{"id":28134,"date":"2012-04-12T09:30:45","date_gmt":"2012-04-12T09:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.golf1.is\/?p=28134"},"modified":"2012-04-12T10:15:13","modified_gmt":"2012-04-12T10:15:13","slug":"golf-in-april-2012-in-iceland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.golf1.is\/en\/golf-in-april-2012-in-iceland\/","title":{"rendered":"Golf in March\/April 2012 in Iceland"},"content":{"rendered":"

You might not think it possible to be playing golf in Iceland as early as in March or April. But fact is that golf junkies in Iceland play golf all year round and don\u00b4t let bad weather bother them. In the winter some simply play winter golf (which will be introduced later) Icelanders are used to bad weather on the golfcourse, one is lucky when it doesn\u00b4t hail. It is probably best compared to golf in Northern Scotland or to some of the linkses in Scotland (where it can get pretty windy).<\/p>\n

Icelanders talk about their \u201esample” weather; because often when you play golf in Iceland you get a sample of all types of weather: fog, wind, rain, snow, hail, sun to mention a few, all within the same hour.<\/p>\n

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Playing golf at Golfkl\u00fabburinn \u00dever\u00e1 \u00e1 Hellish\u00f3lum (G\u00deH) in the South of Iceland, on the Saturday before Easter, April 7th 2012 in the fog and rain. Photo: Golf 1<\/p><\/div>\n

As for the weather to play golf in Iceland in March\/April 2012, it has been bad in the western, northern and eastern parts of Iceland, the courses are simply covered by snow and the only way to practice golf is indoors. Many travel to \u00a0Spain or other destinations in Europe, the US or even farther, where the climate is milder.<\/p>\n

However in the south of Iceland it has been possible to play golf both in March and April. The golfcourses still have a yellowish tone to them and not the lush green golfers are used to and the greens aren\u00b4t as fast as during summertime, but for most that doesn\u00b4t matter in the slightest after having been confined to nonswing (on a golfcourse) for 6 months. Most golfcourses are still closed, and don\u00b4t open until May. It is in May that the Icelandic weekendgolfers\u00b4schedule starts, with a great variety of tournaments to choose between. \u00a0The season for many finishes early in September \u00a0(with the exception of the abovementioned golfjunkies) although it all depends on the ever so present weather. For example the Golf Club of Reykjav\u00edk (GR) was still having tournaments in October 2011 and so was the Golfclub of Selfoss (GOS) and a few others.<\/p>\n

Four golfclubs (all of them with 18 hole courses) have held tournaments in March and April in South Iceland, when the weathergods have been in a good mood. These clubs are Golfkl\u00fabbur Grindav\u00edkur<\/strong> (its golfcourse is called H\u00fasat\u00f3ftav\u00f6llur); Golfkl\u00fabbur Sandger\u00f0is<\/strong> (its golfcourse is called Kirkjub\u00f3lsv\u00f6llur); Golfkl\u00fabbur Su\u00f0urnesja<\/strong> (its golfcourse is called H\u00f3lmsv\u00f6llur \u00ed Leiru or abbreviated Leiran) and Golfkl\u00fabburinn Kj\u00f6lur in Mosfellsb\u00e6r<\/strong> (its golfcourse is Hl\u00ed\u00f0arv\u00f6llur) and are all located in the southern part of Iceland.<\/p>\n

Whilst Golf 1 will introduce each of the 66 Icelandic golfcourses in detail later on, a glimpse of 4 golfcourses will be given here for starters, since they are the ones opening the golfseason in Iceland 2012:<\/p>\n

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From the golfcourse in Grindav\u00edk in March 2012. The clubhouse is old and golfers in Grindav\u00edk are having alot of early tournaments to collect money for a new clubhouse. Photo: Golf 1<\/p><\/div>\n

1. Golfkl\u00fabbur Grindav\u00edkur <\/strong>(abbreviated GG)\u00a0: has already held 2 tournaments and the 3rd one will be held this coming Saturday, April 14th. The golfers in Grindav\u00edk are having those early tournaments to collect money for a new clubhouse. \u00a0Participating in a golftournament in Iceland doesn\u00b4t cost much, it\u00b4s usually around Icelandic kronas 3000-3.500 (approx \u20ac 18-21 or US$ 24-28) To drive to Grindav\u00edk you turn right when driving from Keflav\u00edk airport. En route to the golfcourse is a very popular tourist destination in Iceland, The Blue Lagoon. \u00a0There isn\u00b4t much that beats combining the two i.e. taking part in a tournament in Grindav\u00edk or for that matter in Keflav\u00edk or Sandger\u00f0i and then bathe in the beautiful and healthy Blue Lagoon afterwards to get the chill out if the weather hasn\u00b4t been up to its best.<\/p>\n

