Uppsala Bangolfklubb (Felt Golf) – Uppsala, Sweden

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Played (while actively being cleaned up) April 18, 2023

Reviewed by Mr. Tee

When people travel to Sweden, they go to experience amazing food (especially baked goods), beautiful landscapes, music, (ABBA museum!), top-end design, and friendly people. Sweden is also a place where you can commonly find a distinct style of mini golf courses that are approved for international competition, Felt Golf. We had played one of these types of courses in the Jersey Shore back in 2012 but I had no appreciation or understanding for this type of mini golf at the time. I was a bit of a newbie to the game and didn’t understand what I was seeing was rare to find on this side of the ocean. Fast forward over 10 years, I was traveling to Sweden for a CityGolf Tour event near Stockholm but knowing that the 2023 Minigolf World Championship would be held north of the international Arlanda airport in Uppsala, I opted to make this facility the first stop on my trip. After an overnight flight from NYC, I hopped in my rental car and was set to fight jet lag with a day of putting at the oldest mini golf club in Sweden.

Rating

Felt courses have a playing surface of green felt with wooden obstacles and borders that are red and yellow. In total, there are 40 different types of holes (sometimes called lanes in competitive play) but not all of the different hole designs are used in competitive play. As I’ve gone down the rabbit hole of competitive mini golf in the last 3 years, I have gained a deep appreciation for the styles of standard courses played in continental Europe. I appreciate the challenge and different types of shots on the Eternit style but there is something more charming and visually pleasing about the felt courses. The primary colors and vintage wooden look are quite attractive to me. Much like Eternit, these courses require a variety of types of shots to test one’s putting skills. Where Felt differentiates itself is that there are add-ons to many of the obstacles that make play for the public a much less harrowing experience. As I watch the stream of the 2023 World Championships, I’m even more eager to get back to try this course with the proper equipment. I played a round with a house ball and my golf putter with little success. I’d love to give this course a whirl again with a good selection of European minigolf balls and a minigolf putter. Absolute must to play this and all of the courses at this incredible mini golf facility. Ja!

I picked a stunning spring day to visit this incredible facility
Taste of traditional Swedish Felt golf
Tee box has dots to play ball similar to Putt-Putt
Photo by Pat Sheridan from the World Championships in 2023. This gives you a sense of the variety of balls one could purchase to play this style of course
Jetlagged but incredibly happy to play this course

How to Play this course playlist by Carl-Johan Ryner, one of the best minigolfers in the world

One of many slanted holes where a precision pace in needed to land the ball in the hole near the top of the hill
If you look close, you see the add-ons to the obstacle that dramatically increases the challenge for the pro players
This metal catcher is down for the public but the pros need the perfect pace to get the ace near the top of the hill
An inclined slanted middle of the fairway with a narrow opening to get your ball through to the lower green/cup. Diabolical and clever!
A straight shot with some obstacles that you need to pass. If you don’t, you restart at the tee box
The instructions to play “boxes”. Pretty much just hit the ball perfectly straight.
This hole trips up some of the most seasoned pros
Photos from Pat Sheridan of the felt course during practice for the World Championships in August 2023
Course looks superb at practice and ready for competition
Players from around the world spent several days on this course trying to achieve minigolf greatness

Uppsala Bangolfklubb Website

Ulleråkersvägen 12, 753 09 Uppsala, Sweden

Pros

Classic / retro-looking
Option to adjust obstacles for the public and 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
Signage (in Swedish) with images showing how to best play each of the holes

Cons

This style of competitive minigolf requires is benefited by knowledge and proper use of European style minigolf balls
The rules of play including relief from the obstacles and borders can be a bit confusing for newbies

Nerdy Notes

  • 18 lanes/holes. Par 36
  • Top pro players get scores in the low 20s. As of 8/23/23, the lowest score at the 2023 World Championship through 6 rounds was a 23 but on the final and 10th round of individual stroke play, Ulf Kristiansson set the course record with a 22 which helped him win the gold medal by only two strokes!

  • 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 Miniaturegolf/Eternit 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.

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