Played (while actively being repaired) April 18, 2023
Reviewed by Mr. Tee
I made the decision to make my first trip to Sweden in the Spring of 2023 after committing to travel for the CityGolf tour event at Sundbyberg near Stockholm. Over the past several years, I have come to know Sweden as home to some of the top putters in the world. Additionally, I became more aware of the different types of minigolf courses that would host competitive events worldwide. In our early years of documenting courses, we came across our first Eternit course on an early visit to the Jersey shore and a few years later in Yokohama, Japan. We had no idea how those holes played and you can find an embarrassing photo of me standing (a major mistake and expressly forbidden) on the playing surface. The non-dimpled balls were confusing but since this was so early in our years of documenting the game, we just figured we’d come across these courses often in future travels.
Fast forward 9 years and I’ve watched videos of competitions on these standardized courses called miniaturegolf where players use unique non-dimpled balls with a variety of properties with the hope of achieving a perfect score. With less than 30 standardized and regulated hole designs, these cement and fiber composite structures make it possible to decrease the home course advantage and put everyone on a similar playing field for international competition. Knowing that Sweden was hosting the 2023 World Championships on their Eternit (and felt) courses in August, I made a plan to head north of Stockholm immediately after I landed in the country to visit the facilities. The snow had only cleared out within a week or two of my arrival so the course was actively being worked on after a long winter.
Rating
The first person I met at the course is the Klubbchef (Club Manager), Carl-Johan Ryner. He is one the most talented putters in the world and even has a Nifo branded putter with his namesake. Additionally, he was incredible hospitable and kind enough to show me around the facilities that include four different types of courses.
I have some photos of the Eternit course below that Carl-Johan was actively working to clean up for the summer but this video of him playing it every which way possible is probably the best way to take in the course and the types of balls used in Europe.
Ulleråkersvägen 12, 753 09 Uppsala, Sweden
Pros
Course maintained by one of the longest-standing and reputable clubs in the world
Home to the 2023 Minigolf World Championships and some of the top players in the world
Incredible setting for putting
Beautiful clubhouse documenting the history of the course
A rare type of course for those who don’t live in continental Europe
Cons
This style of competitive minigolf requires knowledge and proper use of European style minigolf balls
Unlike felt, there aren’t “public” settings on many of the holes to make them easier to play
Nerdy Notes
- 18 lanes/holes. Par 18.
- Top competitive players can and do score perfect rounds on these types of courses. Ideal scores for the top players are between 19-23
- During the 2023 Minigolf World Championships, Mia Vuorihovi of Finland shot a perfect round of 18 on August 23rd
- Prices are for all-day play on all of the courses. Adult 120kr, 15-25 y/o 110 kr, pensioner 70 kr, kids (under 15) 70 kr
- 3 additional courses are on the premises. 1 indoor CityGolf course, 1 outdoor CityGolf adventure golf course, and 1 Swedish Felt golf course
- DO NOT STAND ON ETERNIT/MINIATUREGOLF lanes/holes. All holes are meant to be played standing next to but not on the surfaces.
- Uppsala Bangolfklubb was founded on June 12, 1934 and is Sweden’s oldest bangolf club. It has nurtured a large number of Swedish champions throughout the ages, from Nils Gunnarsson as early as the 40s to European and world champions Karin Olsson, Carl-Johan Ryner and Fredrik Persson. The club’s men’s team has won the most European Cup/Champions League finals, 12, and of these there were 10 victories in a row, 2010-2019. The women’s team has won three times.
