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Golf Tourism Development Strategy Iceland An IAGTO Report September 2009 Authors Peter Walton – President & Chief Executive Giles Greenwood – Golf Tourism Development Director IAGTO

1 Trafalgar House, Grenville Place, London, NW7 3SA, United Kingdom Tel: +44 20 8906 3377 Fax: +44 20 8906 8181 Email: pwalton@iagto.com Website: www.iagto.com International Association of Golf Tour Operators is a trading name of IAGTO Ltd which is registered in England as a Membership Organisation.

Registered No. 3507678 - UK SIC 9112 - VAT 710 1940 78 - Directors: C Carugati, G Greenwood, P Walton.

Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

INTRODUCTION IAGTO is the global trade organisation of the golf tourism industry with 312 golf tour operators in 46 countries controlling 80% of all golf holiday packages sold worldwide, with annual sales in excess of â‚Ź1 billion.

Only a handful of IAGTO operators currently feature Iceland, and these operators are located in Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA. Very little business is conducted to Iceland at present which has been confirmed through interviews with the golf courses and with the inbound travel agencies.

The primary purpose of IAGTO’s visit to Iceland in IAGTO Operators August 2009 was to identify control 80% of all golf the potential Iceland has as holiday packages sold a golf destination, and specifically to determine which golf courses could attract business from overseas golfers travelling to Iceland for the primary purpose of playing golf.

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

INVESTING IN GOLF TOURISM GolfIceland has correctly identified that golf tourism is a key niche market for it to support and develop because its value far exceeds the direct revenue generated from golf vacations alone.

Key Facts •

There are 6 million people in Europe playing golf regularly with a further 27 million in the USA alone and some 50 million worldwide.

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Half of all European golfers have taken a golf holiday.

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Approximately 30% of all European golfers take a vacation each year where golf is the primary purpose of travel.

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Golfers spend between 50-160% more per person per day in resort than general leisure tourists.

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Direct revenue to golf tourism suppliers represents only a fraction of the total benefit to any golf destination. A high quality golf infrastructure increases Meetings & Convention business and Inward Investment from foreign companies. It also enhances the image of the destination that will enable it to attract the more discerning and higher spending traveller.

Indirect Revenue from Golf Tourism

30% of golfers take a golf holiday each year

Golf Tourism is High Value & Low Impact

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Golf travellers are more resilient to negative global tourism trends, particularly those that are not financially related, for example security fears. After 9/11 golf tourism was affected only half as much as general leisure travellers. Whilst golf tourism is not unaffected by any financial downturn, it has a history of recovering quickly, with short haul value for money destinations recovering the quickest.

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In the USA, 12% of the adult population plays golf but they are responsible for 27% of the total travel spend. Figures are expected to be similar for European golfers. Golf tourism is a significant factor for tourism employment in the winter season. Golf travel feeds golf courses, hotels, restaurants, transportation companies and retail outlets from September through to May, with peak months in November and March.

Golf is a High Revenue, Low Impact & Influential Tourism Sector

12% 27%

Golfers are Disproportionately Influential in Travel Spend

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

STATE OF THE MARKET Along with the rest of the tourism industry, 2007 was the best of all years. 2008 started well but by April/May the impact of the global economic downturn took hold. Whilst golf travel cannot of course be immune to global tourism trends, we know that golf travel is more resilient than other sectors and recovers quickly because golfers are reluctant to be denied their annual golf travel ‘fix’.

Expected recovery pattern for global golf tourism

However, overall the golf tourism industry expects Golf tourism is more resilient a ‘V’ shaped recovery than most travel sectors and contrasting to the pace recovers quickly of the global economic recovery which is projected to be ‘U’ shaped with a flatter, Delivering the Experience more drawn-out base. and Value for Money are We therefore expect golf key to sustainable growth holiday package bookings to pick up this autumn. Short haul value for money golf destinations are best positioned to be amongst the first golf destinations to take advantage of the expected recovery.

However, the decision making process of the golf traveller has now changed. Consumers throughout Europe and America are re-assessing how they spend their money. Value for money is key, and they will not travel unless they are sure that they are going to get the experience they are looking for.

Iceland is a special case and in many respects a unique one. It is in the position of trying to create a NEW golf destination as the key markets emerge slowly from the global economic recession. Iceland itself is in the grips of a deep recession which has devalued its currency by half, making inbound tourism less expensive. However, less expensive does not always mean value for money. Neither is Iceland an obvious golf destination because of its climate and the short duration of its playing season. However, it possesses a number of factors that can make it both a unique and interesting golf destination and these are what Iceland must focus on in order to make any impression on the global golf tourism industry.