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By the entrance of the Blue Lagoon i March 2012. It\u00b4s en route to GG. Do as the Icelanders do! Play golf then take a relaxing bath in the Blue Lagoon. Photo: Golf 1.<\/p><\/div>\n

2. Golfkl\u00fabbur Su\u00f0urnesja<\/strong> (abbreviated GS) is a links style golfcourse along the shores of the North-Atlantic, with plenty of seabirds to be seen. This is the golfcourse closest to Icelands’ only international airport (Keflav\u00edk Airport) and well suited for a quick round of golf shortly after landing or prior to take off, if you have some extra time to spare. GS has had a series of tournaments this spring called Gull m\u00f3tar\u00f6\u00f0in i.e. the Gold Tour, where Egils Gull, an Icelandic beer manufactor is the key sponsor. The prizes are \u201egolden” i.e. in the form of beer and the tournament has been very popular among Icelanders. This is the golfcourse that was closest to the American base and many in the American armed forces used to play and are familiar with this course. This course also features one of Iceland\u00b4s most challenging and beautiful par-3\u00b4s, the 3rd hole, called Bergv\u00edk, which is GS\u00b4s signature hole.<\/p>\n

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Bergv\u00edk, in March 2012, GS\u00b4s signature par-3 hole. Photo: Golf 1.<\/p><\/div>\n

3. Golfkl\u00fabbur Sandger\u00f0is<\/strong> (abbreviated: GSG). \u00a0The golfcourse is also a very short driving distance (7km) away from Keflav\u00edk Airport and has just recently been enlarged from a 9 hole course to a pleasant 18 hole course. This is a rather flat course, the only exception being the 7th hole, a short par-4, which is a favorite among many Icelandic golfers, since the score is usually good there. It lies up a little hill. Also by in a shed on the following 2 holes, the 8th and 9th live two of the more known inhabitants of GSG, the two bunnies, who especially love Prince Polo (the Icelandic national sweet – although imported from Poland). GSG has probably held most tournaments this winter\/spring of theses 4 mentioned golfcourses here and the prizes are coupons to Golfb\u00fa\u00f0in in Hafnarfj\u00f6r\u00f0ur (one of the better golfstores in Iceland) \u00a0the prize for 1st place worth Icelandic kronas 15.000,-(\u20ac 90 – US$ 117).<\/p>\n

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The two cute bunnies by the shed at GSG\u00b4s 8th and 9th fairways. Photo taken February 11th 2012: Golf 1<\/p><\/div>\n

4. Golfkl\u00fabburinn Kj\u00f6lur<\/strong> (abbreviated: GKJ). This golfcourse has also only recently been enlarged to an 18-hole golfcourse. It offers beautiful views over the capital of Iceland, Reykjav\u00edk and Mount Esja, a 914 meters\/2.999 ft. high, old volcano, which hasn\u00b4t errupted for millions of years. \u00a0It\u00b4s made up of basalt except for the eastermost mountaintops which are in a lighter, whitish-yellow color made from rhyolite and is clearly visible from the golfcourse at GKJ. The GKJ\u00b4s golfcourses signature hole is the par-4, 4th. Only a short driving distance away from GKJ, in Mosfellsdalur, is the home of the late Halldor Kiljan Laxness, Iceland\u00b4s only Nobel prize recipient in literature. His home is now a museum, so if you want to combine a round of golf in stunning nature with a dash of culture, GKJ would be your choice.<\/p>\n

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GKJ\u00b4s signature hole the par-4 4th hole at Hli\u00f0arv\u00f6llur. Photo: Golf 1<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You might not think it possible to be playing golf in Iceland as early as in March or April. But fact is that golf junkies in Iceland play golf all year round and don\u00b4t let bad weather bother them. In the winter some simply play winter golf (which will be introduced later) Icelanders are used to bad weather on the golfcourse, one is lucky when it doesn\u00b4t hail. It is probably best compared to golf in Northern Scotland or to some of the linkses in Scotland (where it can get pretty windy). Icelanders talk about their \u201esample” weather; because often when you play golf in Iceland you get a sample Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":28137,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","cat-7-id"],"acf":[],"views":2343,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.golf1.is\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.golf1.is\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.golf1.is\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.golf1.is\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.golf1.is\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28134"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.golf1.is\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28134\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.golf1.is\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.golf1.is\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.golf1.is\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.golf1.is\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}