Reflection on what happened in the week June 11th – June 17th 2012 in Golf in Iceland

Now we´ll continue raconteuring a few of the highlights in Icelandic golf this past summer.

On June 12th women in the „free enterprise association” i.e. women who own their own businesses in Iceland got together and held a tournament on the new 18 hole golfcourse in Grindavík (in the South of Iceland; en route from Keflavík where Icelands only international airport is situated to Reykjavík  – among attractions worth mentioning is the Blue Lagoon in Grindavík and when you come to Iceland it´s a great idea to combine the two; first play a round on the golfcourse in Grindavík and then relax in the beautiful, Blue Lagoon). Well we´re drifting away from the subject.

The tournament was just for fun – and about everyone received a prize!

Some of the women taking part in the tournament at the new 18 hole course of GG (Golf Club of Grindavik) on June 12th 2012. Photo: Golf 1

In the meantime in the capitol of Iceland Reykjavík, on June 12th construction was underway at the largest Golf Club in Iceland, at one of The Golf Club of Reykjavík´s (GR) golfcourses i.e. the 1st fairway at the Korpúlfstaða golfcourse, Korpa for short. The 1st fairway was being changed into a par-5. Also the local rules of GR were changed slightly.

The 1st fairway (now a par-5) of Korpa under construction, June 12th 2012. Photo: Golf 1

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On June 13th permission was granted by the Committee on the Environment and Technology in Mountain Settlement (Fjallabyggð) in the North of Iceland to start building a new golfcourse in Siglufjörður, subject to the approval of the Town Council of Siglufjörður. Among those celebrating the good news were the manager of GKS (Golf Club of Siglufjörður), Ingvar Hreinsson and Ólafur Kárason, GKS who had been the two main advocates for the project. They hit the first strokes on fairway no.1 to be on the new golfcourse (see photo). In the evening Edwin Roald, the architect of the new golfcourse held an introduction on the construction at the Clubhouse in Siglufjörður.

Standing in front: Ingvar Hreinsson, manager of GKS and behind him Ólafur Kárason – taking the first strokes on the new golfcourse in Siglufjörður to be.

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On June 14th FORSKOT a new fund supporting elite Icelandic golfers was founded with the participation of Eimskip (Iceland´s largest shipping company); Íslandsbanki (one of Iceland´s 3 largest banks); Icelandair Group (Iceland´s biggest airline); Valitor (i.e. Eurocard) and the Golf Association of Iceland. These 5 were the founders of the fund which goal it is to annually support 2-5 elite golfers financially, whereas golf is now part of the Olympic games in Rio 2016.

The founders of FORSKOT – a fund supporting Icelandic elite golfers on June 14th 2012 hrs.: 12:30 after the signing of the contract. From left.: Jón Eyjólfur Ásgeirsson, president of the Icelandic Golf Association GSÍ, Björgólfur Jóhannsson, CEO of Icelandair Group, Viðar Þorkelsson, CEO of Valitor; Tinna Jóhannsdóttir, professional golfer, GK, Birgir Leifur Hafþórsson, GKG, professional golf – both were among the first recipients of funds from FORSKOT; Birna Einarsdóttir, banker in Íslandsbanki, Gylfi Sigfússon, CEO of Eimskip and Hörður Þorsteinsson, manager of GSÍ. Photo: Golf 1

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This was a competition weekend for Icelandic juniors, i.e. June 15th -June 16th. There are two Series – a 1st tier Juniors Tour sponsored by Arion bank and a 2nd tier Challenge Tour also sponsored by Arion bank.

The Juniors on both Tournament series are divided according into the following agegroups: Aged 14 yrs and younger; 15-16 yrs and 17-18 yrs.

The main difference between the Arion Junior Tour and the Challenge Tour is that the latter only play 18 holes i.e. 1 round of golf while the first mentioned play 2 rounds.

On Saturday June 15th the juniors on the Challenge Tour played at the Golf Club in Grindavik (abbreviated.: GG) and the juniors on the Arion Junior Tour played their first round at Korpa golfcourse in Reykjavík (in Icelandic: Korpúlfsstaðarvöllur).

