Ullna Golf and Country Club

The legendary Swedish sportsman-turned-course architect Sven Thumba designed Ullna Golf Club in 1981. Set on the tranquil shores of Lake Ullnasjön, the renowned club sprawls along the banks of the lake, bringing water into play on 15 of the 18 holes. Often categorized as a target golf course, the fairways are split by small hazards, running brooks or bunkers that pinch landing zones. Many holes allow for aggressive and conservative lines off the tee, forcing players to take on more danger to get better angles for approaches. What the greens lack in natural undulation they make up for in quality, as the creeping bentgrass surfaces are known for their immaculate conditioning. In 2011, the club commissioned Jack Nicklaus to head a renovation project creating new teeboxes, fairways, bunkers and greens, beautifully blending modern touches with the original Thumba design. While almost every hole is worthy of mention, the par-3 16th played over the lake to a tiny peninsula green, and the challenging par-4 17th with an island tee box and water down the entire left side stand out as highlights.