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Daily Mail
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Play golf where there is 24 hours of sunlight in one of the most breathtaking locations in the world... Lofoten Links has to be on your golfing bucket list
As far as raw beauty goes, precious few golf courses in the world can compare to Lofoten Links. Course design? Every single hole is full of character and challenges that force you to think your way around the majestic course rather than just playing it. Even the flair of a thespian couldn't overstate the gorgeous surroundings in Lofoten, Norway. It's hard to fathom who had the bright idea to put a golf course at one of the most northern points of Europe, much less how they managed to tackle the perpetuity of rock to make it happen. Night golf is a thing, yes. But playing golf where the sun doesn't set is an entirely different beast. This is what Lofoten offers; around six weeks a year where there is 24-hours of daylight and the golf course never closes. A golfing experience like no other, Mail Sport had to make the trip to Norway to see what links golf is like under a sun that doesn't set. Playing Lofoten Links I've played dozens of courses at this point, but none that challenged me in such a relentless way like Lofoten. If it's not water swallowing you ball, the rocks and the rough will have their way with you. Bring plenty of balls is my first piece of advice. No matter how good you think you are, you will lose them! The rough is unforgiving at the best of times, but the second cut off the fairway is barely a couple of yards wide before you hit the mesh of seaweed and other overgrown stretches. The charm of Lofoten lies in the scenery that accompanies you as you make your way around the course. Mountains that are blanketed with clouds so low you think you could touch them. Directly opposite lies The North Sea complete with a blend of sandy beaches and rocky hazards. Cabot has recently invested in Lofoten and that right there is a testament to what a beautiful location this course resides in. If their locations in St Lucia and Bourdeax among others is anything to go by, they won't strip back what makes Lofoten special in the coming years as they seek to help it reach its full potential. It's not a championship course. You would never fit thousands of spectators around the outskirts of the holes, should-to-shoulder on the mountains to catch the action. The club house reminds you of your local council course in size and the course itself is nice and quiet. But these are all compliments to the course's appeal. If you're in the middle of your round at midnight, you have no one in front of you or behind you. We played at different times on all three days were stayed in Lofoten and not once did we have to wait at a tee or play through. Now, let's talk about the holes. The first hole forces you to hit over the shoreline ravenous with rocks and onto a relatively narrow fairway that sharply turns left towards the green. Only the biggest hitters or the clinically insane would try and cut this corner off the tee because there's not much wiggle room even if you can make it. Straight after that you have to take a short walk up a hill to the elevated teebox to their prized par three three with the North Sea serving as a breathtaking backdrop. Once again, if you don't hit the green or the stingy 10 yards to play with in front of it, your ball is bound for the rocks. If you haven't lost half a dozen balls, then you head back up to the same hill to hit a downward tee shot onto the third. You ave to naviagate the rocks again, but it's a shorter hazard than the first at about 80 yards. It's a fantastic three hole run to kick things off. To be honest, every hole has character and nothing is formulaic. In the UK we so often see straight up and down par fours in and around 350 yards with nothing much else to them, but not here. Every hole has either hazards to give you something to think about off the tee or narrow fairways that seem to shrink every time you glance at them. Many of the fairways squeeze as they approach the green meaning you have to make a choice: go for it or layup. The two par fives that play back-to-back at the close of the front nine can make or great a round with their elevated greens, but staying out of the water and/or rough as you play to a left bend and then a right is the toughest challenge. The 17th hole is essentially a cousin of the patented second, another par three but this time facing in the opposite direction but with equal risks. Following that, a nice wide fairway will great you (for once) on the 18th with a raised teebox to savour the last hits. It is nothing short of a stunning golf course. Granted, some of the tee boxes and many of the greens are not in the best condition, certainly opposed to the delightful fairways. That's part of the game with the climate, though, as the course itself is only open from April to September thanks to the weather and as we saw, they still see a fair bit of rain during those months too. Look at the views! Plenty of tee boxes have hazards directly in front of them to test you Snow sits atop of many of the mountains and when the wind picks up, you'll feel it! The clubhouse has a charming, local feel and the people who run it all day and night could not be more helpful. It's a great set-up; being able to play in daylight at midnight with nobody up your arse or hounding people in front of you on a course of that magnitude? Perfection. Hopefully Cabot plan to just enhance Lofoten's offerings. We're told they have no desire to rob the unique corner of golfing paradise of what makes it so special. In my mind, Lofoten is in the top 10 golf courses in the world, perhaps top five. A club pro I met while playing out there told me he'd have Lofoten among the top three courses in the world if the tee boxes and putting greens could get up to a championship standard. I'm inclined to agree. Staying in Lofoten In keeping with the quaint golf course and remote area, there are no 100-floor hotels on offer. Instead, you stay in shared lodges where you have your own bedrooms and bathrooms, but communal kitchen and living room area. Extremely modern in addition to being well kept and presented, one of the main attractions of these spots is where they have them. Sitting raised up in an enclosure, the properties offer amazing views of the ocean and the misty mountains close by. Lofoten is as remote as advertised. Homes are sprinkled along the coastline in great space and there is one shop you can use a couple of minutes down the road (albeit helpfully open 24 hours). A solitary road that runs through Lofoten at the heart of a very small and quiet community Between where you stay and the clubhouse you'll find the sole restaurant, too. Sitting on top of a stables - where you might visit during your downtime anyway - is a cosy little place that overlooks the coastline and opening holes of the golf course. The food is nothing short of sensational. We had a