Sölvesborg Golf Club on Sweden’s southern coast will open a new green on its par-five thirteenth and an entirely new par three hole this month as part of ongoing redesign work by design firm (re)GOLF based on a master plan created in 2010.

The club has already introduced new tees, rebuilt five holes, completed a bunker renovation and a tree management programme.

This year (re)GOLF has worked with the club, landowner and the county administration board on an environmentally focused project that addresses water quality and has also resulted in the course changes.

“During the recent water project, we made changes to the thirteenth and fourteenth holes and built a new hole in between them,” said Pontus Leijon, junior design associate at (re)GOLF. “There was a small pond separating the two holes that we dug out so we could get water moving the way we needed to filtrate it properly. The environmental benefits of reusing the natural salts in the water and stopping them from going straight into the sea were needed, especially considering that Sölvesborg is in a region with high phosphor and big agricultural businesses. The club has also been able to secure a bigger water reservoir.

“Previously, the green at the par-five thirteenth was quite boring with a lot of maintained rough,” said Leijon. “The new green on this short par five now sits on an angle and has water on three sides with a narrow opening at the front, forcing the longer hitters to think twice before going for the green in two. We have added new tees, with the hole overlooking the new fourteenth with Hanö Bay as a backdrop.”

The new par-three fourteenth can play up to 122 yards. “The green is built on a small, sandy bank that basically sits in the sea with water long, left and short, but it has a large bailout area to the right. With an ever-present wind, it will be trickier than it looks.”

The previous fourteenth hole, also a par three, will now serve as the club’s bonus hole.