfers some well-needed respite from all the activities. The city of Leuven provided a guided tour around the market squares and university buildings, a university founded in 1425. 

Olivier Meulemans, Sales & Marketing Director Martin’s Hotels adds: “We’ve always been supportive of the EGTMA and as our hotel group is constantly expanding, golf has always been something we hold dear to our heart. We started our golf pass around our properties in Brabant Wallon, the french speaking part of Belgium but as we expanded into Flanders we can only applaud initiatives like GolfinFlanders which help us promote not only our hotels but also the golf courses nearby.” 

Golfers need transportation and the GolfinFlanders Media Challenge took in over 500 miles from West to East so Hertz provided the wheels to allow us to move around in comfort. 

Henk van den Helder, GM Hertz Benelux explains: “We are always supportive of tourism initiatives being one of the major rental car brands in the world. Our affiliation with golf goes back many years as we understand the value a golf tourist brings to our brand. Therefore we did not hesitate to support the GolfinFlanders initiative when approached by the EGTMA and we are pleased to see the positive feedback.”

Jo Maes, President of the European Golf & Travel Media Association adds: “Being able to present my home country to an international media delegation and showcasing all that is good about Flanders has been a pleasure and privilege. Flanders is a great destination for tourism in general and with the quality of the hotels, the food, the beers, shopping and obviously the centuries of history enveloping the cities, it makes a lot of sense to add golf to that mix and offer an unforgettable experience and a full package to golfers world wide.”

Bill Giering, US based golf journalist was interviewed by Kanaal Z, the Flemish business and lifestyle tv channel and was complimentary about everything he had experienced. “You can not underestimate the welcome one feels once you arrive here. From the golf clubs to the hotels, the city guides … Everybody has been so accommodating and the golf ain’t half bad neither. We played on some player friendly but still challenging and different styles of golf courses and that combined with the history, the culinary delights, the quality of the beer, this is a destination to be reckoned with.”

EGTMA members were all treated to a final dinner at the Martin’s Klooster with delegates from the partners, the clubs and the Flemish Golf Federation in attendance. The dinner topped off what had been a memorable week of golf, food and hospitality all mixed with a voyage through the history of the region. The next activity for the GolfinFlanders brand is attendance at this year’s IGTM to be held in Cannes in December where the destination will be presented to the gathering golf travel industry.

Information for Journalists

EGTMA stands for European Golf & Travel Media association. Started in 2006, the EGTMA has organised its 50th media event in various countries. These events have resulted in media exposure with an EAV (Equivalent Advertising Value) in the millions of Euros for destinations and courses visited during these media trips. EGTMA is a member’s organisation and can provide PR and Marketing assistance in multiple languages.

The EGTMA resides under the umbrella of par4our Ltd, a global golf consultancy company providing a variety of services and support with regards to media, marketing and technology.  

The VVG or Flemish Golf Federation governs the sport of golf in Flanders as a result of the devolved institutions in Belgium. Their mission is to elevate the sport of golf working on three pillars … increase the number of players, increase the number of clubs and improving the quality of golf players and clubs in general via education.

golfinflanders.com is the initiative, brand and website used to provide golfers with information about the golf offering in the region. 

Flanders has 25 golf clubs of 18 holes or more and 27 clubs with 9 holes or less. The Belgian Open was last played in Royal Zoute in 2000 which Nick Faldo and others claimed to be one of the best courses on the then European tour rota.

Media Contact for more information and images:

Jo Maes, President of the EGTMA

Tel +353.1.442.9016

skype: jo_maes

email: [email protected]