IAGTO ANALYSIS In preparation for this Report, IAGTO visited 13 golf courses in August 2009 in order to determine how Iceland should position itself as a golf destination.

Notes on each course are presented in the final section of this Report.

Using the information gathered from these golf course visits and our 12 years of experience at the heart of the golf tourism industry, we have drawn some conclusions about Iceland as a golf destination and made a series of recommendations and observations which follow. If implemented these could form the core of a Golf Tourism Strategy to generate incremental and sustainable revenue from golf travel.

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

CURRENT POSITION OF ICELAND AS A GOLF DESTINATION Iceland cannot be compared directly with more popular golf destinations around the world. Iceland requires a different approach in order to generate incremental revenue and sustainable growth in golf tourism.

The principal reason for this is that Iceland’s climate is significantly different to the climates of popular winter and summer golf destinations in the Northern Hemisphere. Due to climatic factors Iceland can only be attractive to visiting golfers during the period June to August, and 15 days either side.

Iceland is known principally for its glaciers, geysers, hot spas, snow, ice, volcanoes, lava fields and salmon fishing. It is also still generally perceived as an expensive destination, as the local effect of the weakened currency has not registered with the European and North American populace.

The majority of the golf tourism industry and therefore almost certainly the golf consumer market is entirely unaware of and surprised by the fact that Iceland has some 60 golf courses including sixteen 18-hole courses.

The number of golfers travelling to Iceland for the primary purpose of playing golf is very small. Even the most popular courses in Reykjavik could only account for visitors in 10’s per week and not 100’s if any at all.

Our first objective was to determine which of Golf Iceland’s 18-hole courses could be considered suitable for the visiting golfer – what we term as export ready. The golf tourism industry will be surprised at the quality of golf in Iceland, and whilst we have defined an A and B list of courses, all of them can be considered to be Export Ready.

CAN ICELAND BECOME A GOLF DESTINATION? There is some understandable scepticism, both in Iceland and elsewhere, of the idea that Iceland can attract golfers to come to Iceland for the primary purpose of playing golf. There is also concern within Iceland that golf visitors will not find sufficient access to the golf courses, particularly at the weekend.

However, we are confident that Iceland can create a golf tourism product that will generate incremental and sustainable revenue for the country, its golf courses, hotels and tourism industry.

We have identified a number of strong selling points and product combinations that can be presented to golf tour operators to promote and sell to their golfing clients.

STRONG SELLING POINTS •

There are sufficient high quality courses to appeal to avid golfers, and many have unique or interesting environment, topography and views. Many of the courses have terrific views, and Golf Iceland already has some good photographs of their courses, although more could be taken.

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The standard and level of difficulty of Iceland’s courses means that it is best suited, in general, to lower handicap golfers. Lower handicap golfers are the more avid golfers who are also the best at promoting a destination by word of mouth.

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There are a number of themes that operators can use to entice the aspirational avid golfer, particularly trophy hunters. This includes midnight golf, playing the northern most 18-hole course in the world, playing golf amongst and within volcanoes & playing golf on lava fields and within sight of global phenomena (i.e. Old Geyser).

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

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All golf courses have a golf course planner (e.g. Strokesaver). This is surprising and unusual and a good aspect of Iceland’s golf course service for visiting golfers.

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International flight access to Reykjavik is good from both key European and North American markets; Reykjavik is a major stopover or staging post for transatlantic flights; access to courses is good from both Keflavik and Reykjavik.

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All of the key export ready courses are easily accessible in terms of driving distance and navigation from hotel centres, even where this includes domestic flights.

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Most courses in Iceland offer a special rate for couples which is significantly less that the cost of two green fees. This is an interesting concept and one that can be harnessed and promoted by golf tour operators.

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70% of golfers are on the lookout for new golf destinations, and this puts Iceland in a strong position because 99.9% of golfers have never visited Iceland to play golf or considered it as a golf destination, and therefore it has the generic appeal as being undiscovered.

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Compared to most other destinations at this stage in golf tourism development, Iceland is extremely well organised. No progress can be made without organisation, coordination, a clear direction and a common enthusiasm to achieve particular objectives.

