Scottish Golf Courses

Golf in Denmark

Few countries have made a bigger impact on the European Tour in recent years than Denmark, Thomas Bjorn leading the way by winning the inaugural Loch Lomond tournament back in 1996 and both Anders Hansen and Soren Kjeldsen making their mark, too, with wins in the Volvo PGA Championship and Diageo Scottish Championship respectively.

The game is clearly booming in the land of Hans Christian Andersen and there are now over 130 courses offering everything from classic parkland to challenging links. The oldest course in Denmark is Royal Copenhagen, which was founded in 1998 and has been kept in much the same condition as it was intended to be played from the outset.

It is situated 13km north of Copenhagen and an unusual hazard here are wild deer, which roam freely around the course. Simon's Golf Club sits 35km north of Copenhagen and was the venue for this year's Nordic Open. It has also hosted the SAS Invitational in the past. An American-style design, Simon's is a course where you really need to hit the ball both long and straight. While the Nordic Open put Simon's in the spotlight, the course which many believe is Denmark's No.1 is Holstebro.

It's a challenging but fair course where a mix of heavy woods and heathland await any stray shots. You have to take the ferry from Esbjerg to get to Fano Links but the journey is well worth it. The course was established in 1901 as part of an international seaside resort and is situated in magnificent scenery in the middle of an incredibly beautiful, undulating dune and heather area.

Helsingor is another of Denmark's oldest courses. It enjoys a wonderful parkland setting and the ninth hole in particular will probably stick in the memory for some time after you've been there. Thomas Bjorn was born in Silkeborg and the course there proved a good test as he cut his golfing teeth. The fairways are flanked by thick woods and heathland, making it a good test for players of all levels.

The quaintly-named Tange So is a gem of a course that requires the utmost accuracy as you make your way round the many sharp undulations. It's a challenge that can reward you in many ways and one that will probably leave you wanting to return. One of the best golf centres in Denmark is Hjarbaek Fjord, a beautiful and well-run 27-hole facility. The north and south courses are normally used as the main loop of 18, with the nine holes on the west course being a little bit more forgiving.

A big plus at Hjarbaek Fjord is that you will always find the courses in good condition while it also has a kitchen which performs as well as the golf course! It's not by luck that the likes of Thomas Bjorn, Anders Hansen, Soren Kjeldsen and many other Danish players have started to make their presence felt in European golf. They've all played some great courses at home over the years and you should think about trying out some of them.