Golf

Hole 1: par 4, hcp 9/10, yellow 267/239, red 223/200
A blind drive, where a forecaddie is recommended. Keep to the left towards the clock. Try to avoid being charmed by the Schaffer Pond, which you must play over. The name derives from when the musician Janne Schaffer, at the inauguration of the course in 1989, managed to hit the water hazard with his first drive.
Ring the bell when you pass so that any following party will know it’s clear. To the right of the green is a water hazard that will catch any less successful shots. The green is small and undulated. It’s quite easy to slip off into the vegetation.

Hole 2: par 3, hcp 15/16, yellow 118/141, red 118/141
When you have caught your breath from the unparalleled view of Torneträsk, you will have a par-3 hole in front of you, but with a tough difference in height. The water hazard on the right side down by the green and ditches to the left makes this hole a little more difficult than indicated by the hcp. With some luck the might be some snow left on the left side of the mountain and will offer a slightly different golf experience for balls that find their way there. If you find the ball on the white surface a cool approach shot towards the green awaits, which consists of two levels.

Hole 3: par 4, hcp 5/6, yellow 271/229, red 241/229
Dogleg to the left with the green on higher ground. Tough choice whether to play a long drive to the plateau or play it short on fairway for a longer blind approach. The green has a heavy decline, and there are countless stories about balls rolling of the green. With a kind placement the flag will be located on the upper plane part.

Hole 4: par 5, hcp 1/2, yellow 467/429, red 381/339
It starts with a decline, followed by an incline. Long, narrow hole, with water to the left and dwarf birches to the right. Those who play the ball straight will have no problems, but who can manage that when it’s windy and the green is placed higher up and a bit closer than one might think. The difference in levels might confuse your sense of distance. If you tire halfway trough the goahti is open where you can have a “fika”.

The green is small and undulated.

Hole 5: par 3/4, hcp 13/12, yellow 165/225, red 139/200
The most beautiful hole in Sweden. You will stand on top of a mountain. Down to the left you can hear the trains passing on the Iron Ore Line. Upfront you will have a stunning view of Abisko and Lapporten.
After a deep ravine fairway spreads out. To the left of fairway the ravine continues and to the right mountain birches coexists with dwarf birches. You will probably reach the green from the tee, unless you have head-wind!

The green has US Open Quality (Sep-00).

Hole 6: par 4, hcp 11/8, yellow 238/274, red 176/220
Dogleg to the left where fairway tilts to the left all the way to the green. Watch out for dwarf birch to the right on the second stroke. The green is big with a distinct ridge, and a tilt to the left, so it’s important to keep track of the flag and the where you place the ball. A couple of mountain birches in front of the green makes the approach a little more exciting. If you hit the ball 20 meter beyond the green you will have to fetch the ball in the valley beyond. A strenuous 100 meter vertical walk!

Hole 7: par 3, hcp 17/18, yellow 129/121, red 105/123
One of the most spectacular holes on the course, with a decline of around 70 meters. Like a small postage stamp lies the green, surrounded by dense forest. The easiest way is to grab the putter and push the ball over the edge, and let gravity do the job. On a snowy year the ball will land in the snow and roll almost the entire way to the green. Otherwise you will have good use of a snow-wedge, a club that’s in many aspects are similar to regular wedge!

Hole 8: par 4, hcp 3/4, yellow 262/206, red 214/185
The green is placed quite high, and you’ll have to pass two shoulders before reaching it. To the right of the narrow fairway the mountain slopes down towards fairway, but the amount of vegetation will hinder the ball from rolling down.
In the middle of the course an undercover ditch runs out in a little creek to the left of the course. Well on the green you have to be careful with the putter. The green has two shoulders and slopes down towards fairway.

Hole 9: par 4/3, hcp 7/14, yellow 271/113, red 222/113
Here you can use Silverfallet (the Silver Fall) in the distance as a mark. The green is located dogleg left and with a good shot the ball will roll down the last half of fairway towards the green. On the second round you will reach the green with a shorter club thanks to the decline. The hazard on the hole is located behind the green where the forest grows.

When you completed the first round you can take a relaxing stroll down the mountain and have a lunch or dinner in the hotel restaurant, before it’s time for round number two. There’s almost no risk you’ll have to wait to start off the next round. Queues and crowds are two unknown notions on the golf course here in Björkliden. Maybe it’s because you can play all night as well during the summer?