KEY COURSES FOR GOLF HOLIDAY PACKAGES Whilst all courses visited offer something of interest to visiting golfers, as in every destination there are some that stand out for various reasons. Every golf visitor will have different priorities, but in order to assist the tour operator creating golf packages we have highlighted the following seven courses: Premier Courses for Visiting Golfers Keilir Grafarholt Oddur Vestman Island Kidjaberg

Speciality Courses Sudurness Akureyri

Sudurness has a place mainly just for stopover business where using Keflavik as a stopover between North America and Europe.

Akureyri has a particular trophy hunter appeal as the northern most 18-hole course in the world, but it is unlikely to appeal at present for reasons other than this.

GKG, Korpa Golf Club and Leynir all represent alternative choices in Reykjavik but it is likely that Keilir, Grafarholt and Oddur will be the courses of first choice for operators requiring a round or two in the capital city.

We expect Vestman Island to feature in every golf package sold by golf tour operators to Iceland, with the exception of short stopover packages which are more likely to be sold by airlines than operators.

The appeal of Kidjaberg is as much for the experience of self-driving to the golf course as for the golf course itself. A day tour incorporating a round of golf at Kidjaberg will be a unique experience for golfers who might otherwise not see this countryside around Reykjavik. It is also in a perfect location for continuing on to Geysir.

Fludir and Hella can be packaged by specialist operators who have a particular type of clientele or who wish to put together a touring itinerary of Iceland.

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

TOURIST FRIENDLY NAMES FOR COURSES Interestingly, only by visiting Iceland have we realised the difficulty some international visitors will have in pronouncing some of the names of the golf courses. The only reason this is important is that if the golf course names are difficult to pronounce then they are difficult to remember. And if a golfer cannot remember or pronounce the name of a golf course they are not going to be able to pass on this information to their friends and colleagues in a way which will promote ‘Golf Destination Iceland’.

Over 70% of the promotion of Iceland as a golf destination will come by word of mouth. Confidence will be the most important factor in any golfer’s decision to spend money on a golf trip to Iceland, and confidence can best be given by a trusted friend or colleague who has just returned from an enjoyable golf experience abroad.

We have made suggestions for some of the courses we think would benefit from a promotional name in English: Golf Course Keilir Vestman Islands Akureyri Kidjaberg Hella

Suggested Promotional Name Lava-Links Westman Island Midnight Sun White River Hella Volcano

ACCESS TO GOLF COURSES This year in particular, with the weak Icelandic Krona and a nice warm summer, Iceland has seen a growth in domestic golf and the courses are particularly busy. There has been concern that it is going to be difficult to find tee-times for visiting golfers.

However, whilst it is true that at the weekends the golf courses are extremely busy, all courses have stressed that they are happy to accommodate visiting golfers, even if there are some restrictions on when they can have access to the course.

Most importantly, in nearly all cases, golf tour operators will be in a position to book tee-times well in advance whilst members can make bookings only a few days in advance. This provides a tremendous advantage for the golf tour operator.

Equally important, the Icelandic Golf Union is very well organised and all Tournaments for the year are set in January. Therefore a tour operator booking a tee-time for a visitor 3 months in advance is unlikely to find out nearer the time that a Tournament has been arranged requiring the visitor to move to another course.

However, what we have called the premier golf courses in Reykjavik which will be under most demand from visitors, are also the busiest on the island. For this reason our recommendation to operators will be to 1) keep some flexibility within the package allowing one course in Reykjavik to be substituted for another, if required, and 2) use a local operator to make the bookings so that changes can be made on the ground and the visitor taken care of should there be a need for local changes.

THE BOOKING PROCESS As we have mentioned above, we believe it will be important and advantageous for golf tour operators abroad to book their golf holiday packages through local ground handlers. This does not necessarily need to lead to increased costs providing that the local ground handlers are given the best net rates from the golf courses.

The biggest threat to the enjoyment of a visiting golfer is that inclement and unexpected weather might make a visit to Vestman Islands or Akureyri impossible on the day planned. The international operator must rely on a local ground handler to make the necessary changes to the programme on the spot. Bad weather might also prevent play on any of the courses at any time. A ground handler is in a position to make alternative suggestions and arrangements for golfers who find themselves with no golf to play on any particular day, which might otherwise ruin their holiday.

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

THE PREMIER DISCOVER GOLF ICELAND EXPERIENCE Educating the golf tour operator is the first priority. The best way to do this is to use, purely as an example, one tour itinerary that encapsulates the best of what Iceland has to offer. We would recommend the following: Day 1 Arrive / overnight in Reykjavik Day 2 Golf at a premier course in Reykjavik / overnight Day 3 Fly to Vestman Island / play golf / tour the island / return to Reykjavik and overnight Day 4 Drive to Kidjaberg & play golf / continue to Geysir and overnight Day 5 Play Geysir and visit local sights of interest / return to Reykjavik and overnight Day 6 Golf at another premier golf course in the morning / Fly to Akureyri in the afternoon / Dinner at Frederick V restaurant / Play the front 9 holes at Akureyri after 10:00pm to experience midnight golf / overnight in Akureyri.

