Lofoten Golf Links at Midnight - Photo Tour

[Ruediger Meyer]

When I put a picture of Lofoten Links in the photo contest, I was asked whether I had any more photos. So I figured I'd do a photo tour. I traveled to the Lofoten in July in order to have the opportunity to play golf at Midnight. Our threesome had a teetime a 9.40pm and surprisingly there were only about 10-15 other people on the course. Nevertheless it took us almost 4 and a half hours to get around, which was mostly owed to the fact that you will lose a lot of balls on this course. There is a reason they have a big barrel with found balls in the pro shop to restock.
This won't be a classic photo tour where you have one picture from the tee and additional ones from the approach area and the green simply due to the fact I never expected to post a photo tour. Some of the photos might look as if I just saturated them a lot, but that is not the case. The light simply was fantastic since we basically had a 4 hour sunset and the clouds added to the atmosphere. The only thing I had to do was to lighten up the pictures since I didnt have a tripod with me and I couldn't get enought light on the sensor. This is the reason I lost details in the first pictures, especially in the sky


Hole 1: Par 4, 301 meters

I was convinced I hit the perfect (lefty) fade into the fairway, but couldn't find my tee shot anywhere. All three of us lost our tee shot here.



 
Hole 2: Par 3, 138 Meters
The signature hole of the course. There is an awesome photo on their homepage with the northern lights in the background. I was told they especially cut the greens in winter for that signature shot. I had to take my photo right into the sun, so the lens flare was impossible to avoid. Although it looks artifical the rocks were always there. It is a pretty straightforward but very memorable hole.


Hole 3: Par 4, 420 meters


This is another dogleg to the left, this time with a semi-blind teeshot. If you are too aggressive with the line to the left of the hill your ball will be gone because there is a lot of high grass to carry behind the rock. An interesting thing about the photographs is whenever the hole leads away from the sun it has a blue vibe, the holes in the other direction have a yellow vibe.

[Ruediger Meyer]

Hole 4: Par 4, 375 Meters


You have to hit the tee shot over the lakes and left of the mound, after that you have a pretty easy shot into a green defended by one bunker at the front right and two bunkers in the back.



Hole 5: Par 4, 344 Meters (no photo, sorry)


Hole 6: Par 3, 149 Meters


If the flag is in the back left, like here, you almost have a blind shot into the hole. The green is a lot longer than it looks. If you miss it to the left, the ball will bounce between the rocks. Good luck finding it.





Hole 7: Par 5, 481 Meters


The first Par 5 goes right along the lake. There is only one rule on this hole: Don't go left.





Hole 8: Par 5, 518 Meters


Back-to-Back Par 5s. This is the longest hole on the course and maybe the most difficult as well. The biggest challenge is the shot into the green. It is located right in the middle of a rock field. Hit it short or long of the 27 meter long green and you probably won't find your ball again.





Hole 9: Par 4, 321 Meters


I really love this picture, which is why I put it in the contest, because it perfectly illustrates the lighting on this magical day. I think this one was taken shortly before midnight (the sun reached its lowest point at 1am). The hole is relatively easy. It is short, so even if you miss the fairway you only have a wedge, maybe a short iron into the green. Just don't hit the approach short because there is water and three bunkers in front of the green

[PThomas]

fabulous!  thx for posting

[Ruediger Meyer]

Hole 10: Par 4, 343 Meters


The conditioning of the course was not exactly perfect, but you have to remember they don't have a long growing period. The newer ones, like the 10, had much better fairways. There is one rock on the left hand side of the fairway which I expertly used to stymie myself after the tee shot.






Hole 11: Par 4, 383 Meters


A rather difficult hole. Long, a relatively small fairway and a green that is difficult to hold.





Hole 12: Par 3, 222 Meters


Just a brutally tough Par 3, at least for me. There is a burn running left of the green, which is challenging for a fading (in all senses of the word) lefty and also a lot of trouble if you leave it right or can't carry it 150 meters.





