The Netherlands has a rich tradition of regional games and folk sports that predate modern sports culture. Fierljeppen (pole vaulting over water) originates in Friesland — competitors use a long pole to vault across a canal as far as possible. It is still practiced competitively and is a source of regional Frisian pride. Kolfbaan (an ancestor of golf and modern croquet) was played in medieval Dutch cities and is depicted in paintings by Hendrick Avercamp.
Korfbal is the uniquely Dutch mixed-gender team sport — invented in 1902 and played nowhere else at the same level of popularity. Teams of eight (four men, four women) compete in a game combining elements of basketball and netball. It is explicitly designed to be mixed-gender and remains one of the most progressive team sports in the world. Schaatsen (ice skating on natural ice) — specifically the Elfstedentocht, a 200km skating tour through eleven Frisian cities — is a legendary event that occurs rarely (only when canals freeze sufficiently) and produces national excitement when announced.
Klaverjassen is the most popular Dutch card game — a trick-taking game played in cafés and community centers across the country. Sjoelen is a shuffleboard variant popular in Dutch homes and community centers. These traditional games and sports are conversation topics that connect you to a side of Dutch culture invisible to most tourists — mentioning knowledge of the Elfstedentocht or korfbal to a Dutch person often produces genuine surprise and delight.