Day 7 Return to Reykjavik / tour the city and enjoy an afternoon at the Blue Lagoon / overnight in Reykjavik Day 8 Depart Whilst this might not be the programme that operators sell – it neatly shows how the best golf in Iceland can be combined to offer a unique experience of Golf Destination Iceland.

TOURNAMENT & MIDNIGHT GOLF Whilst midnight golf is an eye-catching theme – it is not unique to Iceland and it is not something a golfer would want to do every day. So it is important not to overplay the midnight golf hand.

Staging Tournaments that visiting can play in is probably the most effective way that Iceland can position and present itself as a new golf destination: •

We have already pointed out that Iceland’s golf courses are best suited to lower handicap avid golfers, partly because of the difficult climatic conditions in which they may need to be played. Avid golfers are comfortable playing in Tournaments and enjoy this experience.

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Staging Tournaments allows Iceland to deliver added value in important areas. For example a golfer should not visit Iceland without enjoying a lamb barbeque at a clubhouse. But individuals are less likely to be able to find this experience whereas within a Tournament environment this is simple and cost effective.

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People in general will enjoy a unique experience such as midnight golf when in the company of fellow golfers, rather than experiencing it alone. Also if the weather is cold and windy, the camaraderie of a group of golfers battling around a golf course together makes difficult conditions more tolerable.

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

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Golf tour operators starting to sell Iceland for the first time may only send a handful of people. If they can sell places on a Tournament which is organised by Golf Iceland then they will be happy in the knowledge that even if they send only one couple, they will be looked after and have a good time.

Tournament golf is therefore essential at the early stages of golf tourism development as it enables operators to promote and sell regardless of the number of bookings they receive.

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In the first three years, Golf Iceland can offer very good prizes in order to entice golfers who may normally not take the plunge of visiting the country. If Iceland gets the reputation of offering the best prizes for the cost of the Tournament package, this can be used by the operators and can also help to close the sale. After three years Golf Destination Iceland will have established its reputation and there will be sufficient golfers out there talking about the experience.

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Tournaments can be a no-risk trial. Any spaces not sold to international visitors, can be taken up by local members. Therefore the Tournament is likely to comprise both visitors and local members – which is a great combination. Logistically it is also an excellent way to guarantee tee times in advance.

PRODUCT IMPROVEMENTS Although we have looked at each course in some detail, it is not relevant at this stage to highlight areas for improvement from the perspective of the first time golf visitor, because there is currently insufficient revenue from golf tourism for a golf course to invest in a revenue stream that is negligible.

In addition to this the premier and special interest courses of Iceland are already offering a great product and good service. All courses have a golf course guide (e.g. Strokesaver) and all have good signage – although Sudurness probably needs to look at on course signage from green to tee etc.

Where Iceland probably lags behind in comparison to other golf destinations is the standard of the clubhouses and visitor facilities. This is another reason to focus on Tournament golf.

We strongly encourage Icelandair to waive the charges for golf bag carriage for the clients of IAGTO operators travelling with Icelandair.

GOLF TOUR OPERATOR SALES The process of golf tour operator marketing and sales began on 1st September 2009 when IAGTO welcomed all of Golf Iceland’s 18-hole courses as full individual members of the Association. This has been enhanced by the membership of two ground handlers to augment the one pre-existing long term member of IAGTO. IAGTO will officially launch its Iceland Chapter prior to the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) and activities within the golf tourism industry will progress naturally throughout the remainder of 2009 and 2010.

IAGTO has provided Iceland with a 20-minute seminar at IGTM on 18 November 2009. As well as providing an overview of Golf Destination Iceland, the objective of this seminar should be to do the following: •

Present the Premier Golf Package itinerary as detailed in this report as an example of how a golf tour operator can package Iceland as a golf destination.

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Explain clearly the mechanisms for making money out of selling golf holidays to Iceland (commission structures etc).

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Give them confidence in both the quality of the product and the enjoyment that their clients will experience.

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Invite them to participate in the 2010 Discover Iceland Fam Trip.

