Halmstad (Norra), Sweden

[Canary_Yellow]

I went to Sweden this weekend to visit a friend. We played 3.5 rounds of golf, but the highlight was Halmstad Norra on Sunday.

I doubt that there are many people planning a trip to play golf in Sweden, but I thought I'd write this up anyway just in case. From a quick search of the forum, I couldn't see that anyone had commented on it previously.

For those not familiar (that's probably more or less everyone), Halmstad is on the west coast of Sweden, between Malmo and Gothenburg. Halmstad has two courses, Norra (North) and Sodra (South). It hosted the Solheim Cup back in 2007. We played the Norra course, which is generally considered the better of the two, although the Sodra is also very well thought of.

The setting is lovely. It's on the coast (c. 250m from the sea) but the course winds its way through dense pine trees and you don't actually see the sea at all. The conditioning of the course was impeccable and it has a number of exceptional holes.

It's difficult for someone of my writing capability to do justice to how beautiful the course is; in this link though there should be some good photos of it.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=h...xL7iAhWKIlAKHT9zCpwQ_AUIDygC&biw=1129&bih=537

It also has a superb modern clubhouse and excellent practice facilities.

The round cost £70. Not a small sum of money, but a relative bargain in my opinion when comparing it with the pricing of comparable courses over here. Furthermore, we were able to play as visitors at 11am on a Sunday morning - something that wouldn't be easily achieved if the course were in the UK.

There was an event going on on the Sodra course, so unfortunately I wasn't able to play both.

In case anyone is interested, the other courses I played were:

Vaxjo :- Very nice, very difficult, well worth playing if you're in the area. Beautiful scenery, particularly the bit through the forest and down by the lake.
Glasrikets :- The second course in Vaxjo, not as good as Vaxjo, but quite a bit cheaper and still very enjoyable. Conditioning not as good, but good greens and decent layout in great scenery.
Alvesta :- Beautiful front 9 through the trees. Not as well conditioned as Vaxjo, but still very good. We played on Saturday morning and barely saw a single other person. Back 9 no as strong, more open and a park land layout.

Overall message; if someone suggests going to play Halmstad, it's well worth the trip. There are actually other very good golf courses in that part of Sweden; Barseback, Falsterbo, PGA National of Sweden, Vasatorps and plenty more. It's actually a very easy destination to get to as well; fly to Copenhagen (I paid £150 return with my clubs from Gatwick) and then hop on the train from Copenhagen to Malmo, about a 15 minute journey across the Oresund Bridge, which is quite something too. Or hire a car at Copenhagen airport and drive over.

 

[IanM]

Good post... there are several places not that far away (relatively) that most of us have never been!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I've only briefly been to Stockholm and wasn't able to play golf, it was work. Beautiful flying over Sweden, really liked Stockholm but blimey it was expensive. How was pricing where you were? I could have been paying capital city prices but I suspect not entirely.

Great write up, thank you.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I've only briefly been to Stockholm and wasn't able to play golf, it was work. Beautiful flying over Sweden, really liked Stockholm but blimey it was expensive. How was pricing where you were? I could have been paying capital city prices but I suspect not entirely.

Great write up, thank you.

I was staying with a friend so insulated from the expense a bit, in particular because effectively I was self catering with some casual dining, rather than eating at restaurants and bars every night.

It was expensive though, beer in particular! It’s not a good location for a boozy lads golf trip, but someone / a group after a bit of culture, something a bit different and above all some great golf courses at sensible prices would love it.

 

[HairyBullet]

Spent a week in Halmstad with work a few years ago,unfortunately didn't get to play golf but it was a beautiful city and would love to visit there again if only for a Plank Steak.

 

[r0wly86]

I've only briefly been to Stockholm and wasn't able to play golf, it was work. Beautiful flying over Sweden, really liked Stockholm but blimey it was expensive. How was pricing where you were? I could have been paying capital city prices but I suspect not entirely.

Great write up, thank you.

I have family that live in Malmo and Kalmar on the East coast. Go to Malmo every couple of years. From memory went to a bar and an IPA cost about £5, so London prices, but nothing like Norway. Food, we either ate at families who own a café and are superb cooks, or got filled pita, big Middle Eastern influence in Malmo, they were a few quid for a meal.

I live in London so didn't really notice the prices, but dearer than the rest of the UK. Not so crazy like New York though

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I have family that live in Malmo and Kalmar on the East coast. Go to Malmo every couple of years. From memory went to a bar and an IPA cost about £5, so London prices, but nothing like Norway. Food, we either ate at families who own a café and are superb cooks, or got filled pita, big Middle Eastern influence in Malmo, they were a few quid for a meal.

I live in London so didn't really notice the prices, but dearer than the rest of the UK. Not so crazy like New York though

A beer in a very modest hotel just outside Stockholm, think Shearings type place which is apt as it was full of elderly people on coach trips, cost me £8.50 . I was hot, tired and didn't care at that moment but it hurt afterwards. If the rest of Sweden is like London then that is not so bad. Not comfortable for a northener like myself but I can get my head around that .

I totally agree about New York. We went there for a few days last year and that was scary all over. That definitely wins the prize, a very unwanted prize.

Thanks for the post, I liked what I saw of Sweden so would like to go back in my own time. The prices were a little off putting but perhaps it is not as bad as I perceived.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I have family that live in Malmo and Kalmar on the East coast. Go to Malmo every couple of years. From memory went to a bar and an IPA cost about £5, so London prices, but nothing like Norway. Food, we either ate at families who own a café and are superb cooks, or got filled pita, big Middle Eastern influence in Malmo, they were a few quid for a meal.

I live in London so didn't really notice the prices, but dearer than the rest of the UK. Not so crazy like New York though

I think I paid about £5 for a craft beer in vaxjo, maybe a bit more, and it wasn’t a full pint. Expensive, but not cripplingly so was my view. And I didn’t find food to be expensive - similar to London as you say.

All in, with the golf being good value, and flights cheap, the total cost of the holiday would be no more than going to the algarve, probably less if you’re not out getting smashed every night!