We headed to Malmo in Sweden for the EIGCA conference a couple of weeks ago and based on this photo-thread, I decided to head a little out of my way to have a look at Kobenhavn GC which lived up to all expectations.... Really, this is what golf is all about and I'd highly recommend it to anyone with a liking for traditional golf design (everyone on this forum?).... That said, before Tom MacKenzie did an excellent renovation job a few years back, I suspect there wasn't too much "design" out there. This in itself proved immensely refreshing because the slopes, the setting and the variety did more than enough to speak for itself. The strict restrictions on what could be done with the land have added hugely to the overall aura of the course. It is a little jewel and I'm delighted I made the effort... It was also great to meet Anders who talked me round...
A few photos with mimimal commentary. Quality poor because I had them mistakenly on reduced setting so only 150kb each...
The first few holes are wonderful. The approach to the 2nd is one of the best with the new bunkering benched in to the skyline green. There are about 55 bunkers on the course, all redone and repositioned by Tom MacKenzie and all done really well. The shapes are classical-simple (more British golden age than American golden age) and the positions in general are excellent. They look good. The edges are rough / natural without being forced. The biggest problem for Martin Nilsson and crew are that the deer love to play in the sand... Luckily this means they are less interested in the greens....
Kobenhavn - Approach to 2nd hole April 2013 by
Ally McIntosh, on Flickr
The other major work done during the renovation is that the once presumably grade level green complexes have had swales and run-offs built around them. If I was to have one minor criticism (on a bad day), I might comment that these have been done just a little too often in too similar a fashion. It works well here on the 2nd hole....
Kobenhavn 2nd hole from behind green - April 2013 by
Ally McIntosh, on Flickr
Approach to the 3rd hole is lovely around the tree. You could run this in from right to left on a firm day but an ingenious swale front right will catch any shot that is expecting this to be a home-run. Note the public footway passing through the estate to the right...
Kobenhavn - Approach to 3rd hole - April 2013 by
Ally McIntosh, on Flickr
The 4th hole is a great par-5 with the second shot either layed up to the top of a hill or the valley before the green taken on. Approach bunkers again placed in nicely and this green is one of the few with quite severe internal movement. Excellent.
Kobenhavn - Approach to 4th hole - April 2013 by
Ally McIntosh, on Flickr
The 10th green sitting nicely at the side of the wooded boundary to the course. A few are placed like this and it provides nice variety to the majority of greens which are out in the open estate.
Kobenhavn - 10th Green - April 2013 by
Ally McIntosh, on Flickr
The back tee on the 13th is placed perfectly on a tiny and subtle ridge. No earthworks would have been required to place this tee but the way the ground rolls to the left and then the right just in front is aesthetically spot-on. In essence, a perfect example of "finding" a good tee-site rather than creating one.
Kobenhavn - 13th Tee shot - April 2013 by
Ally McIntosh, on Flickr
Approach to the 13th green shows a big right to left tilt and the ball should be run-in behind the fronting bunker. Only a few of the greens here have big internal movement but a lot have severe tilt and I imagine are very slippery in the height of summer.
Kobenhavn - Approach to 13th green - April 2013 by
Ally McIntosh, on Flickr
The par-3 16th has one of the few greens that are raised. This one falls off on all sides and has the only false front on the course
Kobenhavn - 16th Tee shot 2013 by
Ally McIntosh, on Flickr
The tee-shot at 17 is a great example of something I like a lot. Basically, the land falls in front of the tee before rising to a ridge in the landing zone that creates a horizon for the hole. That horizon is framed only by grasses at present and just looks beautiful. There appear to be two new sentinel trees planted which I think will take away from this shot but the golf course do not have that much of a say in the tree planting (which is done by the estate)
Kobenhavn - 17th Tee shot - April 2013 by
Ally McIntosh, on Flickr