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

2010 DISCOVER ICELAND FAM TRIP We recommend inviting IAGTO Operators and Golf Travel Writers to participate in a Discover Iceland Fam Trip in 2010. This should take place at a convenient date from late June through July.

We suggest the following programme: Day 1 Arrive / Individual Arrival Transfers / Welcome Reception & Dinner / Overnight Reykjavik Day 2 Flight to Vestman Island / Golf & Lunch / Island Tour / Return flight to Reykjavik / Dinner & Overnight Day 3 Golf at Keilir & Lunch / Inspection of Grafarholt Golf Club / Dinner at Reagan/Gorbachev Summit House / Overnight in Reykjavik Day 4 Drive to Kidjaberg for round of golf & lunch / continue to Geysir including inspection of golf course / return to Reykjavik for dinner and overnight Day 5 Golf at Oddur followed by lunch and flight to Akureyri / Dinner at Frederick V / Midnight Golf on Front 9 of Akureyri Golf Course / Overnight in Akureyri Day 6 Flight to Reykjavik / Blue Lagoon / (optional course inspections) / Depart The only caution with the above itinerary is that if the Akureyri/Reykjavik flight is delayed there is the possibility of missed departure flights.

It would be important to provide all services on a complimentary basis for both operators and journalists including international flights, as Iceland will not be a priority destination for them to investigate.

We have not included any glacier exploration or other sightseeing activities except for within Reykjavik. This could be an option for a day’s extension, particularly for the journalists.

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

GOLF ICELAND COURSE REVIEWS INTRODUCTION IAGTO’s Peter Walton and Giles Greenwood visited and played at the majority of GolfIceland’s 18-hole courses in August 2009. The weather was particularly pleasant during the entire week with sunshine and temperatures of 17-23 degrees C and with little wind.

The objective is not to provide an exhaustive analysis of each course, but to identify details that are relevant to the construction of a golf tourism industry for Golf Destination Iceland. We have drawn on information presented here in the main IAGTO Golf Tourism Strategy Report.

REYKJAVIK

Keilir Golf Course Established in 1967, the course is unique in that the first 9 holes are played through Lava, whilst the second 9 holes can be classed as Links. It is located 10 minutes from Reykjavik and close to the port, providing good access for visitors. The clubhouse is modern and has all the necessary facilities, including locker rooms and showers, as well as a restaurant. There is a golf course guide and good on course signage.

Driving to the course will not fill the visiting golfer with anticipation as you have to drive past a large Aluminium works, but as soon as you drive up to the course its all forgotten. The practice facilities are very impressive with large putting greens, indoor heated bays and heated mats. There is also a fitting centre with launch monitor equipment. In our opinion for the visitor this course is on a par with Grafarholt as probably the best in Iceland.

The front 9 holes through lava are visually exciting and interesting to play. Carved out of the lava it is not that difficult and you do have opportunities to play out of the lava if you find your ball, however one important consideration is that doing this is likely to damage the visitor’s clubs. The back 9 is a links course which lets you ‘open your shoulders’ after the accuracy needed for the front 9. The back 9 has wonderful sea views that any golfer will enjoy. The course was also in very good condition with manicured fairways, deep, well maintained bunkers and quick greens.

The only negative was that it was extremely busy (1300 members). Even taking this into account, we would consider this to be the most appealing golf course in the Reykjavik area for visiting golfers – particularly proficient golfers.

The course receives approximately 20 tourist visitors per week, either booking direct or coming off the cruise ships. Leisure business is up but corporate business is down.

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18 holes / 5852m / Par 71 & 9 holes Academy Course (Par 32) Green Fee: 8am – 2pm: ISK 4,000. 2pm – 7pm: ISK 5,000 Buggy Hire: Yes Range Facilities: Yes, ISK 500 for 50 balls Rental Clubs: Yes but not named branded: ISK 1500 Trolleys: ISK 500 Handicap Limit: 34

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

Sudurness Golf Course Established in 1964, Sudurness has 530 members and in 2008 enjoyed 6 months of summer greens (April/May-September/October. The course is located 45 minutes from Reykjavik, but only 10 minutes from Keflavik International Airport. The managers are trying to attract stopover business as there are three good hotels (two 4 star ad one 3 star) in the nearest town, but they have no tour operator business as yet. The clubhouse is a little tired, with a small restaurant and locker room.

The Practice facilities include a covered bay and putting green.

