Johan Benestam has completed the first steps on a bunker project at Landskrona Golf Club in southwest Sweden.

The club – located on land owned by the municipality of Landskrona – has two 18-hole courses, the Erikstorp and Hildesborg.

“They wanted to design buildings on parts of the Hildesborg course in 2016,” said Benestam. “This meant that six existing holes were removed and six new holes were built on new designated land. At the same time, ten green areas were renovated. After this improvement, playing pressure on both courses is now about 50/50 against the 65/35 that it was before.”

Benestam is now working on a master plan for the Erikstorp course that would help give each course a clearer identity. He is beginning with the renovation of bunkers using the Ecobunker edging product.

“In order not to lose momentum, the project started during the winter of 2019/2020 with the improvement of the seventh hole on the Erikstorps course,” said Benestam. “Three existing fairway bunkers were removed and replaced with two new ones. The two existing greenside bunkers were also redesigned.

“The goal is to create an improved, refined seaside course with many alternative routes and a risk-reward philosophy from tee to green.”

“It will be an ongoing project for a number of years to come, depending on the finances,” said Benestam. “My work colleague has been entrepreneur Alan Strachan – a former course manager at Royal County Down. Alan and I have done a number of projects together in Sweden in recent years and more are on the way during the summer and autumn of 2020 if everything goes as planned despite current circumstances.”