Slite

Originally designed by Peter Nordwall and opened in 1996, the course is located a couple of kilometres inland from Slite on the eastern coast of the island of Gotland. Slite is also home to Sweden’s largest cement factory.

Set on a 150-acre property between two enormous limestone quarries, the par 72 course features two nine-hole loops and red fescue grass (Festuca rubra) from to tee to green, which is quite unusual to see in Sweden. As a result, the club is proud of regularly having Gotland’s firmest and fastest course, giving interesting challenges to members and visitors alike. The red fescue also requires a low-input regime to retain its dominance over other grasses, which chimes with the club’s environmental ambitions and limited budget. It is also quite helpful in keeping water consumption down as the small watercourse the club has the right to use would have difficulty sustaining extensive watering during hot summers.

Starting in 2021, the club is gradually implementing a masterplan drawn up by designer Christian Lundin. The plan includes a complete re-bunkering of the course, from small pot bunkers to more natural-looking sand hazards, as well as, the redesign of six holes (10, 11, 16, 17 and 18).

Those who have played other courses designed by Lundin can recognise his style on these holes, even if the original routing and the large greens typical of Peter Nordwall have largely been retained.