Visually the course has stunning views and the course looks inviting. In our view, 70% links, 30% parkland. Some spectacular holes including their signature hole which is often quoted as being ‘the most famous hole in Iceland’. It’s not a demanding course, so players will invariably leave with a smile on their face. The course has a good quality course guide in Icelandic & English, however the on course signage is limited, so the visitor will constantly need to refer to the course guide. Overall a nice course but no ‘wow’ factor.

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18 holes / 5983m / Par 72 Green Fee: ISK 4,500 Trolleys : ISK 500 Range Balls: ISK 300 for 40 6-8 Rental club sets (not top quality)

Korpa Golf Club This course is part of the Grafarholt, Leynir triumvirate and a very busy course. It was once an old dairy farm.

The clubhouse has a small cafe that does home cooked food. Indoor and outdoor covered practice facilities, although fairly rudimentary but satisfactory for a 10-minute warm up. There is a golf course guide and signage on the course.

The course is a bit of a mixed bag as the opening couple of holes are not that interesting and have the appearance of not being that well maintained, with long walks from green to tee (some 150m from the 1st to the 2nd), but it has some spectacular holes too. This course skirts the Atlantic ocean for a few holes, so offering great views. The holes are challenging. Remarkably, the course looked in very good condition, which is not necessarily the impression that the visitor will receive from the clubhouse or the first couple of holes.

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18 holes / 6035m / Par 72 & 9 holes Academy Course (Par 33) Green Fee: 6800. After 1pm - 5100 Buggy Hire: Yes Rental Clubs: Yes but not named brand. ISK 3,000 Trolleys: ISK 500

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

Grafarholt Golf Club This is considered Reykjavik’s principal golf club. There are a number of key indications to the visitor that this is the city’s most prestigious club and holds important tournaments. There is a large sign at the entrance to the golf club announcing to everyone that they have arrived – not seen elsewhere on the island. There are clearly visible score boards and other ‘championship’ related course furniture. Practice facilities are excellent with a large three storey driving range with multi area chipping and putting greens.

The clubhouse has all necessary facilities, probably the biggest in Iceland, with two restaurants serving snacks and quality a la carte meals.

Like most other clubs it has golf course signage and a golf course guide; but here also a Starter gets everyone off on time, adding a professional dimension to the experience, but it is also a necessary function at this, the busiest club in Iceland. Like Keilir, it’s a very busy course with nearly every flight consisting of four players. The golf course is inland, with great height elevations and a good variety of interesting holes. However, to the visitor the views over Reykjavik will not be as inspiring as some of the more natural views offered from other courses.

Grafarholt is a tough but fair test, which all levels will enjoy, which is a sign of a good design. Our experience was that even though players were held up at some tees, round time was still within a very respectable 4 hours.

The signage works well and the golf traveller would enjoy this course, both for the off course amenities as well as the on course amenities.

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18 holes / 6057m / Par 71 Green Fee: 8am – 1pm: ISK 5,100. 1pm – 7pm: ISK 6,800 Buggy Hire: Yes Rental Clubs: Yes but not named branded: ISK 3,000 Trolleys: ISK 500 Maximum handicap: 36 men and 36 ladies

Oddur Golf Club This course is a 15-20 minute drive inland from Reykjavik and the first thing that the visitor will notice is how well manicured the facility is, from the grass verges and the car park to the cleanliness of the buggies. You can tell this is a well run facility. The clubhouse is spacious, clean and serves a range of hot and cold snacks and meals.

The practice facilities include a very impressive 9 hole short course with Astroturf tees and very well maintained greens.

The course is similar to a Surrey heathland style course and is very undulating. Also similar to Keilir in that it features lava on a number of holes, thus adding variety. Soaring views across Iceland also make it visually pleasing. The course is in very good condition even though it has 1400 members that all play in a short space of time. Even with this number of members, they are running at 86% capacity, and have room for increased visitor numbers. They have already produced tailored golf packages and are ready to go. They have a golf course guide and on course signage and it is the only course I played that gives free trolleys.

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18 holes / 5908m / Par 71 & 9 hole Academy Course Green Fee: ISK 8,600. This differs from price obtained from golf Iceland website.

And is the most expensive course to play.

Buggy Hire: Yes Rental Clubs: Yes Trolleys: Free

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

GKG Golf Club This course is situated next to Oddur, 15 minutes from Reykjavik but doesn’t have the spectacular views that its neighbour has. Despite its proximity, GKG is completely different to Oddur - the clubhouse is a small building that just houses the restaurant, the General Manager’s office and toilets, while the pro shop is a wooden building next door. This does not necessarily promote confidence in the visiting golfer when walking to the first tee, however they will be pleasantly surprised by the number of terrific views to many holes on the course, which appears to be a feature of golf in Iceland.

