There is a world-ranked golf course above the Arctic Circle, and it is on Gimsøya in Lofoten. Lofoten Links sits at 68 degrees north, making it one of the northernmost proper golf courses in the world.
The course started as a modest 6-hole layout designed by Jeremy Turner in 1998. It was expanded to a full 18-hole links course and reopened in 2015. It plays as par 71 at just over 6,500 yards from the back tees. The terrain is natural seaside links with dunes, rugged coastline, and coastal winds that can make club selection interesting. It is currently ranked number 88 in the world and is the only top-100 ranked course where you can play under the midnight sun, which lasts from mid-May to the end of July.
The setting is what makes it special. Gimsøya has a population of about 180 people. Mountains rise on all sides, the sea is right there, and in summer the light never goes away. The resort also has Nordic-style lodges and an Icelandic horse farm called Hov Gård.
The course started as a modest 6-hole layout designed by Jeremy Turner in 1998. It was expanded to a full 18-hole links course and reopened in 2015. It plays as par 71 at just over 6,500 yards from the back tees. The terrain is natural seaside links with dunes, rugged coastline, and coastal winds that can make club selection interesting. It is currently ranked number 88 in the world and is the only top-100 ranked course where you can play under the midnight sun, which lasts from mid-May to the end of July.
The setting is what makes it special. Gimsøya has a population of about 180 people. Mountains rise on all sides, the sea is right there, and in summer the light never goes away. The resort also has Nordic-style lodges and an Icelandic horse farm called Hov Gård.