Finland may not be the first place that springs to mind when it comes to championship calibre golf. Courses like Linna are trying to alter that perception.
Situated in Hämeenlinna and out in the Finnish countryside, it is widely regarded as the country’s leading golf venue. It has hosted its fair share of major international events, while its location among pine and birch forests gives it a distinctive Nordic character.
Listed as a European Tour destination, Linna has held a number of amateur as well as Senior Tour events over the years. The SK Golf Challenge was held in 2009 and was won by Nicolas Colsaerts, who later went on to represent Team Europe at the 2012 Ryder Cup.
As part of NCG’s Top 100s 48 Hours In series, Tom Bullough and Mike Robertson spent some time in Finland and Linna caught their eye.
“It’s got a very premium feel to it,” said Bullough. “Even just as we arrived, the service was really, really good. The practice facility was also really, really good.
“This is what Finland is all about. It’s in really nice condition and the whole atmosphere is just very chilled out.
“It’s quite different from if you were to go to Scotland or an Open venue, where everything feels quite tense. Here, it just feels as though it wants you to swing and do your thing.”
A proper championship test of golf
Robertson said the test of golf – the course plays at over 7,000 yards – is another big appeal. It was designed by Tim Lobb, in partnership with European Golf Design, after originally being a hunting lodge.
“This feels like a proper championship test of golf. The driving range, the food, the welcome, the lodgers, the golf course itself and especially the front nine.
“The first nine was really, really good. They definitely felt quite Finnish. I’m saying that as though we’re like used to golf in Finland now, but we’ve done three rounds at three places.
“All of them at some point have gone into that woodland area, and that has felt like the best part of each of the golf courses that we’ve played.”
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Have you played golf in Finland before? If so, did you play at Linna Golf Club and what was it like? What is one country you would like to visit as part of a golf trip? Let us know by leaving a comment or get in touch with us X!
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