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Scandinavia is one of the world’s most naturally beautiful destinations. And with all that daylight in the summer months, what better way to spend time than a round of golf. Words: Kimmo Ekroth
Kytäjä Golf, Finland
A regular on lists of must-play courses the world over, Kytäjä is less than an hour north of Helsinki and has been Finland’s number one course since opening. Both courses are fantastic Tom McBroom designs in a beautiful lakeside setting. McBroom is one of the most productive and appreciated Canadian architects and Kytäjä is his only design outside of Northern America. Out of the two courses here, South East has been the higher ranked and is more challenging than the North West. It also benefits from more dramatic views over the lake, with the back nine particularly beautiful.
Linna Golf, Finland
Tim Lobb, an architect renowned across Europe for his work, which includes PGA Golf de Catalunya, is the genius behind this course. It’s based on the grounds of an old hunting manor and enjoys a spectacular backdrop of 100 hectares of Scandinavian woodland. With some of the buildings dating back to the beginning of the 1900s,there’s a sense of history to combine with the natural beauty of the course. Saunas are obviously an essential part of any stay and in the nearby town of Hämeenlinna there are plenty, as well as the fortress from which it got its name, Häme Castle.
Vierumäki Club, Finland
Renowned for its midnight golf allowing you to tee off at 2am from the middle June through to mid-July. Vierumäki is 120km north of Helsinki and offers an awful lot more than just golf. Ice hockey, football, figure skating, ice hockey and something called floorball are among the other specialities. On the golf side it has two excellent options: its championship course Cooke is named after its architect, Canadian Graham Cooke, and aspires to be the first Finnish course to host a main tour event. A second course, The Classic, is being renovated by McKenzie and Ebert.
Visby, Sweden
This course is located on the Swedish island of Gotland, some 55 miles off the mainland. The walled medieval town of Visby is not only its capital but as a former Viking site, is also recognised by UNESCO. As for the golf, it’s a Nordic favourite among those in the know and was renovated by former Ryder Cup players Pierre Fulke and Adam Mednick. The original course dates back to the 1950s and the duo managed to update the course while also staying true to its origins. A restaurant on the beach finishes off one of the most scenic rounds you’ll ever play and tops off a memorable golfing experience.
Falsterbo, Sweden
One of the very few true links courses outside of the UK, Falsterbo has sandy beaches, fearsome winds and rugged coastline. The current course dates back to the 1930s, although the club itself has been around since 1909. Perched on the most southwesterly tip of Sweden, its features include holes that wrap around a lighthouse — once the centre of the original nine. Only two of these original holes remain, but today’s course with a very Scottish wild terrain, complete with gorse, makes for a challenging round. Capture it at sunset and it’ll stay in the memory bank forever.
Ullna Golf Club, Sweden
Defined by Lake Ullna on whose banks it resides, Ullna has plenty of water to challenge even the low handicappers. This Jack Nicklaus design has recently been renovated by the man himself and has hosted numerous golfing tournaments, including parts of the European Tour, as well as renowned players like Tiger Woods, who was captain of the international team during the SAS Invitational. It’s in absolutely pristine condition and attracts the likes of Ryder Cup heroes Jesper Parnevik and Per-Ulrik Johansson for practice rounds. Ullna is just a short 20-minute drive from Stockholm.
Oslo GK, Norway
Norway’s first golf club dating back to 1924, Oslo GK blends perfectly the old and the new — a recently renovated Norwegian classic. A beautiful waterside course and always in excellent condition, it was renovated by American architect Steve Forrest in 2008. Known for its long par 3s, with water often a feature (it’s on the southern shore of Lake Bogstad) the view of the waterfall on the 12th is unique. Its bid to host the Solheim Cup in 2019 may not have worked out the way it hoped, but this is still a course to write home about, and remains one of Norway’s most talked about golfing experiences.
The Scandinavian, Denmark
Drive a little over 20-minutes north of Copenhagen and you’ll find two Robert Trent Jones Junior championship courses, as well as probably one of the most beautiful clubhouses in the world. This exclusive private club now allows unaccompanied visiting play during weekdays — an offer every golfer should take up. The Old and New courses opened a year apart, the former in 2010, and both were built under the instruction of Jones Junior. It really is a work to be proud of, and surrounded by forest and abundant wildlife, the whole club is outstanding.
Parnu Bay, Estonia
Estonia may not technically be Scandinavia, but its proximity, as well as its similar landscape warrants its inclusion in this guide. Plus, Parnu Bay is such an incredible course that it would be a travesty to omit it. One of the most interesting new courses in world, Pinehurst meets Kiawah Island in spectacular style. This Lassi-Pekka Tilander design was an instant entrant to every ‘Top 100’ list that mattered in Europe. Not only is the golf of bucket-list standard, the lively seaside resort of Pärnu is located just 120km from Tallinn and has beautiful white beaches and plenty of good spa hotels.
Miklagard Golf, Norway
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Junior, Miklagard’s championship course is not only considered Norway’s best by many – not to mention featuring on many ‘best in Europe’ lists – but is also just a ten-minute drive from Oslo, making it incredibly convenient too. The greens are super fast, but don’t let that put you off – see it more as a warning to be cautious. The practise facilities are world-class and the clubhouse has been built in a traditional Norwegian log cabin style. Countless European pros have attempted to get the better of the course, with not many succeeding. Tough but beautiful.
