Suðurnes Golf Club

Background

History & Background

Golfklúbbur Suðurnesja was formally established on 4 March 1964, making it one of the oldest golf clubs outside the Capital Region. For its first two decades the club operated a modest layout suited to local members, but the rapid growth of Keflavík Airport in the late 1970s and early 1980s brought new resources and ambition to the club. In 1986, Swedish course architect Niels Skjold was commissioned to redesign and expand the course to championship length. The result was Hólmsvöllur, a layout that turned the persistent Atlantic wind from a hindrance into the defining challenge of the course. The five holes running along the Garðskagi coastline were specifically designed to play into, across, and downwind — so that no two successive holes face the same direction relative to the prevailing southwest wind.

Hólmsvöllur í Leiru is an 18-hole, par 71 links course at Garðskagi — the most northerly point of the Reykjanes Peninsula and the site closest to Keflavík International Airport among Iceland's championship courses. The straight-line distance from the airport terminal to the first tee is under 10 kilometres, making Suðurnes the natural choice for any golfer whose itinerary begins or ends at Keflavík. The club was founded on 4 March 1964 and initially played on a compact local layout. In 1986, Swedish architect Niels Skjold redesigned and expanded the course to 18 holes, introducing the signature coastal character that defines Hólmsvöllur today. Five holes play with direct exposure to the North Atlantic at Garðskagi point; the remaining thirteen wind through lava heath inland. The wind at Garðskagi is a permanent feature of the course, rarely below force 2 and often significantly higher — club selection across all 18 holes is affected. The signature hole is the par-3 third, Bergvík — a tee shot of up to 183 metres played entirely over a rocky sea inlet. No bailout exists; the ball must carry the water. On blustery days Bergvík is one of the most challenging single holes in Icelandic golf. The club hosted the 2005 Icelandic Stroke Play Championship and was nominated for World Golf Awards Iceland Best Course in 2019. On-site restaurant NÍTJÁNDA BISTRO is open daily with views across the Atlantic.