Araslöv Golf Klubb City

SWEDISH FACT-OF-THE-DAY:

Annika Sörenstam is one of the world's best female golfers of all time.

With her in mind, today we hit the Swedish links for the first time.

Jihad Golf?

As we drove up to Kristianstad's "pay-for-play" golf course, we were greeted by this troublesome sign.

It actually means "Golf for All." This is a truly public course where you do not need a Swedish golf green card to play. It is owned by a 36 hole private course, also in Kristianstad, that took over this former 18 hole course awhile ago.

They closed holes 1-9 and turned them into a massive pitching and putting practice area. We thus played only nine holes today, the former 10-18 holes. Nine holes was just perfect on this great day for golf.

Araslöv Golf Klubb City

The colorful parrot logo was an interesting choice in Sweden. The course was mostly a links style course with few trees and lots of very tall rough.

We asked what the course record was and were told that it was a 3 under par 32.

It still is.

Uffe Palmbrink teeing off on the #2 hole

The easy winner of the Rookie-of-the-Day award, as he set a blistering pace the entire round. He earned a par 4 on the 292 meter seventh hole.

Uffe's sister Victoria

Her game compares favorably to Sorenstam's.

Ryan Bolland

Ryan actually played on the Buena H.S. golf team. He had not played golf since then he claimed. You would not have known it as he got a par 3 on the 132 meter eighth hole.

The Happy Face bunker

protecting the eighth green

Overkill protection on this 132 meter, par 3 hole if you ask me.

The 404 meter, par 5, sixth hole was my favorite. The green has five very mature trees blocking any normal approach to the pin . . . nice touch. Three of us took 11s on this hole, Uffe kicked butt with an eight!

Lots of fun thanks to Victoria and Uffe hosting us.

We stopped at Castle Palmbrink in Vinslöv on the way home for some of Elin's world famous fika. We were not disappointed in the least!

In the evening, Ryan, Laurie and I went to the Cordeiro home for a great BBQ rib dinner and a remarkable cheese cake dessert. As always, Shawn, Katerina, Willian and Adrian were perfect hosts.

Ryan will be staying at their much more spacious home for the next week.

Golf, food and friends, it doesn't get any better than this!

TACK SÅ MYCKET EVERYBODY!!!