Saga Björklund
The Swedish summer may be short, but it’s intense. For those who like to combine vacation with a golf swing, there are now far more options than just a course and a simple motel nearby. A true golf resort is about the whole package: waking up, enjoying breakfast with a view of the green, playing eighteen holes, and ending the day at the spa or restaurant without ever needing to get in the car. In recent years, Sweden has seen a growing number of facilities that meet this standard. Here are eight of the best, spread from the shores of Lake Vättern to the Öresund coast.
Bro Hof Slott Golf Club – Stadium Feel Outside Stockholm
Just northwest of Stockholm, along the shores of Lake Mälaren, lies what many golfers consider the country’s most renowned facility. Bro Hof Slott Golf Club boasts two 18-hole courses designed by American star architect Robert Trent Jones Jr: The Stadium Course, one of Europe’s longest and most celebrated courses, and The Castle Course, which leans towards a Scottish links feel with narrower fairways and smaller, trickier bunkers. The facility has hosted several editions of the Scandinavian Masters, and the clubhouse includes a sauna, relaxation area, and a restaurant in a castle setting. A clear first choice for those who want to combine the capital’s offerings with top-class golf.
The National – Skåne’s International Flagship
Outside Malmö, in the small village of Bara, lies the facility formerly known as PGA of Sweden National, now simply called The National. Here you’ll find two full-scale 18-hole courses designed by Scotsman Kyle Phillips – a park-like Lakes Course and a more links-inspired Links Course – as well as a shorter nine-hole course for warm-ups. The facility has been repeatedly voted one of the country’s most appreciated golf clubs by both members and guests, and with a hotel, restaurant, and one of Europe’s most well-equipped training facilities on site, it’s easy to see why. Proximity to Copenhagen and Kastrup makes The National a natural choice for international travelers looking to add a few days of golf in Sweden.
Barsebäck Resort – Historic Golf Classic by the Öresund
Few Swedish golf facilities have the same competition pedigree as Barsebäck Resort outside Löddeköpinge. The club hosted the Solheim Cup in 2003 and has organized the Scandinavian Masters about ten times, with names like Henrik Stenson and Annika Sörenstam associated with the courses. The Ocean Course, designed by Ture Bruce, offers pure seaside holes with views towards Copenhagen across the strait, while the more forest-enclosed Pine Course (Donald Steel) provides a quieter round. After extensive renovations, there are now hotels, guest villas, and a restaurant in Nordic design on site – a resort that combines golf history with modern comfort.
Hooks Herrgård – Manor Idyll by the Shore of Vättern
In Småland, by the southern shore of Lake Vättern outside Habo, lies one of the country’s most beloved golf resorts in terms of atmosphere. Hooks Herrgård combines two 18-hole courses – an open parkland course and a denser forest course – with a manor setting dating back to the 18th century. Golf groups come here as much to end the day in the pool or sauna landscape as on the fairway, and the restaurant is known for making something truly special out of local Vättern fish. A great choice for those who want high-class golf without the big city price tag.
Sand Golf Club – Lakeside Golf with Three Courses
Just outside Värnamo, Sand Golf Club offers one of Småland’s most complete golf experiences, with three courses of different characters gathered at the same facility. The most renowned, the Masters Course, winds along the lakes Vidöstern and Rusken with water in play on most holes, while a more accessible course and a shorter nine-hole course for beginners and children make the resort as suitable for the whole family as for pure golf groups. With a hotel and spa on site, you can fill a weekend without leaving the gates.
Öijared Resort – Sweden’s Largest Golf Facility
Just 35 minutes from central Gothenburg lies Öijared Resort, which with its three 18-hole courses is considered the country’s largest golf facility in terms of holes. The naturally scenic land is partly classified as a national interest, and in addition to golf, there are hiking trails, pastures, and a relaxation area with a pool, sauna, and gym for the days between rounds. The size of the facility makes it a great option for larger groups or golf trips over several days where you want to vary between different courses without having to move.
Vallda Golf & Country Club – Scottish Heath Feel in Halland
In the rolling landscape of Halland outside Kungsbacka lies Vallda Golf & Country Club, a course often mentioned among Sweden’s absolute best. English architect Martin Hawtree has created an inland links with dry, hard playing surfaces, characteristic bunkers, and undulating green areas clearly inspired by the classic British courses of the 1920s. The facility hosted the joint Scandinavian Mixed 2021 for the PGA and LPGA tours, with Henrik Stenson and Annika Sörenstam as hosts. A visit is just as suitable as a day trip from Gothenburg as part of a longer golf journey along the west coast.
Ombergs Golf Resort – Dramatic Nature by the Eastern Shore of Vättern
On Mount Omberg, overlooking the entire Lake Vättern, lies Ombergs Golf Resort in Östergötland. The course, designed by former Ryder Cup player Pierre Fulke together with Bengt Lorichs, fully utilizes the hilly terrain, with holes climbing through windswept heathland, forest, and idyllic pastures. Since its inception in 2002, the resort has received consistently high ratings from its guests and can easily be combined with hiking in the nature reserve or a boat trip on the lake. A great option for those who want golf with a substantial view without traveling all the way to Skåne.
