T charming coastal town of Åhus, Kristianstad’ s
SALTEX
Kristianstad’ s Golfklubb: A Swedish Gem Blending Tradition and Innovation
ucked away in the
T charming coastal town of Åhus, Kristianstad’ s
Golfklubb stands as one of Sweden’ s oldest and most celebrated golfing destinations. Established in 1924, the club’ s 36- hole layout— comprising the East and West Courses— has occupied its current site since 1942. The surrounding landscape is defined by its light, sandy soil, making it one of the few clubs in Sweden built entirely on a twelve-metre-deep sand base. This natural advantage has allowed its architects to sculpt beautifully rumpled fairways and dramatically contoured run-off areas reminiscent of the legendary links courses of the British Isles— though here, the Baltic Sea lies just a few kilometres away.
“ We haven’ t had to worry about it at all— the system simply looks after itself, managing moisture levels perfectly”
Both the East and West Courses have earned widespread acclaim. In 2024, Kristianstad’ s Golfklubb was crowned“ Sweden’ s Best Golf Course”, reaffirming its position among the country’ s elite. Year after year, the club features prominently in the Top 100 Courses in Sweden, a testament to its superb design, maintenance, and atmosphere.
Beyond its fairways, Kristianstad’ s Golfklubb is known for its forward-thinking approach to turf management. For many years, the club has partnered with the Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Associations( FEGGA) to deliver an outstanding Greenkeeper Scholarship Programme. This initiative attracts aspiring turf professionals from across Europe and beyond, offering hands-on experience tailored to the evolving needs of modern golf course management. Many alumni have since gone on to build exceptional careers across the international golf industry.
At the heart of these efforts is Bevan Tattersall, the club’ s Golf Courses & Estates Manager. Under his leadership, Kristianstad has embraced new technologies that align with its sustainability goals. In spring 2024, Tattersall collaborated with CapillaryFlow to install a Capillary Hydroponic putting green beside the club’ s newly built clubhouse— a showcase of cutting-edge turf technology.
This innovative system operates entirely without supplementary irrigation. Once commissioned and monitored for a short period, it runs autonomously, with every variable— from soil moisture to temperature, EC, and root-zone balance— tracked through the FlowTrack app. The platform also allows control over water inputs, consumption, and fertigation, and can even integrate geothermal heating or cooling to maintain ideal turf conditions throughout the year.
Perhaps the greatest endorsement came from Tattersall and his team at the close of the 2025 season:
“ We haven’ t had to worry about it at all— the system simply looks after itself, managing moisture levels perfectly.”
A century after its founding, Kristianstad’ s Golfklubb continues to blend history, craftsmanship, and innovation— offering a worldclass golfing experience rooted in both tradition and technology.
24 GroundskeepingJournal. co. uk | November / December 2025