Golfklúbbur Akureyrar

Notable Observations

• Municipal Agreement to Expand Natural Land A formal agreement with the municipality (2011) added 13 hectares of undeveloped open land to the golf course, specifically to enhance nature and public access.
• Wetland and Marshland Landscape Context The course sits on rocky marshland and former wetland, with diverse vegetation including birch, poplar, and woody species, alongside ponds, rivers and peatland habitats.
• Seasonal Protection of Arctic Tern Nesting Areas where Arctic terns lay eggs are identified and flagged annually to prevent disturbance, while migratory ducks and geese are allowed to use open water areas undisturbed.
• Managed Turf Area Reduced by 20–30% The club has deliberately reduced intensively managed turf by an estimated 20–30%, including reduced maintenance around water bodies, wider natural buffers, and no longer fly-mowing steep tee banks.
• Irrigation Limited to Greens and Tees Only greens and tees are irrigated, using water flowing onto the site from surrounding hills and collected into a reservoir. Irrigation is used infrequently, typically every third day during the short summer season.
• Rare Pesticide Use Pesticides are rarely used, reported as roughly once every five years. Disease pressure is managed primarily through low inputs, appropriate grass species, and dry conditions.
• Extensive Use of Robotic Mowers The club operates 15 robotic mowers, including units used in roughs, alongside three hybrid ride mowers for tees, approaches and greens.
• Year-Round Public Access and Recreation As a municipally owned course, the land is openly accessible to the public year-round. A pedestrian path runs through the centre, and the site is used in winter as a cross-country ski route, alongside year-round access to the clubhouse and indoor practice facility.

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“Golfklubbur Akureyrar is a municipal golf course managed by Steindor Ragnarsson. The club is managed and maintained very sustainably, using nearly zero pesticides or herbicides and irrigating very sparingly. As a municipal golf course, the public is encouraged to use the land for outdoor activities year-round (not just during the golf season). In accordance with an agreement made in 2011, the club has been working continuously to naturalize and reduce intensively maintained areas, including around open water. The club has an opportunity to survey the flora and fauna found on site to better track biodiversity and identify and protect key species (and reduce non-native species). The club can also do a better job of understanding power and water usage (split between maintenance and clubhouse operations) to help gain even greater efficiencies year over year. Overall, the club has many good examples of sustainability and accessibility practices found on golf courses throughout Iceland.”

Matthew Schiffer (GEO accredited independent verifier)