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During the summer, many Swedes choose to vacation in some of the major cities of our southern greenland regions. This is a great idea, especially since there is so much to do in Copenhagen, Oslo and Helsingfors. In increasing numbers we take our cars over the 8 km long bridge of Öresund and discover that Copenhagen isn't just about beer, pölser and fantastic coffee bread. Now it is Oslo's turn—the city that definitely has more than just a king's street and a ski jump hill.
Harald is there. And beside the King stands Queen Sonja. And with the royal couple is their son, Haakon, who will soon take over the throne, with Mette-Marit by his side. Although the crown prince was somewhat embarrassed in an interview with a Russian TV station last week, he stands on the palace balcony with his parents and wife and as usual, waves and winks out over the red, blue and white flag-waving sea of faces that have filled Karl Johans Gate.
When, a few weeks after this gigantic party, I find myself sitting at the outdoor café of the Grand Cafes looking out at the parade grounds, it is hard to imagine so many people crowded together in such a small place for that special day. 'It must have been about 30,000 people,' I am told by one person while another suggests it was 'double that amount.'
Soon it could be just as crowded on the golf courses as it has become on downtown Oslo's streets during the holidays in this fantastic, beautiful but expensive capital (of Norway). Grand Hotel's exclusive café offers a cup of plain black coffee for 42 kronor.
During a recent survey, it was shown that 200,000 of the million or so visitors to Oslo (each year) are interested in playing golf if the opportunity avails itself. Fortunately, they are not all demanding golf at the same time nor have most of the natives taken up the sport yet. Some are still busy at other pursuits like breaking the window of our Volvo V70 and taking our CD player and some very nice Magnus Ugglas classic music and a pair of not new but certainly comfortable inline skates from 1988. The thief, however, left behind my almost new Callaway HawkEye driver.
We leave Karl Johan [square] and the palace behind and take E6 away toward Gardermoens Airport. After 3.5 miles we turn off onto highway 2 toward Kongsvinger, and continue 300 m and then see the sign that we have driven the right way. Here, behind a Shell sign and far enough away from the road, we find Europe's finest greens (golf course).
This honor does not come from the Club's public relations department but from champions of golf like Ian Woosnam and respected golf instructors (pros) like Simon Holmes and Peter Cowen. Peter is coach to Jose Maria Olazábal, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood and Thomas Björn, and Cowen has placed one of his four (golf) academies here (visiting seven or eight times each season).
But the discussions do include the question of what does the rest of Golf Europe think? What does the St. Andrews greenkeeper say? How does the pro from Valderrama react?
So what Norwegian golf course are we talking about? It is Miklagard Golfklubb, which after all is only one year old. Miklagard was the name the Vikings gave to Constantinople - the city where Asia meets Europe and which today is better known as Istanbul - and to some extent, the golfer here finds himself at a historic mark. But in fact, up until now, those who read the golf guide books found themselves reading more about Harald Harfager, the legendary man who was fortunate to bring Norway to a nation/country status and who decided he would not cut his hair or shave until he met this objective, than reading about how to play the golf courses!
[At Miklagard] each hole on the course has been named for monarchs and Norse gods and deities. The opening hole, a par 4, 340 meter from the gold tees, is called Oden, who was the smartest of all the gods in Norse mythology. Tor, with his hammer, guards over the another hole. And, if you place a long drive beyond the bunker in the middle and to the left of the two-part fairway, you will see a birdie chance just as clearly as the old Viking graves far on the horizon behind the green.
Hakon the Good (a par 4 383 meters) is Hole #12 and the course's most difficult hole as its name implies, because Hakon is mad about having to struggle so hard over a little slice because of a little lake that runs parallel with the hole from the tee and all the way up to the green.
So how could such a fantastic golf course spring up outside Oslo? One rumor is that investors behind the enterprise pumped in close to 100 million kronor and that the club hired John Coleman to the post of golf club manager. That name is listed as number one in the "Year's Greenskeepers" book for 1999-2000. Another very special draw is that the golf course was designed by none other than internationally renowned Robert Trent Jones, Jr., who has designed golf courses in all the various climate zones of the world, from Thailand to Helsingfors, from Moscow to Alaska. But how in the world did Trent Jones come to be at Miklagard?
The answer comes from, of all places, Hawaii. When the famous golf course architect was visiting there on holiday, he unfortunately, almost drowned due to an undercurrent. A Norseman happened to be passing by on the beach, saw what was happening, sprang in to help and saved Trent Jones' life.
The two men became good friends and kept their relationship going for some time. So then, when Tor Harald Mjøen, the name of our Norseman, in the end of the 90's started a project to build a golf course, it was only natural he should call his friend.
But Miklagard is much more than just a thank you. Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and the Club's leaders have had a very large vision for this golf course. Some weeks ago, Europatour boss, Ken Schofield, took an inspection tour and as a result, Robert Trent Jones, Jr.'s ambition is that when Norway hosts a Europatour event, it will be played at this golf course (Miklagard). The plans are for the golf course to be in condition for this type of tournament by 2004 but realistically, it should probably be four years before such championship play.
For the 1,200 sharesholders who paid 80,000 kronor, the course was already open this spring. But for the general public, golf will be available later this season.
Use of the course is, of course, greatest on the weekends and this Monday (when I visited), there are perhaps less foursomes leaving the Gardermoen area to show up early to play.
The club's sports chief, Thor Hellenaes, showed me around and afterwards, asked me:
"You undoubtedly have with you your green fork?" [divot repair tool] "Of course I do, why do you ask?"
"We require that everyone who plays here has one with them out on the course. We have them available in the golf shop for 5 kronor but if we come across someone out on the course that doesn't have one, we charge them 100 kronor! And if a golfer is discovered not using their 'green fork,' we will pick them up and carry them off the course! That's how strongly we feel about taking extremely good care of our new golf course."
Therefore, don't forget your green fork!
General translation [gsn] from Svensk Golf August 2002
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