The first par-5 on the course presents another birdie opportunity. The fairway offers a generous landing zone from the tee, but beware of the bunker on the right. While the wind is usually against you, most golfers will have only a wedge into the green for their third shot. If the wind is behind you, the green can be easily reached in two. Landing in the small bunker in front of the green isn’t a major issue, as it provides a relatively easy bunker shot.

A challenging driving hole with a narrow, tapering fairway. To the left, rough and heather; to the right, large fairway bunkers. Into the wind, a driver is always the best choice, while with the wind behind, a 3-wood or even a rescue may suffice. Bernardus’s firm fairways often provide plenty of roll. The green is somewhat bowl-shaped, causing many balls to funnel toward the middle. This is one of the few holes at Bernardus without significant run-offs.

A long but beautiful par-3 that often plays into the wind. Visually from the tee, it appears you should aim for the right side, but this makes the carry much longer, and a deep run-off awaits just in front of the green. The green slopes significantly from left to right, so when the flag is on the left, missing the green on that side can be costly.

A visually stunning par-5. After a good drive that stays short of the waste area, the green is reachable in two shots, especially with the usual tailwind. On the second shot, avoiding the water is crucial, but missing the green slightly left still offers a good birdie opportunity. After a poor drive, laying up to around 100 meters from the flag remains challenging due to the water on the right.

A par-3 that feels like an island green due to its design and surrounding water. With water in front and to the right, and a large portion of the green sloping steeply off to the left, the best play is often to aim for the middle of the green.

Another technically excellent and visually striking hole. A good drive sets up a birdie opportunity, but finding the right bunker or rough off the tee quickly turns this into a challenging hole, requiring a second shot over water. The most dangerous pin position is back right, where an overly aggressive approach can easily send your ball into the water.

A short par-4 where long hitters can get close to the green with a driver, especially with the wind behind. Laying up before the bunker on the left side of the fairway is a smart play, leaving a wedge into the green and a good birdie opportunity. The deep green slopes left into a valley—an area best avoided. However, with a wedge in hand, missing the green shouldn’t be an issue.

A challenging hole. The wind is often against you from the left, and the fairway is relatively narrow. Many tee shots find the left bunker or rough, leaving players hoping for a good lie. Even with a driver off the tee, it’s still at least a mid to long iron into the green, and if the wind picks up, it could be even more. Hitting the green in regulation and two-putting for par is a great result.

Try to keep your drive slightly to the left, as the right bunker is definitely in play. Once you’ve found the fairway, it’s no more than a mid-iron to the green. If your second shot lands in one of the greenside bunkers, no problem—you still have a great chance for birdie.

The start of four consecutive holes that are anything but easy. The 11th is a long par-3, and with even a bit of wind, it often requires a long iron off the tee. With sand and water on the right, many players tend to aim left—but go too far left, and you’ll catch the tree branches. This is simply a great par-3. When the flag is in the middle or left, the bunker isn’t the worst place to be, but ideally, you want to find the green.

There’s pressure on the tee shot here, as it sets you up for a tricky second into a green guarded by a large bunker and a water hazard in front. Finding the fairway leaves a relatively short iron into the green, but if your ball ends up in the rough or a fairway bunker, the shot over the water becomes much riskier.
The layout of the course rewards good shots and punishes those that are off target. The green on hole 12 has three distinct plateaus, so to have a real birdie chance, your approach must land on the correct on.

A long par-4, but fortunately, the wind is usually helping here. Long hitters can carry the right-side fairway bunker, while those laying up must be careful not to roll too far and end up in it. The water on the left is quite far from the tee, but a slight hook can bring it into play. Left of the green is another fairly steep run-off, a common feature at Bernardus. You don’t want to find yourself in that little valley—especially with the flag on the left.

The 14th is even longer than hole 13 but plays in the opposite direction, meaning the wind is usually against you. Aim to land your tee shot on the fairway just before the left bunker. From the left side, you have the best angle into a very deep green. A front or back pin placement can create as much as a two-club difference for the second shot. At 438 meters, this par-4 is a serious challenge for any player, so it’s no surprise that it plays over par during tournaments.

A stunning par-3, often considered one of the most beautiful in the Netherlands. However, it can be treacherous when the flag is on the left. The wind is difficult to judge from the sheltered tee but is often helping from the right—overdraw it slightly, and the ball ends up in the water. A good line from the tee is the middle of the middle bunker.

On this closing par-5, anything can happen—from a spectacular eagle to a dramatic double bogey. The wind is usually helping, and balls landing on the fairway often get a hard kick forward, making the green reachable in two. However, danger lurks around the green, with water running along the left side. The right side is safer, but going too long isn’t ideal, as the bunker behind the green leaves a downhill shot toward the water. For visitors to Bernardus, it’s a great hole to finish the round.

A challenging par-4, where the wind is usually against you. Ideally, aim for the left side of the fairway to get the best angle to the green, but this brings the bunker into play. When the flag is on the left, missing the green on that side can be costly, as it slopes steeply downward. Players should be happy with a par on this opening hole.