Glyfada Golf Club
Donald Harradine laid out Glyfada in 1966 on a tight parcel of pine and parkland by the old Athens airport, and Robert Trent Jones reworked it for the 1979 World Cup. A par 72 of about 5,600 yards, it is the capital's only 18 hole course and the spiritual home of Greek golf, a fifteen minute drive from the beaches of the Athens Riviera.
Photo: Glyfada Golf Club of Athens via Google, by Jeremy Sagaille.
The verdict
Glyfada is not the longest or the most fashionable course in the Mediterranean, but it carries more history than any other layout in Greece. Donald Harradine built it in 1966 on a compact 125 acre site beside the old Athens airport, planting the native pines that now frame every fairway, and Robert Trent Jones returned in 1979 to sharpen the design for the World Cup. It remains the only 18 hole course in the Athens area and the home of the Hellenic Golf Federation and PGA Hellas.
At about 5,600 yards off the back tees it is a course of placement rather than power, the pines pinching the lines and the small greens asking for a deft short game. For the traveling golfer it is the easy, walkable round that anchors a city break, ten minutes from the Riviera hotels and a world away from the noise of central Athens. Pair it with the headline resort golf at Costa Navarino in the Peloponnese for a complete Greek trip.
Glyfada at a glance
- Opened
- 1966
- Designer
- Donald Harradine, RTJ 1979 redesign
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 5,600 yds
- Green fee
- Visitor bookable
Designer, opening year, redesign, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Glyfada Golf Club, Top 100 Golf Courses and leading course databases. The course was laid out by Donald Harradine in 1966 and redesigned by Robert Trent Jones in 1979, a par 72 of about 5,600 yards. Glyfada welcomes visiting golfers; published green fees move with the season, so always confirm the current rate and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Glyfada is a study in classical parkland strategy squeezed onto a small site. The fairways are tree lined corridors where the mature pines Harradine planted in the 1960s now stand tall, and the premium is on driving the ball straight rather than far. Stray off line and the recovery is usually a punch out, so the thinking player who keeps the ball in play scores well here.
The greens are modest in size and full of subtle borrow, a legacy of the Robert Trent Jones rework, and they reward a confident wedge game and a sure putting stroke. The closing stretch tightens through the trees and back toward the clubhouse, where the bar and terrace look out over a course that has hosted the World Cup, the Greek Seniors Open and generations of Athenian golfers.
It is a flat, comfortable walk in the warm Attic light, the kind of round you can play in the morning before an afternoon on the beach or in the ruins. That accessibility, not raw difficulty, is the appeal, and it makes Glyfada the natural first tee of any Athens golf trip.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Members club that welcomes visiting golfers; the only 18 hole course in the Athens area |
| Green fee | Visitor green fees are modest by international standards and move with the season; confirm the current 2026 rate directly when you book |
| Booking | Reserve a tee time in advance, especially in spring and autumn; a planner can arrange it alongside your hotel |
| On the day | Flat, easily walkable parkland; buggies and clubs available to hire; smart golf attire |
| Getting there | In the suburb of Glyfada on the Athens Riviera, about 25 minutes from the city centre and Athens airport |
| Best months | April to June and September to November for warm, dry play; high summer is hot |
Access and fee guidance verified June 2026; policies and rates change, so always confirm directly with the club or your trip planner before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Glyfada sits in the heart of the Athens Riviera, the coastal strip running south from the city that has become the smartest place to stay in the capital. The seafront hotels and marinas of Glyfada, Vouliagmeni and Voula are minutes from the first tee, putting beaches, waterfront dining and the course on one short stretch of coast.
For a classic Greek golf trip, base in Athens for a few nights around Glyfada and the city's history, then move to the Peloponnese for the resort golf at Costa Navarino. It is an easy pairing that combines the capital's only course with the best golf in the country.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Glyfada.
Build a Greece golf trip
We book the Glyfada tee times, pair them with the resort golf at Costa Navarino and arrange the hotels and transfers around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Glyfada questions
Who designed Glyfada Golf Club and when did it open?
Glyfada Golf Club of Athens was designed by Donald Harradine and opened in 1966, then redesigned by Robert Trent Jones in 1979 ahead of the World Cup.
What is the par and length of Glyfada Golf Club?
Glyfada is a par 72 of about 5,600 yards, a relatively short parkland course set on a tight 125 acre site lined with native pine trees.
Can visitors play Glyfada Golf Club?
Yes. Glyfada is the only 18 hole course in the Athens area and welcomes visiting golfers. Book a tee time in advance and confirm the current green fee directly before you travel.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, redesign, par and yardage verified June 2026; access and fee guidance verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.