Varberg (Västra)

Varbergs Golf Club dates back to the 1950s but its two 18-hole courses are of more recent vintage. The Ostra (East) course debuted in 1976 and the Västra (West) was unveiled in 1992 but, for some reason that we haven’t been able to find out, they are located 20 kilometres apart.

The Tommy Nordström-designed Västra course is laid out in an out-and-back configuration and is a more open, yet tougher proposition than its elder sibling. Fairways may be wide and greens large but the scale of the challenge here is not only measured against the dimensions of the course because water, sand and trees also play their part in protecting par.

The first short hole is not encountered until the 8th and this is played across water to a green defended on the front by three small bunkers with out of bounds to the right and rear of the putting surface. The other three par threes are faced on an inward half that ends with a double doglegged par five measuring 540 yards from the back markers.