From Sweden to COD: Standout golfer Linus Rindestad Utter feels at home in desert

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) -- The College of the Desert golf team is putting together a special season.

With four wins on the season, the Roadrunners are rolling, on their way to a conference title and have a legitimate shot at winning state.

Five of the players on the Roadrunners' roster are from local high schools, but one of the 12 came all the way from Handen, Sweden, which is a town just south of the capital city of Stockholm.

5,465 miles. That's the estimated distance from Sweden to Palm Desert, a big change for Linus Rindestad Utter, a sophomore on the College of the Desert men's golf team.

"Being able to play golf all year round coming from a winter country is just amazing. It's probably one of the best Ju-Co programs in the nation," said Utter.

Great golf and good people. That's something that Linus has noticed about living in the desert the last couple of years.

"People is really friendly, even strangers, and they just come up and talk to you. That doesn't really happen in Sweden," said Utter.

With a major move like this, culture shock and homesickness is a real thing. Luckily for Linus, his teammates have helped him make the transition a lot easier.

"We're all like a family. We hang out outside of golf. We practice. We do stuff outside of golf as well, and that just helps a lot with homesickness because you feel like you have your second home here," said Utter.

Speaking of home, Linus tells me he misses it. How could he not? But he does his best to stay connected while chasing his dreams on the golf course.

"Call or text with my parents at least every day, so usually mornings or nights because they're usually asleep during the day when I'm here. That's most of what I do and I try to stay in contact with a lot of friends, but of course I get homesick and I want to be with them and be back home. But being here, I have so much friends and we do stuff all the time and it just feels like home," said Utter.

COD men's head golf coach Tanner Bown tells me that Linus been a welcomed addition to the team and is one of the top players for the Roadrunners.

"Linus has grown a ton since he showed up at College of the Desert in 2024. He's turned into a great player that performs week in and week out us," said Bown.

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