Wild Horse captures
links feel, setting

Some golf courses are just plain special. Wild Horse Golf Club in Gothenburg fits the special mold by being different, and being better.

Large and lush fairways are surrounded by native grasses. You are only a short distance from the city, but miles and miles away from the hustle and bustle of other golf courses.

In fact, course rules dictate you only drive on cart paths and the fairways, which says a lot about the lengths the owners have gone to protect the natural habitat. Located a few miles north of Gothenburg with only a few houses visible, Wild Horse transcends many of its competitors with ts peaceful and open 18 holes.

Everything about the course is large, except for course ego. With no trees and large fairways, you really only worry about the sand traps, and worry you must. These are major penalty strokes, with traps perfectly placed to account for nearly all shots.

The greens are also large, and they are lightning quick. Watch the British Open closely and you’ll see a lot of approach shots purposely left short, allowing for a lot of roll. You should do the same at Wild Horse.

Not only does the course allow for such, it demands it, too. Having said that, Wild Horse isn’t an overly tough course to play, and it doesn’t cost anymore than your local 18-hole course. It can be enjoyed by duffers and weekenders and everyone else. It truly is a special course.

A closer look
Holes 2 and 3 at wild Horse Golf Course near Gothenburg share a fairway, which must cover more than 50 yards in the middle.

Most fairways are overly large, meaning you only need to avoid the horrible mis-hits or mis-alignment. No. 3, a 494-yard par 5, has three fairway bunkers that will affect your second shot and your approach.

If you connect the bunkers with an imaginary line, they lead right to the center of the green. It’s one way the wide fairways are negated by smart bunker placement.

Typically, you will have to choose for which side of the fairway you want to play, significantly narrowing your options off the tee.

The back nine is famous for this.

No. 10 has a large bunker in play, No. 12 has three fairway bunkers spread out along the way, No. 15, 16, 17 and 18 are set up similarly, at least in terms of the use of traps.

Absent of trees and waters, many doglegs can be carried if aligned properly, and missed approach shots are generally rescue-able.

The links style is obvious, but the holes twist in direction and approach. Just remember to account for extra roll. But even from the second tees, the course only measures about 6,300 yards, which speaks lengths about the importance of your short game at Wild Horse.