XXXIV: Lofoten Links
The scope of the human imagination is unfathomably broad, it dives deep towards the unconceivable and gives fuel to the dreamers in the chase for the seemingly impossible and unreasonable. For the most part, golf’s imagination is comparatively narrow with the vast majority of its playing arenas comfortably resting, some far more spectacularly and compellingly than others, within the realms of the layman’s definition of a golf course.
Imagination and creativity though stand to be rewarded and as golfing memories of angles, strategy and crafty puzzles fade a little over time, those spectacular moments of ingenuity, ambition and downright magnificence fight a little harder, never straying far from the mind.
There's not another golf course on the planet that looks like this.....
There are few more overwhelming places on the planet than the Lofoten Islands – an Arctic Archipelago in the North-West of Norway where gorgeously quaint fishing villages cling to the rocky shorelines of crystal waters, dwarfed by towering peaks – one of those places where unescapable magic and unthinkable drama lurks around every corner. Raw, rugged and exposed, Lofoten dines on a diet of extremes as the wind whips and rain lashes year-round, snow blankets the fescue during the winter months, the Northern Lights rear their head in Autumn, and most remarkably for seven weeks of Summer the sun never sets.
Without even the slightest consideration for the business case of a resort which lies a minimum of two flights and a three-hour drive from any main centre, carving out fairways along the shoreline and through chutes of rocky outcrops, heath and lagoons seems entirely unreasonable – it may well be that the sheer boldness and audacity of owner Frode Hov’s vision stands as one of Lofoten Links’ most endearing traits.
On the way in, glimpses like this do far more than whet the appetite...
The arrival to Lofoten Links teases glimpses of eccentric golf holes dicing through the rugged landscape and clinging to the coastline – more akin to golf on a simulator screen than in the flesh. Through the windscreen the majesty of its setting is surreal, but it’s not until the golfer stands atop the first tee enveloped by its joys and drama, that Lofoten Links makes all the sense in the world.
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The Drama of the Opening Trio
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Across such a rousing coastal setting, it would be a travesty to push players out anywhere other than from the edge of the water and like an underdog heavyweight, Lofoten comes out swinging from the hip to deliver golf’s most thrilling and remarkable trio of opening holes.
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To string together words which match the feeling of hitting these shots and strolling the fairways as land and sea collide under the infinite golden glow of the midnight sun is a fruitless affair – there are no superlatives too grand nor expletives too loud. Simply put, it is the most breathtaking experience of my golfing lifetime – a walk of unadulterated wonder which alone makes any amount of travel seem so incredibly trivial. For 30 magical minutes time stands so wonderfully still and begs the question of whether there could possibly be a more beautiful place on Earth.
The view back down the first at midnight
The First
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Machrihanish is often touted as the most beautiful and demanding first swing in the game, but one can only assume that these golfers haven’t tried to pick a line across the rocky outcrops of the Norwegian sea with a 5 iron in hand. Stick the landing on short grass and a simple pitch awaits, anything less finds itself in the lap of the Lofoten Gods. Drama, wonder and an elevated heartrate – the travelling golfer’s appetite stands entirely whetted.
The most dramatic first swing in the game under the midnight sun
The Second
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There is a building anticipation which accompanies the walk down the first fairway as a rugged rock formation rising from the sea grows in stature – the eventual sighting of a flag blowing atop defies belief. As the sun hovers on the horizon and waves lap to the rocks smothering the green, the ecstasy of Lofoten Links’ second tee is abundant for a lifetime.
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Many of the famous par threes of the world present a do-or-die thrill, a moment in the round where the variance in outcomes stretch beyond what the fairness police would deem reasonable – with only 130 metres, the second and its potential for an outlandish rocky bounce or a watery demise stands as the world’s most remarkable one-shot hole.
The world's most remarkable par 3
The Third
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From a rocky stack, the back tee of the third commands a stunning moment of heroism in the form of a 220-yard carry across the Norwegian Sea. As the fairway tumbles left between the outcrops it passes remarkably by two white sandy beaches. As strangely as that passage reads, it perfectly encapsulates the theater of Lofoten’s setting and the dynamism of the golf which ensues.
