55 Photo: Jonas Alvsten For me it was very important that we don’t just do the same thing as other signature firms, where a pro puts his name to something but doesn’t really spend any time on it. Henrik has proven to me that he really doesn’t do that. His commitment is second to none. In my wildest dreams I couldn’t have asked for more dedication to create great golf courses. I get asked a lot, ‘how involved is Henrik?’ And I can honestly say that he is 110 per cent into this. If I was to call him at any time and ask about the slope on the fifteenth green, he would know the percentage. Very impressive, if you ask me! Tell us a little about your design philosophy – do you have similar views on what makes good golf? Lundin: Very much so. We both believe in true and honest courses. A Henrik Stenson golf course will be a course where a good shot will be rewarded. Our courses are very unlikely to include gimmicky features for marketing purposes. We believe in the greatness of the game of golf and that a solid golf course will provide the most interest over time for its end users. Stenson: For us it’s also very important to create golf courses that suit our clients’ brief. A resort course in the Caribbean and a links course in Scotland need to be approached differently. I assume Royal Troon is among your favourite golf courses! Which other courses do you each like, and provide inspiration for you? Stenson: Obviously Royal Troon has a special place in my heart. I really love links golf, it has always attracted me, with the pure ball striking needed and the creativity the courses ask of the golfer to be able to master them. Apart from Troon, my personal favourites on the Open rota are Royal Birkdale
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