Hole 13: Par 5, 478 Meters


This Par 5 is a slight dogleg to the left. This is the view into the green which is surrounded by grass bunkers and a totem pole (!), which you can see here on the right hand side





Hole 14: Par 4, 381 Meters


One of my favorites of the course. Running along the ocean which you have to cross with the second shot if you want to hit the green in regulation.

[Thomas Dai]

RM,
Twas me that asked for more photos if you had them so many thanks for sharing these with us.
Looks a blast! Off now to check how to get there and back. Anyone else interested in a trip?
Atb

[Ruediger Meyer]

Hole 15: Par 4, 319 Meters


According to the yardage book this hole is called Kvalhaugen since dead whales will sometimes drift ashore at the course. Luckily there was no one in sight here. The tee shot goes to a slightly elevated fairway and from there to a green that is defended by two pot-like bunkers in the front.






Hole 16: Par 4, 430 Meters


This hole goes downhill towards the water. The tee boxes give you completely different angles into the fairway, the backtees actually have an aiming stick because you can't directly see the line. This is where your teeshot ideally would land. Nevertheless there is still a long way to go, it is the longest Par 4 of the course.





Hole 17: Par 3, 146 Meters


Compared to the length of the hole, this has a huge green (I think it is 35x25 Meters). It probably is the easiest Par 3 on the course.







Hole 18: Par 4, 343 Meters (no photo, out of battery)


Bonus Photos:


A rainbow. At 11.30 pm





White flowers basked in sunlight.





The lowest point of the sun, right around 1am

[Ruediger Meyer]

RM,
Twas me that asked for more photos if you had them so many thanks for sharing these with us.
Looks a blast! Off now to check how to get there and back. Anyone else interested in a trip?
Atb

Glad you enjoyed them. There is a small airport on the Lofoten. Another possibility, which we did, is flying to Bødø and then taking the ferry to Moskenes and then driving to the golf course. This is a magical piece of earth, there a tremendous hikes and views everywhere so I would recommend spending a few extra days on the island. But be aware: Norway has very high wages which results in an increased cost of living. Hotels, restaurants, rental cars and supermarkets are very expensive compared to the rest of Europe.

[Jon Cavalier]

Fantastic. I never really felt a need to go to Norway until now. What a gorgeous place.

[JJShanley]

Seems like an ideal place for a 100 Hole Hike.  Do they offer a day ticket?

[Ruediger Meyer]

Yes, they actually do. It costs 1400 norwegian crowns, which is around $160.

[Thomas Dai]

The website is well worth looking at - http://lofotenlinks.no/?lang=en - various stay-n-play etc packages.


Atb

[Adam Lawrence]

Seems like an ideal place for a 100 Hole Hike.  Do they offer a day ticket?

I've been trying to persuade a few people to do just that... a proper 24 hour golf marathon!

[JJShanley]

Seems like an ideal place for a 100 Hole Hike.  Do they offer a day ticket?

I've been trying to persuade a few people to do just that... a proper 24 hour golf marathon!

I'd probably need a nap between each set of 36 holes, but I think I could manage it.  Just.

[Paul OConnor]

Ruediger,

These pictures are sublime.  I have never seen that type of light on golf course photos before this.  Spectacular. 

Thank you for posting. 

Paul O'Connor

[Chris Roselle]

Thanks so much for sharing Ruediger.  That picture of the second hole with the Northern Lights is now the new background for my computer.  Stunning!!!

[Thomas Dai]

Bumping to hear if anyone has played here this season and if so to hopefully hear their impressions.
Atb

[Jeff Spittel]

I played there a few years ago and it is an incredible setting. I'm not even sure these spectacular pictures do it justice. The course is understandably a touch scruffy, but that's hardly the point. If you are traveling strictly to play golf, I'd head elsewhere, but the Lofoten is as scenic as it gets. 

[Adam Lawrence]

[size=78%]I was there in July. Full writeup in the most recent issue of GCA, see [/size][/size][size=78%]http://digital.tudor-rose.co.uk/golf-course-architecture/issue50/#54[/size]

[Thomas Dai]

That’s a very positive article Adam. Sounds like your a LLGC fan!
Atb

[Mike Sweeney]

Cool video sent to me by my son - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjq1YP83KgE