Golf in Iceland

Bo Sjosten

Translated by AI

Golf may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you plan a trip to Iceland. But there are actually no fewer than 65 golf courses, a lot for a country of only 300,000 people.

And what courses! Few other countries offer such a variety of natural experiences. What other country has a course with links golf on the front nine and lava golf on the back? Iceland has really made an effort to blend its courses into their surroundings, so you can play golf and experience the unique Icelandic landscape at the same time.

Of the 65 courses, 17 have 18 holes and the rest have nine. There are courses all over the country, but they are most concentrated around the capital, Reykjavik. There are 10 courses here, five 18-hole and five 9-hole, and another ten or so within an hour’s drive. Two thirds of Iceland’s population lives in Reykjavik, so here you usually need to book a tee time if you want to play. In the rest of the country you usually only need to book on weekends. Green fees around Reykjavik are roughly the same as in Scandinavia, but once you leave the capital they are considerably cheaper, especially since the Icelandic currency fell sharply after the financial crisis. It is often cheaper to play before lunch as well.

Golf is a popular sport. The clubs have about 15,000 members between them, and there are reckoned to be perhaps another 30,000 golfers who play now and then. Not bad for 300,000 inhabitants. Iceland actually has the most golf courses per capita of any country.

The golf season in Iceland is a little shorter than in most of Scandinavia. Courses usually open at the end of May and close again in early September. In return, for most of that time you can play around the clock in the midnight sun. Summer weather has improved considerably in recent years, so these days it doesn’t rain as much as the statistics say (10 to 12 days a month), and it is often a little warmer than the traditional 14°C (57°F). Still, a good rain suit is recommended.

Getting to Iceland

The easiest way to get to Iceland is with Icelandair. You can often find really cheap fares.

Hotels

Cheap accommodation is not easy to find in Iceland. One alternative, especially for the clubs outside Reykjavik, is to contact the club directly. Many clubs have cabins for rent close by.

The best way to find a good hotel is to search a good booking site online.

Renting a car

If you are going to play golf outside Reykjavik, you need to rent a car, preferably one with four-wheel drive. Renting a car in Iceland is a bit of an adventure. It’s relatively expensive, and the insurance rules are needlessly complicated, especially since the volcanic eruption. Standard insurance doesn’t cover, for example, stone chips, damage to the underside of the car, tire damage or ash damage (it’s easy to get scratches on the windshield or paintwork in the ash areas). So be prepared to be offered a whole range of “extra insurance” when you pick up the car.

The road network is generally good, and with a little planning you can mostly avoid ending up on gravel roads. But stick to the speed limits: checks are frequent and fines are paid on the spot, directly to the police officer. He takes credit cards! Also remember that the blood alcohol limit in Iceland is zero.

Tour operators

Few of the big golf tour operators offer golf trips to Iceland. But there are some travel agencies that specialize in Iceland, and they have a few golf packages too: