This May, I had a chance to take one of those bucket list trips to that magical island in the Atlantic called Iceland.  Tourism has been exploding there over the last decade, and I’ve got a handful of friends, family members, and co-workers that have raved about their visits.  Logistics aligned and I was able to stop over for four days while on the way back from another mega-bucket list trip – St. Andrews in Scotland (and you’d expect, I’ve got some stories from that one coming soon).  Anyway, I’ve got a great setup with my lovely life partner.  On every big trip, I’m able to reserve roughly 4.5 hours to myself whenever while my Mrs. goes on her solo adventures.  Nice, right?!  So for today, I’ll highlight a few interesting stories and shots from my round at Keilir Golf Club, Iceland’s top ranked golf club.

Keilir Golf Club

Keilir Golf Club, or Golfklúbburinn Keilir to the locals, is considered one of the best courses in Iceland, and among the first built in the country.  It’s an incredibly easy course to get to – neatly located in between the Keflavik airport and on your inevitable drive to Reykjavik.  The history goes back to the 1960s, and it was later expanded in the early ‘70s.  There have been some recent renovations plus a few planned for the future, but I’ll get to that in a bit.  It’s a member’s club and was super busy during my mid-May / early season visit.  The biggest thing to note for Keilir Golf Club is the fact that it plays as two distinct sides, a traditional links layout and a shockingly awesome journey through a lava field!

The Front

First thing you’ll notice in Iceland, is that everyone speaks near perfect English.  Better than me, sometimes…  So with no real language barrier, I was definitely comfortable when I was paired up with three local guys.  I’m not sure Icelanders truly love tourists, but they welcomed me to their group and were nothing but friendly.  (A bit of a contrast to the Irish folks I’ve played with, who are your new best friends from the get go!)

Anyway, the front is a fairly flat landscape that winds through a literal field of lava rocks.  Pictures cannot do it justice, but the textures, the ruggedness, then the familiar golf landscape is so unlike anything I’ve ever been around.  Luckily, it’s pretty short, so you can bunt your way around it, but you’ll inevitably hit it into the rocks.  And it jacks up your ball big time!

The cool thing about that though, is that as long as you don’t get a horrid bounce (or bounces), you’re very likely to find your ball.  You’ll often find your bright white Callaway sitting nicely on a patch of lava rock moss.  You can play it from there too!  I played the side without losing one, which is nice.

Local Banter

Couple quick stories for you:

These local guys all play with a “lava club.”  That is, and old beaten up 7 or 8 iron that they use to pitch it out of the sharp stuff.  They took it pretty serious in their games, but didn’t want me to smash up my new sticks, so suggested I fluff it a bit.  I did.

One thing that sticks out in Iceland is that everything is tied into nature.  There’s TONS of wildlife, especially birds, all over the place.  It’s their home too.  About three holes in, one of the guys stops me before I head to find my ball in the lava rocks.  In his thick, but totally clear Icelandic accent: “You see those birds?  In two weeks when they make the nest, they gonna fuck you up and shit on you.”  Ooooookay.

Actually that’s a great advice.  He’s pointing out one of the most beautiful birds on the island, the Arctic Tern.  When they nest, they’re extremely territorial, and their “move” is to attack the highest point of whatever is invading their space.  On a normal human, that’s your head, and that’s not conducive to a golf swing.  So what they do is have a person walk with you, hold up a club that the birds totally hammer, and then you hit.  Talk about good local knowledge.  Thanks, Oli!

It gets better.  I hit a solid hybrid off the tee on the long par-four sixth hole.  Pushed it a bit and I hear one of the guys say “we’ll see what the Elves say about that.”  Being the polite tourist, I said something like “yep, sure will!” and kept walking like a dope.  Anyway, we get to my ball and it’s totally playable, so apparently the Elves were kind to this visitor.  In total seriousness, the guys felt we found the ball due to the generosity of the Elves.  If any of them had hit that shot, it’d likely be gone.

What I learned is that Elves apparently inhabit this part of Iceland.  The internet tells me that 54% of modern Icelandic people believe in them, they’re 36” high, and they live among the lava rocks.  I’m inclined to say thanks to that lil Elf for kicking my ball onto the short stuff.  Made par.

Onto the golf – there’s a few really good holes out there.  The first is a shortish par five with some fun undulations and blind areas.  Four is a mid range par three with a big but tricky green.  Seven is a great par five with a speed-slot fairway and a sharp dogleg right.  Very cool.  Playable and fun.  The overcast and drizzly weather here prevented me from taking as many pics as I’d like, but apparently we had an abnormally nice day for Iceland.  I’ll take more next time.  Gorgeous course!

The Back

Totally different golf.  This side features a peninsula elevated over the ocean, and has a distinct, modern links layout.  Only one of the guys in the foursome continued on, because it was a Saturday, and the other two guys wanted a head start on their AMAZING Viking beers.  Wish I could find these in the States.  So good.  The 10th is a mid iron par three with some great bunkers.

Eleven might be the signature hole.  Sub-300 yards but uphill and winding into the ocean.  Get your cameras out, it’s that picture-worthy of a hole.  Twelve rolls gently down the hill to a severely sloping green, so play your links-style bump and runs here.  There’s a bit of a long and clumsy walk to the 13th, a short downhiller with a blind and wild…and drastically bunkered green.  

The 14th is a Cape-inspired par four where the correct lines and angles depend entirely on the wind. Fifteen is a way too long par three with the harbor guarding short and right (sooo tough with gusty winds here) and the sixteenth is a fantastic par five with the rumply bumpy fairway.  

The final two holes at Keilir Golf Club are pretty nondescript and head you back to the clubhouse.  They’ve recently made some big architectural changes to this side, and it now occupies the perimeter of the peninsula.  A couple holes were added and some holes altered.  You can see remnants of a few greens and tee boxes, waiting for their next life as part of the new short/kids/executive course being built in the center section.  Great idea!

Conclusion: Icelandic Golfers Have Personality

Back Nine Story time:  

My partner starts by pointing out a bunch of sea birds in the middle of the fairway.  Tells me that sometimes you might hit into them, in which case you yell FOOOOUUUCCCKK!  I’m like, “yeah, I say that all the time!” but… it’s not what you think.  The Icelandic word for bird is “FUGL”, apparently pronounced exactly like the ubiquitous golf profanity.  He was pointing out that if you hit into the birds, you yell “bird.”  I can be on board with that.

Final Thoughts on Keilir Golf Club

When most folks think of travelling to Iceland, surely they plan their tourist time in Reykjavik and staying up until 4am enjoying the night life.  They plan the whale watching tours and the long road trips along the Ring Road to climb glaciers and get up close and personal with volcanoes and the lava fields.  While we did that (check the pics!), I definitely recommend checking out some Icelandic golf.  There’s plenty of courses, such as Keilir Golf Club, with tons of variety that are incredibly welcoming.  While they may not compete with the Carnousties and Kingsbarns of the world, don’t skip out on Iceland as a golf destination.

And I want to repeat = Viking beer is beyond amazing.

They had a Roomba style range ball picker at Keiler.  Eat them range balls lil guy.