Royal Hainaut Golf Club

If the ancestors of the Princes of Croÿ could see this 27-hole expanse_it is, after all, on their lands that the Royal Golf Club du Hainaut is sited_ it is more than likely that they would include it in their famous collections of medieval paintings depicting the towns and villages 
of the Flanders and Hainaut regions.
The forest situated on the Erbisoeul plateau, despite the turbulence of History—which on two occasions resulted in its devastation, 
or at the very least in its extreme disfigurement (prisoner-of-war camps; battlefields)—has lost nothing of its splendour. Situated just a few kilometres from Mons, it forms a magnificent backdrop for the 18-hole of Royal Hainaut Golf Club,
"Les Bruyères" and "Le Quesnoy" courses (created by Simpson in 1933) and the 9-hole "Les Etangs" course (designed by Hawtree and completed in 1990).
Although their décors are identical, pleasing the eye and soothing the soul, their designs are quite different, the whole coming together to form a "natural cocktail" that is suitable to players of all levels.
"Les Bruyères" and "Le Quesnoy" are flat courses but their greens—very well guarded—and fairways—not too wide—both require accuracy. Nevertheless, the player is at his ease, whatever his level.
"Les Etangs" is not only longer but more irregular, presenting even a few veritable depressions. Its greens are also very well defended and although the fairways are more tolerant of errors,  this does not dispense the player from proceeding with intelligence. After all, it is not simply a matter of hitting the ball anywhere you like! Water crops up on several occasions, both parallel to the line of play —at the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th holes, and perpendicular to it— at the 2nd and the 7th, a superb par 3. The impression of wilderness is reinforced by the remoteness of the holes from each other: they are positioned around an expanse of land that is vast enough to accommodate a further 9 holes!
The three courses do have one point in common, though: they all end up at the foot of the thatched-roof clubhouse in an undisguised invitation to enjoy a warm, convivial 19th hole, in pure Hainaut tradition!