200 yards of the Norwegian Sea separates tee from fairway
The Inland Turn
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When routings turn inland golfers are often left disappointed as they leave the appeal of the seaside holes in their wake, however as Lofoten Links drifts from the shore at the fourth tee, the diversity of its landscapes and terrain are pushed to the fore. Instead of a sensory respite and decline in golfing intrigue, towards the enchanting shadow of Hoven the routing winds, the surrounding peaks dominating the backdrop with marshland and exposed rock the hazards of choice.
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The par five fifth opens a wonderful inland stretch as it weaves uphill between the dunes and leaves a demanding approach to a green intimidatingly fronted by a cluster of rocks. The short sixth makes a wonderful antithesis as its dives off the cliff to a bottlenecking fairway, its green guarded by a lagoon lurking at the front right.
The bottlenecking tee shot at 6
Whilst the second is without doubt the most marvelled upon one-shot hole, the uphill and bunkerless 7th deals in perhaps the most compelling playing characteristics with a showstopping green site tucked into the base of a rocky amphitheatre. The subsequent hulking Cape hole at the eighth wraps around the lake, shepherding players back to the coast with three nerve-wracking strikes– hold onto your hat, it’s a breathtaking and exacting stretch of golf.
The Cape Hole at 8
Whilst no less spectacular than the coastal beginning, it’s the depth of golf and diversity of shots that the inland holes deliver which stamps its quality on the round. At first look trying to keep the ball in the fairway seems the only objective, however across multiple plays the strategic options, importance of angles and fickle balance of Lofoten’s risk-reward continuum begin to unravel.
Coastal Closure
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For many golfers, it’s the wonderful assortment of coastal green sites littering the back side which will leave the strongest aftertaste, but for the thinker it will likely be the variety of the paths which lead the way which lingers.
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The first seaward strike into the long one-shot 12th delivers a rigorous examination, tipping out at over 200 metres with a turtle-back surface fronted by a pair of menacing pots – the third par three in a wonderful set is without doubt the toughest.
The gorgeous winding 14th
The serpentine fairway of the fourteenth rides the rocky waters and golfers who take the boldest line nearest to the shore will have their ambition rewarded with the shorter shot in, but the water to contend with once more – a truly gorgeous hole which like many holes at Lofoten compensates guts with glory!
The pathway to the 16th green is narrow and frought
Uphill and blind from the tee, the 15th climbs inland for the final time to a sneaky picked up green, but golfers are more likely to harken back to the 16th tee as the fairway cascades downhill towards a terrifyingly striking green site perched at the end of a narrow spit. What may well be the most challenging approach of the day is rewarded handsomely by one of the great views in the game.
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With playing corridors rising and falling, hooking left and sliding right, and culminating in a collection of spectacular green sites which embrace a range of different shots, Lofoten Links’ back nine is loaded with a wonderful variety of golf and a pair of the most thrilling par fours you will find at 14 and 16.
The scenes of the 17th green in the distance
It is becoming increasingly rare for the well-travelled golfer to feel disoriented as they dive deep into their golfing memory bank, grappling for some semblance of similarities and familiarities from rounds gone by – Lofoten Links and its unapologetic theatre makes comparison a fruitless endeavour.
Golfing in the heart of the Artic Circle there are no “it’s like this” or “that reminds me of”- holes like the opening trio and the coastal green sites of the back nine cannot be replicated, not least under the midnight sun. Lofoten Links rides alone.
There's no place in the world quite like Lofoten Links
The on-site lodges are perfect in delivering everything you need and nothing you don’t and the local fare at neighbouring Laven restaurant is worth a special mention, but like any golf destination worth its salt it’s the unmistakable quality of Lofoten’s layout and the breathtaking walk which rises above it all. As an overall experience, Lofoten Links is poised to be the most remarkable of many golfing lifetimes and discovering the type of golfing purity which strikes the soul squeezed between the Norwegian Sea and Gimsoy’s towering peaks delivers memories which will fight a lot harder than most. I arrived at Lofoten Links with the understanding that this would be a once in a lifetime trip – months down the line I struggle to see a world where I don’t tee off under the midnight sun again.
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As developers and architects search high and low across the rolling sand hills of the world for the next ‘ideal’ grounds for golf, it stands a fairly safe bet that the intoxicating rocky shores of the Artic Circle will remain a party of few – the drama of Lofoten Links and the sheer audacity of its ever-growing existence perched firmly at the head of the table.