Katrineholm (Gamla)

Katrineholm is the home golf club of the tall Swede, Robert Karlsson. He is still involved in the club and continues to advise on how to keep improving this fine course. Robert’s father Björn was a greenkeeper at the club and the family lived close to the course. In more recent times, the club hosted three editions of the Swedish Challenge hosted by Robert Karlsson on the European Challenge Tour, starting in 2016.

The Gamla course opened as a 9-hole layout in 1963 then another three holes were brought into play six years later before the 18-hole setup was completed in 1973. Today, the layout extends to 6,360 metres from the back tees, playing to a par of 72 (out in 37 then back in 35). Water comes into play occasionally, with a couple of holes routed along the west shore of a lake.

The most memorable holes on the card are probably the par four 5th and par five 6th, which both dogleg left to a peninsula green overlooking the lake. On the back nine, the par four 11th is another notable hole, played to a green that sits behind an intimidating little gully, with out of bounds encroaching close to the right, left and rear of the playing surface.