He was the main goalscorer of AZ, who during six consecutive seasons from 1976–77 to 1981–82 finished in the top 4 in the league table of the Eredivisie.

Together with Austrian Kurt Welzl and the Volendam native Pier Tol, he led the AZ offense to a league title in the 1980–81 season; twelve points ahead of Ajax and also outperforming the Dutch giants on goal difference by +71 against +34.

He won the European Golden Shoe of the 1978–79 season with 34 goals in the Eredivisie, making him the first Dutch footballer to win this award.

In the summer of 1982, Kist left AZ for French club Paris Saint-Germain, and was sent on loan to recently relegated FC Mulhouse for the 1983–84 season.

[4] Kist scored a total of 212 goals in the Eredivisie, which puts him in fourth place on the all-time leaders list, behind Willy van der Kuijlen, Ruud Geels and Johan Cruijff.