[Jason Thurman]

I recently returned from a charmed family trip to the North Atlantic island, punctuated by a miraculous 8 consecutive rain-free days and a spectacular Northern Lights show on my parents’ final night abroad. After some debate about whether or not to try to play golf on a trip that promised lots of sights to see and a high potential for inclement weather, I came home absolutely thrilled with the 30 holes I played. In the leadup to the trip, I found very little information here about what to expect. So, I'll share a little for the next guy.

First, I’d like to revisit Golfklubbir Vestmannaeyjar. AKA Westman Island GC. Because it’s the single most breathtaking locale I’ve ever visited for golf.

The foggy ferry ride alone justified the cost of admission (although I found it best to just not think about the actual cost of anything in Iceland - it’s all expensive as hell). The harbor felt oddly located as we weaved through a very narrow gap in the rock on the way into shore (you can just see a glimpse of civilization behind the rocks and fog in the photo below). Apparently the approach was a bit less technical prior to the Eldfell eruption in 1971 that created much of the land seen to the left.


After a gorgeous ride over on an unseasonably warm day with highs near 60F/15C, I hoofed it about a mile to the course from the ferry terminal. Incredible reveals were a theme of the day: the reveal of one island in the chain after another through the fog on the ferry; the reveal of the harbor through the gap in the rock; the reveal of the course itself as you walk over the hill and gaze into the linksy volcanic valley below and then out to sea.

I didn’t really know what to expect - I knew the course would be scenic, but I couldn’t anticipate the sheer size of the old (but really, fairly young) volcanic crater that it plays astride. Or the deliciousness of the much smaller humps and rolls that punctuate the golf course itself. Any concerns I had about the course being all scenery and no substance disappeared immediately on first sight. This place has serious linksland contour, although the soil seemed heavier and softer than ideal.

I had read that it doesn’t photograph well because the course’s surroundings dwarf its features in a way that’s hard to capture on film in the same way that it shines in person. And I agree with that. The sheer scale of this location is hard to describe. One of the coolest things about Vestmannaeyjar is that the surrounding volcanic caldera gives a huge, majestic, black backdrop to so many shots. One of my favorite things in golf is watching a shot fly against a background that illuminates the ball vividly in a way that a plain blue sky can’t quite match. It happens over and over at Vestmannaeyjar. I didn’t take a ton of photos during the round, but for an idea of how large that caldera really is, take a look at the photo below and note things like the red windmill in the back right, of the fencing on the hillside left - the scale isn’t immediately appreciable at first glance, but that volcanic ridge is something like 800 feet tall.


Vestmannaeyjar is also chock full of VERY cool holes. I really liked the greensite of the short par 3 2nd. It sits in a little dell, with bunkers hiding all but the pin on a small green with a fierce right-to-left tilt.


The 3rd is a 370ish yard par 4 that plays across beautifully rumpled land before heading uphill to a tabletop green.


The 5th plays to a tremendous greensite, perched on a gnarly knoll with all sorts of surrounding crap leading to treacherous attempts at recovery shots.


And here’s what’s wild: you play the first 6 holes, and you’re going “Man, I can’t believe how good this is.” And you’re gawking at that caldera, and at the terrain, and then you go “Holy hell, we’ve got a 215 yard uphill par 3 to another mostly blind green.” And you muster up your best and hit it hard and start walking.

Remember that whole theme of reveals? Well, it’s not until you crest this ridge on the way to the green that you remember “That’s right! We’re playing a coastal course today! OMG look at all those little islands offshore!” I’ve never forgotten I was playing in a seaside setting before. And I didn’t literally forget it at Vestmannaeyjar, but it honestly had slipped my mind between all the other things I was taking in for those first few inland holes.


The course has a few flaws, to be fair. I’d guess it doesn’t play firm and fast very often, though I could be wrong. More notably, it has a handful of really long walkbacks. It’s almost 200 yards from 8 green back to 9 tee. Twice on the back nine, you finish putting out on one green, walk 150+ yards, and play a par 3 back to a green adjacent the one you just left. I suspect this is a function of the course’s multi-stage evolution, as it started with 6 holes and gradually expanded to its current layout.