The course has good signage, has a golf course guide, is in good condition and offers great variety to the golfer and is a challenge. Again, providing the golfer does not require great clubhouse facilities then all levels will enjoy this course. Recent quotes about this course include ‘The second toughest in Iceland’ & ‘Best Greens in Iceland’.

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18 holes / 5822m / Par 71 & 9 holes / 2559 Par 34 Green Fee: ISK 7,000. This differs from price obtained from golf Iceland website of -8am – 2pm: ISK 4,000. 2pm – 9pm: ISK 5,000 Buggy Hire: Yes Range Facilities: Yes Rental Clubs: Yes. Unnamed brands: ISK 2,000 Trolleys: ISK 500

Leynir Golf Club This course is 40 minutes from Reykjavik and the drive from the city is very scenic. Clubhouse facilities are again not of the highest level, being somewhat smaller than those of GKG. The course has a mixture of some challenging holes, but also some which the visiting golfer might find less interesting.

There are seldom problems getting a tee time at the course as Reykjavik residents prefer not to travel too far for a round of golf. There is a golf course guide and good signage throughout the course. Although it presents an enjoyable experience to the visiting golfer, it would not necessarily be considered to be a ‘stand out’ course for tourists.

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18 holes / 5973m / Par 72 Green Fee: ISK 4,500

VESTMAN ISLAND Vestman Islands Golf Club For golfers, a visit to Vestman Island is likely to be one of their best experiences of Golf Destination Iceland.

Whilst it is not the best golf course in the country, it is the entire experience and uniqueness that will make a visit to play Vestman Islands Golf Club an essential element of most first time golf visitors to Iceland. The anticipation of getting on the course and its wonderful views were extremely positive.

The clubhouse offers spectacular views and has a very smart lounge and terrace on the first floor, although from a practical point of view the changing facilities are not that good.

There is history in and around the golf course and the island provides stories of interest to visitors both centuries old and in more recent times. The golf course condition was good and it had some very tricky greens, some of which could be seen as a bit too punishing after the hard work needed to reach them! The biggest obstacle to an enjoyable round of golf for the first time visiting golfer will simply be the navigation of the course. There are many occasions when it will not be clear to the visitor which line to take off the tee (and in some cases which green to aim for). Some second shots also provide a similar challenge. Green to tee navigation will improve once the Next Tee signs have been returned.

Although there is a golf course guide, distance markers on the course are few and far between and not always easy to find. This can be a cause of slow play or bad club selection for visiting golfers who are keen to enjoy every aspect of their experience in this wonderful setting.

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18 holes / 5403m / Par 70 Visitor Green Fee: ISK 5,000 Practice Facilities: Multi tiered 27 hole putting green

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

AKUREYRI Akureyri Golf Course For visiting golfers, the only reason for them to fly north to Akureyri will be the excitement of playing on the most northerly 18-hole golf course in the world and/or experiencing midnight golf at its brightest. Snow melts at the end of April/Mid-May and then the green keepers need time to renovate and prepare. Therefore it is playable from mid-June to end August or mid-September. The Midnight Sun is at its height from 20 June-25 July.

The immediate surroundings of the golf course are not particularly attractive but the mountainous backdrop on a clear day provides a memorable setting. The clubhouse is fairly typical of a rural golf course with 180 members. This is a walking course as there are only a couple of buggies and although rental clubs are available they are not brand quality. The course is undergoing major renovations particularly to the greens with some landscaping on some of the fairways. Although a number of the greens have been replaced, for budgetary reasons it will take a couple of years to complete these renovations. On some of the tees it is difficult to find a comfortably flat area on which to stand and there are quite a number of blind shots both from the tees and on the fairways. The front 9 and back 9 are quite different with the front 9 currently offering the better experience for visiting golfers. The managers and staff are very pleasant and will make visitors very welcome.

For the time being (until the renovations have been completed) the course is not of sufficiently high quality to attract visiting golfers purely for the golf experience. However, it will attract golfers who wish to play the most northerly 18-hole courses in the world, and if promoted as an adventure and a unique experience the course is an important part of Golf Destination Iceland’s golf product.

Accessibility to the course is good with visitors even being able to participate in the weekend tournaments staged primarily for members. Tournaments usually at 08:00am with tee times available from 2:00pm onwards. Members can only book 2 days in advance. On weekdays there is plenty of capacity for visitor golf.

