Sport - The Arctic Open
F
ew players have experienced the sheer wonder
of playing golf under the midnight sun in Iceland’s
Arctic Open. Hosted at the high altitude Akureyri
The northernmost
Golf Club (officially the northernmost golf club in
golf course
the world), this round-the-clock, 36-hole open is held
annually in late June, when the sun dips below the
in the world
horizon for just a scant few minutes each night. With
The Royal Ancient Golf Club of St.
snow-capped glacial peaks in the background, the
Andrews golfers Handbook confirms
undulating greens share the otherworldly, windswept
that "The most northerly 18 hole golf
grandeur that characterises Iceland.
course is the Akureyri Golf club in
The two-day international championship event –
Iceland, which is situated 65 49' north of
now in its 23rd year – is open to both amateur and
the Equator".
professional golfers, and this year it was won by South
The Akureyri Golf Club was founded
African sports enthusiast and businessman, Adolphe
in 1935. Over the years, the golf course
Botha, who scored a total of 79 points over two days.
has grown to become a challenging
“A 24-hour golfing experience with a field of over 154
18-hole championship course,
players (40 of whom were foreigners), teeing off at
measuring more than 6,400 yards in
midnight and finishing at 5 am is a rare opportunity for
length. This unique course is in a natural
many avid golfers,” says Adolphe.
setting and provides a lovely view of
The Arctic Open champion is the participant who
the surrounding countryside.
has the lowest score with handicap, but prizes are also
Currently the club has some 500
given for the best scratch score, best ladies score and
members, most of whom participates
best seniors score. In the event of a tied score, a sudden
actively in local golf tournaments and
death takes place at the 18th hole and is repeated until
affiliated social events. The club has
there is a winner. The maximum exact handicap for men
up-to-date facilities for it's events. The
is 24 and 28 for women.
Akureyri Golf Club offers memberships
A team tournament is also run along with the
to golfers from outside Iceland.
game. Adolphe and his team also walked away with
this prize.
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