Welcome to Golf1.is

Dear English-speaking Golf Aficionados!

Welcome to the English section of Golf1.is.  Golf1.is is a brand new Icelandic golfnews website, one of 3 here in Iceland; the others being iGolf.is and kylfingur.is

Why on earth are there 3 golfnewswebsites in Iceland? In a tiny country comprising only 319.090 inhabitants (160.130 men and 158.960 women, according to the Icelandic Bureau of Statistics) by the end of September 2011?

Well, golf is the fastest growing public sport here in Iceland. It is the 2nd most popular sport after soccer. There are currently approximately 15.000 members in the 65 golfclubs that are in Iceland and it is estimated that many more play golf without affiliation to any club. You can see the different names of the main golfcourses in Iceland on Golf1.is frontpage (on the right side), since Icelandic golfers only have to „click” on the name of a course to see what the weather is like on the course they like to play in Iceland… and so should you do, when you come to Iceland to play golf…

The best of it all is, that everyone can participate; it´s not an elitarian sport as in most countries in Europe and the rest of the world. Golf in Iceland is not a sport, that only the super-rich participate in (not that Iceland has many people in that category after the financial collapse in 2008) – it is a sport most people here in Iceland love (according to an unofficial survey made by Golf1.is) because it gets them moving outdoors in any weather whatsoever, it is a healthy way to exercise and it is a sports art the whole family, both young and old can enjoy. Also, golf is challenging, no round is ever the same and one can continue to improve even after the handicap has gone to scratch. The golfcourse is a “happy” place, where people can, athough be it only for one moment in time, relax and forget about the stress in daily life.

The first articles of Golf 1 were published on Facebook, in Icelandic, on July 16th 2011, (which by the way is Australian golfer Adam Scotts´ birthday.  It was by chance that Scotts´ birthday, happened to become the “Facebook birthday” of Golf 1, although Scott is unquestionably one of PGA´s most popular golfer here in Iceland.)

The website Golf1.is opened only a month ago, September 25th 2011. The goal of Golf1.is is to bring Icelandic readers up to date on the latest news in the world of golf a.o. results on some of the worlds largest golftours with emphasis on the PGA, LPGA, European Tour, LET, The Sunshine Tour and the Asian Tour. Also the aim is to educate yet entertain; to provide Icelandic golfers with the best information and latest news possible on golf and golfers all over the world. Nothing having the slightest connection with golf falls outside  the scope of Golf1.is: general golfrelated topics; golf both the physical and mental side; interviews with golfers, articles on “who is who in the world of golf”; the history of golf; the latest golfequipment and golffashion, celebrities playing golf, golfjokes, golfcourses, new and old golftravel destinations are just a few examples of the subject matter of Golf 1.is

Also Golf1.is follows closely, what Icelandic golfers lovingly refer to as “our” golfing youths; i.e. brilliant young Icelanders who play on the golfteams of some of the very best Universities in the United States… and also “our” still very few Icelandic golfers, who are golf professionals. Currently there are only two: Birgir Leifur Hafþórsson and Tinna Jóhannsdóttir, but there are more in the making… and it would not come as a surprise if Iceland would in that regard, just like in so many other areas, in a short amout of time, hold records in for example “the most professional golfers per capita.” It already does so in golfcourses per capita in Europe; since there is one golfcourse for every 4909 Icelander and more being built.

The main aim of the English section of Golf1.is is to introduce Iceland in general with emphasis on Icelandic golfers and Iceland as a golf destination. As a golf destination Iceland is mostly undiscovered territory, so Golf1.is will try to do its best to introduce the English speaking golfer to the varied golfgems that are hidden in Iceland. We sincerly hope you will enjoy the articles on Golf1.is

Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir, Editor in Chief.