The Arctic Open takes place in the last week of June and although in the past it has attracted up to 30% of participants from abroad, this number has declined.

Akureyri has a newly extended long runway so they hope to attract more direct international flights. There is currently a flight to Copenhagen on Fridays & Sundays. The town of Akureyri with a population of 17,000 has a couple of good hotels (including Kea Hotel with internet access), local Akureyri beer and two very good restaurants including Frederick V. At the peak of the summer the town has an international atmosphere. 62 cruises ships came through last year. July is a good month for whale watching and there is good salmon fishing about one hour’s drive from town.

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Green fee of ISK 3,500 weekdays and ISK 4,500 weekends Golf course guide

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

ICELANDIC COUNTRYSIDE Kidjaberg Golf Course An hour from Reykjavik, Kidjaberg is an excellent golf course in an interesting location. It is the most accessible of Iceland’s 18-hole export ready golf courses outside of the immediate vicinity of the capital. It is easy to reach even for self-driving golfers, with only 3 junctions to navigate in the entire journey. It will also give visitors a taste of Iceland as the journey will take the visitor through lava fields, past gas vents, over escarpments, past a volcanic crater that is easily visited and into summer-house countryside.

The clubhouse is welcoming with good clean locker and shower rooms and the offering of home cooking. There is a starter’s cabin and the impression upon arrival is of a well run golf club.

The course is in very good condition and has some spectacular views over the White River and Horse Lake. On a clear day the Hekla Volcano can be seen in the distance. Insects can be a nuisance but they appear not to be biters! The two nines are quite different but both offer many interesting views.

Surprisingly, the tee-box ‘furniture’ around the course is exemplary and a lesson for many golf courses in more popular golf destinations around the world. There are tee box signs on both the men’s AND the ladies tees.

Benches as well as toilet facilities are available at strategic locations. It is a steep course to walk but there are plenty of buggies for visitors. It doesn’t really need next tee signs except from the green of hole 12 to the 13th tee.

Accessibility is good from Monday to 12 noon Friday and the course is of course popular with summer-house owners at weekends with some visitors from Reykjavik.

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Green Fee: ISK 2,500 per person or 4,000 per couple 3,500-5,000 from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening ISK 300 for driving range balls Golf course guide

Fludir Golf Course About 90 minutes drive from Reykjavik, Fludir is not in a location that would normally be visited by tourists, although the drive from Fludir to Geysir is very interesting. There is also a hotel in town and the region is very popular with summer-houses.

Fludir golf course became 18 holes in 1985 with the clubhouse being converted from a sheep shed. The course is simple in design on most holes but well maintained and with surprisingly excellent greens which are fairly small but undulating. The course is likely to appeal to older couples who will enjoy the countryside and the chance to play a nice course that is not too challenging. They will feel that they have had a taste of Icelandic countryside living, and it is therefore important that they get to experience also the lamb grill, homemade pizzas with local mushrooms and the owner’s hospitality.

Even this course has a golf course planner and is easy to navigate. With 180 members accessibility is fine during weekdays with 30-40 players per day. Weekends are busier from 09:00-14:00 although there will usually be no problem accommodation visitors. Visitors should take into account that the afternoons can be colder than the mornings with the wind blowing in from the sea.

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5061m Green Fee: ISK 3,000 per person or 4,500 for a couple.

Only 1 buggy although more can be called in from nearby courses for special groups

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Golf Tourism Development Strategy - Iceland

Hella Golf Course 90 minutes from Reykjavik, this is a long trek from the city for a single round of golf. However there is a truly excellent ranch-hotel nearby and once the new port is ready Hella Golf Course will only be 20 minutes or so from the ferry arriving from Westman Island.

On a clear day 5 volcanoes and Westman Island is visible from the golf course. There are just 150 members (70% local, 30% from Reykjavik). There is no signage to the clubhouse from the small road on which it is located, and the course and clubhouse are somewhat obscured. There are renovations currently being undertaken, but unfortunately after a long drive, the clubhouse facilities for visitors are not great.

This is a deceptively tough course with small greens. Its stand out features are its ‘moguls’ which give this flat course character. It can be very windy and players need to be able to drive accurately and control their approach shots to make the most out of this course. It is an good course to walk although there are 6 buggies for hire.

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Green Fee: ISK 3,000 weekdays and weekends; Couples rate of ISK 4,700.

Buggies: 3,500 per buggy (6 buggies) 10 sets of Rental Clubs (they buy 3 new sets per year) Members can book 7 days in advance

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