And weirdly, the 16th hole occupies the most ocean frontage on the course and might also be the worst hole out there, although it has some awesome ingredients. It’s a short par 5 that bends along the coastline with a little Klondyke thing going on where it plays over a huge lava outcrop about 50 yards short of the green. But behind that outcrop is a pond, and to the right of the outcrop is internal OB that helps keep players coming up 18 safe but makes the second shot into 16 just a little too penal, whether going for the green or just challenging the Klondyke. It all just adds up to a really awkward final 100 yards that turns it into a hole that needs to be played pretty defensively where it could have been a really fun gambling par 5.

And after holing out, you do one of those walkbacks to play a par 3 to an adjacent green - it’s a bizarre 15 minutes in the routing and one I’m sorry not to be able to offer any photos of.

But man, when Vestmannaeyjar is at its best, it’s literally as good as any course anywhere. The combination of scenery and nowhere-else-in-the-world funk is unmatched. 13 gets my vote for best hole. The drive plays between a street to the left and a huge crater down the right, before the second shot bends to the left up the hill through a lava field with outcrops scattered throughout the route to a very cool benched green (on the left, below the bench on the hill).


This followed by the 14th, which plays through more lava fields out toward the rest of the archipelago. Fun fact: the rightmost island in the photo below is Surtsey, which just sprang out of the ocean about 50 years ago in this very volcanically volatile location.


15 then is a coastal drivable par 4 with a green tight to the sea and featuring more of the most beautiful views from any golf course in the world.


Vestmannaeyjar is simply one of my favorite days of golf I’ve ever had. You take a day trip on a ferry, to a charming island, to play a host of truly excellent holes, at what might be the most naturally beautiful location for a golf course in the world, and in one of the most geologically remarkable spots a person can visit. If that sounds at all up your alley, and assuming you don’t mind an occasional walkback, greens stimping around 8, and the potential for some genuinely hostile weather or an earthquake or who knows what else, it’s well worth the effort to get there. I’m sure glad I did it.

[Adam Lawrence]

I'm going to Iceland in a couple of weeks. Tony Ristola, sometimes of this parish, is currently extending Brautarholt to eighteen holes and I'm going to see the work.

I've been once before, when Steve Smyers was planning the Black Sand links on the south coast, which eventually didn't happen because of the crash of 2008. Really looking forward to revisiting.

[Jason Thurman]

Adam, stay tuned the next couple days as I have some shots coming when I get a chance that might whet your appetite even further...

[Thomas Dai]

Nice post. Fascinating country to visit (even without golf).

Atb

[Tom_Doak]

I was only in Iceland for a couple of days, with my wife, but in addition to Brautarholt and on the way to Gullfoss [must see destination] we detoured to see Kidjaberg, which I had spied on Google Earth.  It overlooks the White River, and there was far more interest and elevation change than I expected.  I hope someone else goes there to confirm that I'm not crazy in thinking it was worth the trip.

[Marty Bonnar]

Of all the - many, many - reasons to visit Iceland, golf is about 738th on the list.

[Robin_Hiseman]

You Tube golfer Zac Radford has just published a series on golf in Iceland. Here is his short film on Westman Island GC. Looks enticing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcL2kH9VbMc

[Ben Stephens]

I'm going to Iceland in a couple of weeks. Tony Ristola, sometimes of this parish, is currently extending Brautarholt to eighteen holes and I'm going to see the work.

I've been once before, when Steve Smyers was planning the Black Sand links on the south coast, which eventually didn't happen because of the crash of 2008. Really looking forward to revisiting.

Played Brautarholt a few years ago for the EIGCA Annual Meeting we played midnight golf and it was amazing experience, The 12 hole course was designed by Edwin Roald who has designed a number of golf courses in Iceland and was a wonderful host.


I drove the 3rd green which is a scary hole and hit two drivers to about 4 feet on the par 5 ninth - I missed the damn putt and Edwin admitted he has never seen an eagle on that hole - its an amazing site and some very interesting holes.


Wondering what the new 6 holes will be like - Edwin was disappointed he could not finish off the course as 18 holes. Tony Ristola has done a blog on the 6 new holes - the last one was in Nov 2023 - the holes look really interesting the site is awesome.


https://brautarholtblog.wordpress.com/


Would go back to Iceland again and they have the most number of courses per person population wise 

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