(re)GOLF is directing the construction work on a renovation project at the Långe Jan course at Ekerum, Scandinavia’s largest golf resort.

Architect Christian Lundin is behind the project, with work beginning in June and set to be completed in October.

Located on the island of Öland, Ekerum is surrounded by parkland and boasts two eighteen hole courses, as well as two shorter nine hole courses.

The sixteenth and seventeenth holes will be rerouted. Hole sixteen will be a brand new par three, ranging from 110 metres from the front tees to 180 metres at the back tees.

“The green is raised, with runoffs at the side to create the feel of the great greens built on heathland courses by architects like Harry Colt,” Lundin said of the new sixteenth. “There are bunkers on the right side, while on the left we found an old bridge made from Öland stone. It’s a great feature, so we left it in place, though I guess I might regret that decision when I hit a tee shot into it!”

A new teeing system, which allows for a shorter set of tees for beginners and more experienced golfers. Eleven holes will have new tee pads, and holes one and seventeen will have entire new tee complexes.

“This is Scandinavia’s most popular golf resort, and it’s vital to work on playability for golfers who can’t hit the ball long distances,” said Lundin. “We’ve been very impressed by the success of the Tee it Forward campaign in the US, and we’d like to bring a similar mindset to Sweden. For a big proportion of golfers, playing shorter courses will make for more fun and quicker rounds. That’s a great message for golf’s development. Still we also keep the option for larger tournaments in the future with a back tee potentially stretching up to 7000m.”

The new look course is expected to open in the spring of 2014.