Links Course

Downwind a par five with a gentle dogleg to the left. You’re wise to aim slightly right off the tee. That way, you take the left-side bunkers out of play and make the second shot easier. And even though it’s uphill all the way, you might still reach the elevated green in two. Just keep in mind — it’s actually farther to the pin than it looks. But if you manage it you’ve laid a solid foundation for continued success.

Here on the third hole, you’re likely to face a bit of headwind so you’ll need both energy and hope to keep your winning streak going. Aim near the bunkers to the left of the fairway at the start of the slope up to the green — or why not at the wind turbines? And once again, take one extra club for your second shot. It never hurts.

The elevated tee on the fourth hole offers a great overview. Long hitters will have the left-side bunker in play. Aim right — the fairway slopes left. Here, for the first time you encounter one of architect Kyle Phillips’ trademarks: the bunkers in front of the green are much closer than they appear. Phillips tricks the eye and it’s not uncommon to choose too little club as a result. We’re lulled into thinking we’re facing a greenside bunker — a recurring feature on several holes.

The fifth hole is only a hundred meters — but don’t underestimate it. The green is very wide and very shallow. The front bunkers are clearly visible, while the slope down to thick rough behind the green can be an unpleasant surprise. This is a beautifully designed golf hole that demands humility, courage, and precision. It’s refinement at a high level. Touch, technique and a bit of luck. A hundred meters isn’t much — but still…

The sixth hole is a relatively long par four. From the tee it’s easy to focus only on the bunkers on the left side and even though you may hesitate to hit toward the blind area on the right, that’s exactly what you should do. So let go of your need for control — keep right! The semi-rough and fairway slope left and your tee shot often ends up perfect even if you can’t see the landing area. A relatively flat second shot will often reach the green — or even run past it. The final stretch plays downhill.

You tee off from one of the highest points on the course. In the distance you can catch a glimpse of Malmö and more often than not you’ll have the wind straight in your face. On the other hand, you’re hitting from an elevated tee so you usually won’t need an extra club for distance. The pin position can be crucial to your score. The green features a spectacular valley in the middle — strange, stimulating, and fun all at once. A front pin placement makes this one of the most challenging tee shots on the Links Course.

The course’s second par five. True big hitters can drive the ball and carry the creek — a risky play that’s rarely rewarded. A fairway wood off the tee, maybe even a 5-wood, is usually the smarter choice. The farther right you aim from the tee, the shorter the distance to the creek. The challenge on hole eight largely depends on the pin position. It’s much harder to reach the flag when it’s on the plateau to the left than when it’s down to the right.

One of the three toughest holes on the course. A long par four where hitting driver off the tee is risky. The steep slope at the end of the fairway leads to a creek you can’t see. It’s wiser to take a fairway wood instead. That often leaves you with a second shot of about 160 meters to one of the hardest greens to hit. If the flag is on the right side of the green, consider the slightly unorthodox route to the right of the bunker.

The back nine offers a series of brilliant experiences, starting with the tenth hole. A quiet creek winds its way along the right side, bordering the eighteenth hole. For long hitters the fairway is much wider than it appears from the tee. A long drive down the right side opens things up and makes the second shot significantly easier. The green is deep and slightly elevated. Depending on the pin position, the difference can be several clubs. Reaching it can be a real challenge.

The creek isn’t hard to reach on the eleventh but it’s not easy to carry either. That means either a long iron or a fairway wood from the tee. The second shot is a lay-up into the long and steep uphill slope. After that, you face the hole’s most crucial decision — choosing the right club to reach the green. Most of the time, you can’t see the landing area or exactly where the pin is. Unless, of course, you were smart enough earlier in the round to glance to the right from the seventh tee.

From the twelfth tee you look out over a breathtakingly beautiful golf hole. Of course it’s best to keep your drive on the fairway, but don’t despair if you end up left of the second bunker complex. From there you actually get a good view of the creek crossing in front of the green — maybe even better than from the closely mown fairway. You need to carry the ball farther than you think. Otherwise it’s the bunker — or worse the creek.

The short thirteenth hole — once again, you’ll need one more club than you think. But you can always bail out to the right of the green and let the ball feed down toward the flag. Course architect Kyle Phillips often offers one side of the green that’s better to miss on. And if you’re going to miss here, make it to the right.

The fourteenth is tough — possibly the hardest hole on the course. A long par four with a blind tee shot, a steady climb and a green that hides the pin. Sure, the wind is usually at your back but that’s hardly a real comfort. Don’t dwell too much on the difficulty. Stay right as you play up toward the green. There’s no shame in dropping a shot or two here.

A relatively short par five, usually into the wind — but that doesn’t matter much. Despite the wall in front of the green, you can still reach the short grass in two. If not, lay up and leave yourself seventy meters in then place your wedge exactly where you want it. One putt and you’re happily on your way. Here you might already sense the rewards waiting in the clubhouse restaurant. But there are still three holes to go.

The final three holes offer a deceptive sense of comfort. The sixteenth is short but the green can play plenty of tricks on you. It slopes to the right much more than you’d ever expect. Then again you can use that to your advantage — if you land your approach on the left side…

Don’t let yourself be too distracted by the bunkers short and right — or the ones to the left of the green. Not even the ones in front! Yikes… The classic advice to aim for the middle of the green is never wrong, and it’s especially true on this magnificent par three. And now on to the finale — a truly sharp finishing hole.

It’s always good to have something to aim at. The church in Bara, far off in the distance, is a perfect target. Not into the thick rough on the left and not too far right into the deep bunkers. No — straight toward the church spire in Bara, letting the ball roll over the crest and down onto the flatter part of the fairway. Once you’re up on the final green — a beautiful creation with the magnificent clubhouse almost within arm’s reach — it hits you: that unshakable desire to head back out again. That’s how it is on a truly great golf course.