To make a long story short the winners on this 3rd tournament of the Challenge Tour were: Melkorka Knútsdóttir, GK (girls aged 14 yrs and younger); Páll Orri Pálsson, GS (boys aged 14 yrs and younger) after sudden death with Aron Atli Bergmann Valtýsson, GK (both had a score of 75); Þórhildur Kristín Ásgeirsdóttir, GKG (girls aged 15-16); Alexander Pétur Kristjánsson, GR (boys aged 15-16). There were no competitiors in the agegroup girls 17-18 and boys 17-18.

From left to right: Melkorka Knútsdóttir, GK (winner of the group girls 14 yrs and younger); Sunna Björk Karlsdóttir, GR and Freydís Eiríksdóttir, GKG. Photo: Golf 1

The winners at the 1st tier Arion bank Juniors Tour were: Eva Karen Björnsdóttir, GR (girls aged 14 yrs and younger); Atli Már Grétarsson, GK (boys aged 14 yrs and younger); Ragnhildur Kristinsdóttir, GR (girls aged 15-16); Gísli Sveinbergsson, GK (boys aged 15-16); Sunna Víðisdóttir, GR (girls 17-18) and Bjarki Pétursson, GB (boys 17-18).

What is also worth mentioning is that Ísak Jasonarson, GK, had a hole in one on this 3rd tournament of the Arion bank Juniors Tour.

Bjarki Pétursson, GB (Winner of boys 17-18) at Korpa golfcourse at the 3rd tournament of the Arion bank Junior series. Photo: Golf 1

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Kids at the Golf Club of Sauðárkrókur, Skagafjörður in the North of Iceland (abbreviated: GSS) played 1000 golfholes on Friday June 15th to collect a few kronas for the Junior Golf in Sauðárkrókur.

The Clubhouse of GSS (Golfklúbbur Sauðárkróks Skagafirði) in the North of Iceland. Photo: Golf 1

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On Saturday June 16th the annual women´s tournament in Sauðárkrókur took place – This year, i.e. 2012 the winner was Sigríður Elín Þórðardóttir, GSS (Short for the Golf Club of Sauðárkrókur, Skagafjörður)

Sigríður Elín Þórðardóttir, GSS. Photo: Golf 1

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On June 17th is Iceland´s National Day. We here in Iceland celebrate the day in 1944 that The Republic of Iceland (Lýðveldið Ísland) was formed. The date of June 17th was chosen because it is the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson, a major figure of Icelandic culture and the leader of the 19th century Icelandic independence movement.

On Iceland´s National Day, June 17th many golftournaments are held; here in the Southern part of Iceland a much frequented and popular tournament is the one at GC Nes. The compitition is divided in two; it has a stroke play component and another according to the Stabbleford points system. This year Arnór Ingi Finnbjörnsson, GR, who studies and plays golf collegically at Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina won the stroke play with a score of 69 and Guðjón Petersen, GÁS (abbreviation for Golf Club of Ásatún) won with 45 points.

The winners of the 2012 June 17th tournament at GC Nes. Photo: GC Nes

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Þórður Rafn Gissurarson, GR, participated in the Schloß Moyland Golfresort Classic which is part of the 3rd tier German EPD-Tour. The tournment was held June 15th-17th in Bedburg-Hau, Germany. Þórður Rafn´s score was a total of 1 over par 217 strokes (70 71 76) and he made the cut ended in the 16th spot.

Þórður Rafn Gissurarson, GR. Photo: Golf 1.

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Last but not least one has to mention that one of Iceland´s most beloved PGA instructors, Magnús Birgisson, who is one of 2 owners of the MP Golf Academy, which opperates at GC Oddur in Garðabær, got a very distinguished pupil this weekend of June 16th-June 17th – the Icelandic Minister of the Interior who was taking his first steps in golf under the surveilant eye of Magnús.  You can see a video of the event by CLICKING HERE: 

The Minister of the Interior, Ögmundur Jónasson was participating in a round of golf around Iceland, held by Kiwanis, and it was estimated that 1 „golf round” around Iceland equaled 300 golfrounds in length or approx. 14.000 km in length. This „large golfcourse” wound its way among others over the „largest bunker” which contained lava ash over the largest lava fields and the largest field of lupinas. An attempt was made to set 5 new world records to be recorded in the Guinness book of world records.  Ögmundur hit the first golfstroke and fared well after the golf-lesson with Magnús.

Magnús Birgisson, one of Iceland´s most beloved PGA golfinstructors. Photo: Golf 1