Falkenberg (18-hole)

Founded in 1949, Falkenbergs Golf Club had to move from its original, Douglas Brasier-designed 9-hole seaside course (on what was then the north side of town) in the late 1950s to make room for expanding industry. In 1961, nine holes on the current woodland site at Skrea came into play, followed by a second nine in 1968, which Nils Sköld designed. The club expanded to 27 holes in 1985 after Jan Sederholm laid out the extension. Four holes on the 18-hole course are by Sederholm (2, 3, 13 and 14) as well as six holes on the 9-hole layout.

The current 18-hole course dates from the late 1990s, when the first par three hole was scrapped to make room for an expansion of the driving range and was replaced with the current par three 8th by Tommy Nordström. One of the drawbacks of the site, the long walk to the first tee, is partly a result of this latest change in routing. However, once on the first tee the visiting golfer is rewarded with perhaps the best vista on the property, towards the inland forests in the distance. The same visitor is probably also grateful that the late 1990s reconfiguration changed this hole from a narrow, 400-metre, stroke index 1 par four to a slightly longer but wider par five, reachable for long-hitters in two with the prevailing westerly wind.

Falkenberg's personality and trademark difficulties are revealed on the following two holes. Hole 2 is a narrow, longish par four with a small green that is difficult to hold other than with a perfectly judged iron shot. Hole 3 is a dogleg right where the drive needs to be positioned correctly to give a clear approach to the green. The rest of the round is full of similar challenges.

At slightly more than 6,100 metres from the tips, Falkenberg is not a long course by modern standards, but the requirement for positioning from the tee and accurate approach play into the small greens still provides a challenge for all levels, which is why the course has consistently been rated in the Swedish Top 50.

Although blessed by sandy soil, the course is built in an area containing old inland sand dunes and the club is not resting on its laurels. A multi-year master plan has been created by Caspar Grauballe to develop the course further. In 2014, revised holes 4 and 7 opened for play, featuring new, more challenging bunkering and a stream across the 4th fairway forcing many players to stop and think also about strategy on this tee.

The 9-hole course, open for pay-and-play, is maintained to a similar quality and is an alternative if the main 18-hole layout happens to be busy or closed for competition.