Aura Golf on the island of Ruissalo in Finland has appointed golf course architect Lassi Pekka Tilander to develop a renovation plan for its course.

The club’s first nine holes opened in 1971 and it expanded to 18 in 1983, becoming only the fourth full-length course in the country.

“The original holes meander through a hilly landscape dotted with old oak trees, which suit a parkland course,” said Tilander. “The newer parts, on the other hand, lie mostly on flat fields previously used for farming. Apart from planting new trees, these areas have remained the same since the 1980s.

“The goal is to update the strategic elements of the course to provide a better challenge. We also plan to visually integrate the younger areas of the course closer to the atmosphere of the original holes. The golf holes must be fun and fair for all golfers.” No changes will be made to the routing.

The first phase of work will focus on holes six to 11, which are among those built in 1983.

“It is a privilege to get work on and improve one of Finland’s oldest and best-known golf courses,” said Tilander. “It is a significant part of Finnish golf history due to the many tournaments it has hosted and its unique location. The course is also important to me personally. At the beginning of my playing career, there were only a few courses outside my home club Tali, so naturally it was a course I often visited to play competitive golf. In those days, it was already known for its fine condition and atmosphere.”