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The tiny town of Siglufjörður sits at the head of a narrow fjord, 23 miles south of the Arctic Circle.
It is Iceland’s most northerly municipality and, during the months of June and July, it barely gets dark.
Of course, being ‘The Land of the Midnight Sun’ has its advantages. You could go for a game after the pub for instance or, if you have insomnia, tee up at 3am.
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Somewhat surprisingly, north Iceland has been tipped by Lonely Planet as one of the ten best places to visit in Europe. Through the summer months it offers breathtaking Alpine landscapes, trout and salmon fishing, trail hiking, whale watching, thundering waterfalls and geothermal hot tubs.
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In the winter, it’s a skier’s paradise with the added bonus of a bookies’ bet on a display by the Northern Lights, while it was also the setting for the chillier scenes from Game of Thrones.
Spending a few days in the north, the weather was quite amazing; crystal clear skies and warm temperatures in spite of snow still on to the mountainsides. It made it perfect to enjoy another of the region’s many activities: golf.
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The brand new course at Siglo, the shortened name for Siglufjörður, is nine holes with 18 tee boxes and simply stunning views. It’s already a very good test with a design that’s up to any international standard.
The project was the brainchild of entrepreneur Robert Gudfinsson who, through basing his company Genis – which produces the natural food supplement Benecta – in Siglo, has helped transform his hometown from economic ruin after the collapse of its fishing industry into one of the healthiest, most thriving communities in all of Iceland.
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Meanwhile, the clubhouse, which isn’t finished yet, is set to double-up through the winter as a skiing centre. We had to take to the first tee in time for midnight golf and, by the appointed hour, we could still see where the drives were landing. Here at Siglo at 1am, it was as bright as a dull, Dundee afternoon.
We also played at Golfklúbburinn Hamar, near Dalvik. A few miles to the south of Siglo, it is a superb little course with amazing views from every hole.
Akureyri Golf Club is also worth sampling. Akureyri is the main town in the north, Iceland’s second biggest urban area, and a great destination in its own right.
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Blessed with a drier climate than the Reykjavik region, it has its own ‘hipster’ scenes such as local microbreweries, great seafood restaurants and a very chilled atmosphere, in a good way.
The north of Iceland wouldn’t really be described as a must-go golfing destination. But with its incredible landscape and array of different activities to enjoy, if you come up to ‘The North’, you really ought to pack your golf shoes at least and hire a set to play these three courses. That feeling of teeing it up at midnight certainly won’t disappoint.
Planning a golf break?
If so, make sure you check out the 2019 Travel Guide from bunkered. Available to read online, it a 48-page digital lowdown on the best holiday golf destinations on the planet.
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