Skemmtigarðurinn Adventure Golf – Reykjavík, Iceland

Played November 6, 2017

Reviewed by Mr. Tee

After my first visit to a mini golf course in Iceland, I got the opportunity to play a full round on the same day! Situated in the outskirts of downtown Reykjavík near a new area of housing development is Iceland’s first ever adventure golf course. Skemmtigarðurinn translates to “park” and while I am not able to correctly vocalize the name of the course, I can now say I’ve played 18 holes in Iceland.

I visited the course the day after a major storm halted traffic to and from Keflavík International Airport and during their offseason for both mini golf and tourists. You may notice the course is quite wet in the pictures below from a quick and heavy rainfall. I honestly expected I would only get to take quick pictures of the course. The staff working in the clubhouse not only let me document the empty complex but set me up with a scorecard, putter, and balls to play a full round. Takk Fyrir! As the Icelandic saying goes “If you don´t like the weather, just wait 5 minutes”. As I rushed through my solo round of putting, a light snow started falling to the ground. Add in the road trip that followed (see photos at the bottom of this post) and you have the roadmap to a perfect day!

Review

Birdie – This 8-year-old pirate-themed adventure golf course provides an above average mini golf experience in a lovely setting. The authentic approach to obstacles and environments using a commonly seen theme sets this space apart from other courses featuring ships, treasure chests, and miniature golf. The natural Icelandic landscape adds to the overall experience and there are numerous other activities you can take in if you visit. It’s a short trip from downtown and is a perfect spot to visit in this charming country.

Clubhouse features the history of the course being built

Not fans of spiderman or they don’t want visitors scaling the wall?

Heavy rope used for the borders on this hole match the theme exquisitely

Narrow path to the backside of this hole near the ship

Whale shaped exterior points to the clubhouse and final hole

Skemmtigarðurinn Activity Park Website

Pros

Pirate theme smartly used throughout the entire course
Beautiful setting / surrounding
Repurposed materials inside and outside the putting area
Iceland!

Cons

Would have liked to have seen a more adventurous putting area and game design

Nerdy Notes

18 holes. No listed Par for the course. Price 1.500 kr – for adults, 800 kr – for children 6-12 years old, Free – for children 5 years and younger. 1.500 kr is about 14.25 USD
No Flags in holes. Rubber covered putters. Orange or yellow colored ball options.
The course opened in 2010 and was christened by beloved Reykjavík mayor, Jón Gnarr. His book is recommended reading from Mr. Tee
Tournament pricing available. Minimum number: 10 players.
The pirate ship, Knutur RE, is a 50 year-old wooden boat that stage set designers and builders have transformed into an impressive pirate ship
Camper resort area with paintball, football golf, laser tag, treasure hunts, and more