Chasing the Icelandic Midnight Sun
Rusty Swings and Spring Golf at Keilir Golf Club
The long, dark Icelandic winter has finally packed its bags, which means only one thing for us. It is officially golf season!
The weather here in Hafnarfjörður has been absolutely spectacular lately. The days are stretching out beautifully, and the famous Icelandic light is back. Last night, we were still putting on the 18th green at 22:30, completely bathed in the evening sun. There is truly nothing in the world quite like it. If the weather allows it, we are out here at least five days a week chasing that feeling.
We are incredibly lucky to call Keilir Golf Club our home course. It is widely ranked as the number one golf course in Iceland, and for good reason. Now, coming out of a freezing winter, you have to manage your expectations. Are the greens rolling like glass? Not quite yet. They are a little rough and bumpy. But considering the snow melted just a few days ago, the greenkeepers have performed an absolute miracle. The course is in fantastic shape for this time of year, and we are just so deeply grateful to be back out on our home turf.
Let us be brutally honest about our actual game right now, though. We are rusty! My golf swing currently looks a lot like the Icelandic winter unpredictable and mostly happening in the dark. But we are laughing through every single bad shot and lost ball.
Hildur, on the other hand, is completely unstoppable. She has so much joyful energy right now that if she could physically play 36 holes every single day, she would do it without hesitation. I am just trying to keep up!
3 Honest Tips for Spring Golf in Iceland
If you are planning an early season golf trip to the Reykjavik area, you need to prepare for the elements. Here is how you actually survive and have fun on the course right now:
The Michelin Man Rule: The evening sun is warm on your face, but the ocean breeze is cold. You need layers, but you also need to turn your shoulders! Pack thin, high quality thermal layers in your bag instead of heavy, bulky jackets.
The Cold Ball Reality: Cold air and cold golf balls kill your distance. Swallow your pride, take one extra club on every approach shot, and swing easy.
The Survival Thermos: The temperature drops the exact second the sun dips lower on the horizon. A thermos full of hot coffee in your golf bag is the ultimate lifesaver when you hit the 15th hole.
We firmly believe that you do not stop having fun because you get old - You get old because you stop having fun. Right now, bundling up and hitting golf balls into the freezing, beautiful Icelandic evening is our absolute favorite way to live.
See you on the fairways!
ps. Check out our YouTube channel, our travels, golf and hotel reviews.