lamb loin that was cooked to perfection - relly can't stress this point enough - and the breakfast was pretty strong too with a buffet-style offering that helps you put together the remnants of a fry-up should you wish. The restaurant and the course are not one in the same, but they do have a working partnership. For a price, you can arrange to have dinner and breakfast sorted for as many days of your trip as you'd like. While you can get by on what the shop has to offer, I highly recommend you at least have dinner at the restaurant. They have a range of deserts on the menu but this choclate brownie was a real winner The food was simply stunning. This lamb loin was so good we had to have it twice But the beauty of the area is just as intoxicating as the golf is brilliant. Travelling to Lofoten isn't easy from London; a flight from Stansted into Norway's capital of Oslo is followed by a an irregular connection to Harstad where you then need to hire a car and drive three hours to find one of the northeast golf courses in all of Europe. However, that three hour drive will make your jaw drop. The views are truly sublime and you will have to fight the urge to take pictures while driving (there's signs at the airport telling you explicitly not to do this!). News that direct flights to Harstad from London kick in from November will be a game changer for this journey, almost cutting the day in half. But, it's all worth it. If you love golf and you love visiting totally unique, beautiful locations
Forbes
14-05-2025
- Forbes
Beyond Salmon, Discover These 5 Regional Norwegian Food Favorites
'Sodd' is a traditional Norwegian soup with mutton, seasoned meatballs, potatoes and carrots. Brunost, the caramel-colored 'cheese' with its unmistakable tang, and fresh salmon pulled from icy fjords are two of the most familiar elements of Norwegian cuisine. But across the country, regional specialities offer a deeper and more surprising culinary story. Norway's rugged climate shaped a long tradition of food preservation. Drying, salting, fermenting, and curing were everyday necessities that gave rise to staples like stockfish from Lofoten and salted lamb, many of which remain important today. In recent years, Norway has also earned acclaim for its bold new-Nordic cooking. From Michelin-starred restaurants in Oslo to seasonal tasting menus in the Arctic, chefs are reinventing tradition with modern flair. To truly understand Norwegian food, it's worth stepping away from the fine dining scene. While the country's cuisine doesn't enjoy a glowing international reputation, many of its most beloved dishes are simple, hearty and deeply rooted in local tradition. You'll find them at mountain lodges, roadside cafes, and family kitchens across the country. Here are five regional favorites that may not make international headlines, but are well worth seeking out. Known as bidos, this traditional stew is a cornerstone of Sámi cuisine in Northern Norway. 'Bidos' is often cooked and served inside around a fireplace at Sami villages in Norway. Made with tender cuts of reindeer meat, potatoes, and carrots, bidos is a simple dish that relies on the quality of its ingredients rather than elaborate seasoning. The result is a rich, gently savory broth that highlights the natural flavor of the reindeer, a meat that's prized for its leanness and gamey depth. It's both a comforting meal and a cultural expression, closely tied to the Sámi people's reindeer-herding traditions and often prepared over an open fire and eaten in communal settings such as lavvu tents. While once a home-cooked staple, bidos can now be found on the menu at several restaurants and lodges across Northern Norway, especially those offering Sámi culinary experiences. If bidos isn't available, other popular reindeer dishes include creamy stews with wild mushrooms and juniper berries, or thinly sliced smoked reindeer served cold as a starter. You might also come across reindeer hot dogs or cured reindeer meat known as spekemat, usually served with crispbread, sour cream or lingonberry jam. Crossing a fjord by car ferry in western Norway might seem like a purely practical part of your journey. But for many Norwegians, it comes with a beloved tradition: a warm, fluffy svele. The best place to sample a Norwegian 'svele' is on a ferry as you cross a fjord. These thick, slightly sweet griddle cakes are often cooked fresh on board and served folded in half with a generous smear of butter and sugar, or sometimes a slice of tangy brown cheese. The scent of batter on the hot griddle and the gentle hum of the ferry make for a uniquely Norwegian moment. It's best enjoyed with a strong coffee and a panoramic view of the water. While sveler can be found in cafés and bakeries across the country, they're most commonly associated with Norway's extensive network of car ferries, especially along the west coast. For locals, it's a nostalgic snack. For visitors, it's an unexpected delight in the middle of a travel day. Stockfish (tørrfisk) is unsalted cod that has been naturally dried in the cold Arctic air for several months. This ancient method of preservation has been practiced for over a thousand years in the Lofoten Islands, where rows of wooden racks filled with hanging cod remain a striking feature of the landscape. Once rehydrated and cooked, the fish has a firm, chewy texture and a deep, concentrated flavor that some find challenging. But for many Norwegians, it's a taste of home. One of the most common ways to enjoy tørrfisk is in bacalao, a hearty stew of dried fish, tomato, onion, and potato with Spanish roots that has become a coastal classic. Stockfish (tørrfisk) is air dried on wooden racks in the fierce winds of Norway's Lofoten Islands. You'll also find tørrfisk in a much more portable form: thin, slightly crispy strips sold in supermarkets, especially in the north and along the west coast. These fish snacks, often enjoyed with beer, are coastal Norway's answer to jerky. Known by different names across the country but most commonly raspeballer, these dense potato dumplings are a beloved comfort food, especially in Western Norway. Made from grated raw potato mixed with flour and often a bit of boiled potato, the dumplings are typically boiled and served with salted meat, sausages, and a generous helping of melted butter or syrup. Traditionally, raspeballer are eaten on Thursdays in many local restaurants. In some versions, a piece of meat is even hidden inside each dumpling. A ceremonial dish with deep roots in the Trøndelag region of Central Norway, sodd is a clear mutton or beef soup served with potatoes and carrots. What sets it apart is the inclusion of finely seasoned meatballs, cooked separately and added just before serving. With a history dating back hundreds of years, sodd is often reserved today for weddings, confirmations and national holidays. However, it can be found year-round in certain regional restaurants or in supermarkets across Central Norway ready to heat up and enjoy. Best served piping hot with flatbread.
