Golf Society Trips to Greece
Four championship layouts on one Messinia estate, Ionian Sea views on every hole and a resort infrastructure built for groups. Costa Navarino has changed what a European society trip can look like.
Photo: The Dunes Course, Costa Navarino via Google.
Who this trip suits
A golf society trip to Greece delivers something that is genuinely rare in European golf: four championship courses in one place, all owned by the same resort, all accessible on a single hotel stay, with none of the logistics of moving base. Costa Navarino in Messinia in the southwest Peloponnese is that place, and it has been the focal point of Greek golf since Bernhard Langer's Dunes Course opened in May 2010.
The destination suits a society of eight to twenty four golfers who want courses that stand comparison with the best in Spain or Portugal, reliable warm and dry conditions from April to October, and an evening experience built around a five star resort rather than a town centre. Greece does not offer the volume of courses that Thailand or Portugal can, but what Costa Navarino delivers in quality and concentration of championship golf is exceptional. The society that has done Algarve three times and wants something with genuine substance should look at this seriously.
Societies wanting to extend the trip can fly into Athens and play Glyfada Golf Club before heading south, or split a week between the Peloponnese and Crete. For the full picture of golf in the country see our Greece golf destination guide and the best golf courses in Greece list.
The courses to build it around
| Course | Designer and note | Indicative green fee 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| The Dunes Course, Costa Navarino | Bernhard Langer with European Golf Design, opened May 2010. Par 71, 6,018m, links character near the sea, Messinia. | About 200 to 240 euros visitor |
| The Bay Course, Costa Navarino | Robert Trent Jones II, opened 2011. Par 71, 5,614m, three landscape zones: Seaside, Canyon and Grove. | About 200 to 240 euros visitor |
| The Hills Course, Navarino Hills | Jose Maria Olazabal, opened 2022. Par 71, 6,280m. Elevated Ionian Sea and valley views. | Indicative from about 180 euros; confirm directly |
| International Olympic Academy Golf Course | Jose Maria Olazabal, opened 2022. Par 71, 6,366m. The world's first course on an Olympic Academy site. | Indicative from about 180 euros; confirm directly |
| Glyfada Golf Club, Athens | Donald Harradine; renovated by Robert Trent Jones for the 1979 World Cup. A wooded parkland 18 holes in a suburb of Athens. | About 50 to 65 euros; confirm directly |
| Crete Golf Club, Hersonissos | Bob Hunt. Par 72, 5,484m. Reopened 2015, 20 minutes from Heraklion airport. | Contact club directly for current rates |
Designers and opening years verified June 2026 from Costa Navarino and industry sources. Indicative visitor green fees verified from booking platforms and operator data; they move with season and rate plan, and resort guests at Costa Navarino typically pay less than the visitor rack rate. Porto Carras Golf Club in Halkidiki, designed by Geoff Cornish and Bill Robinson (upgraded 2021), offers a northern Greece option at the Aegean coast. Always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
A sample society week at Costa Navarino
The structure below assumes a six night stay at one of the Costa Navarino resort hotels, flying into Kalamata Airport which is about 75 minutes from the estate. A society of twelve to twenty players works well with this format.
Day 1, arrive into Kalamata
Transfer to the resort, settle into the hotel, a first dinner together on the estate. An early evening look at the Dunes Course to set the mood for the week. Keep the first night easy: a long drive from Athens or a direct charter from the UK arrives with enough daylight to walk the practice area, draw the order of play for the week and agree the format.
Day 2, The Dunes Course
The headline round. Bernhard Langer's course opened in May 2010 as the first signature layout in Greece and it remains the one every golfer in the group will have heard of. Links character near the sea, sea views from the high ground and the kind of bunkering that rewards accuracy off the tee. Run the society stableford from here, prizes at dinner.
Day 3, The Bay Course
Robert Trent Jones II's 2011 design plays through three distinct zones, each with a different character: Seaside holes along the coast, Canyon holes cutting through limestone terrain and Grove holes through mature vegetation. At 5,614m it plays a touch shorter than the Dunes but the variety makes it feel longer. An afternoon on the beach between lunch and dinner is rarely declined.
Day 4, Navarino Hills: The International Olympic Academy Golf Course
The newer of the two 2022 Olazabal designs, named for the International Olympic Academy that overlooks the site at Pilos. At 6,366m from the back markers it is the longest of the four Costa Navarino courses and the elevated position gives views across the Bay of Navarino and the mountains. A rest day for the group can slot in before or after this round if the itinerary allows.
Day 5, Navarino Hills: The Hills Course
The companion course to the Olympic Academy layout, slightly shorter at 6,280m and with an average green size of 669 square metres that rewards approach play. Olazabal's shaping uses the natural rise of the land to frame views to the Ionian Sea. Run the society championship final here with a shotgun start for maximum group atmosphere, then awards at the Navarino Hills clubhouse that evening.
Day 6, free morning and optional round
Some will want a fifth round on the course that got away; others will be poolside or in the spa. A transfer to Kalamata in the early afternoon for evening flights home, or one more night if the group wants a final dinner and a day on the beach the following morning.
Day 7, depart
Transfer to Kalamata Airport. The resort is typically 75 minutes from the terminal, so an early transfer for midday flights is common. Groups who flew charter can stay into the early evening. The airport serves direct flights from a number of UK and European cities in season.
Indicative package range
| Trip level | Per head, indicative | What it tends to include |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder season, four nights | From about 2,000 to 2,800 euros | Four nights resort hotel in April or October, three rounds, transfers from Kalamata, group tee time allocation. |
| Standard, six nights peak | About 3,200 to 4,200 euros | Six nights at The Westin or equivalent, four rounds on all four courses, resort transfers and a group dinner. |
| Premium, six nights | About 4,500 euros and up | Superior or suite accommodation, all four courses plus a fifth round, private transfers, prize fund contribution and a group host on the ground. |
Best time to book. Costa Navarino's season runs from April to late October. May to June and September to October offer the most comfortable conditions and lighter crowds than high summer. July and August are the hottest months, frequently above 30 degrees Celsius, which suits groups who want a full beach resort week alongside the golf but means early tee times are essential. The four course card fills up fast in peak weeks, so commit eight to twelve weeks ahead for summer travel. For the full curated trip, send your brief below or explore our luxury golf tours of Greece and all inclusive golf Greece options. Check resort availability.
Plan a Greece society trip
Tell us roughly when, how many are travelling and which courses are on your list, and one concierge costs the whole society trip to the head, lines up the tee times and the transfers and replies within one working day with no obligation.
Frequently asked
Why is Greece good for a golf society trip?
Greece delivers what few Mediterranean destinations can match: four championship layouts on one estate at Costa Navarino in Messinia, reliably warm and dry conditions from April to October, five star resort infrastructure, and scenery above the Ionian Sea that gives the week a genuine sense of occasion. The Dunes Course designed by Bernhard Langer with European Golf Design opened in 2010 and has been the standard bearer for Greek golf since. A society can play all four Costa Navarino courses without changing hotel, which is exceptional value for a destination trip of this quality.
Which courses should a Greece society trip include?
Build the week around all four Costa Navarino courses: the Dunes Course for the headline round, the Bay Course by Robert Trent Jones II for its three distinct landscape zones, and the two 2022 Olazabal designs at Navarino Hills. Societies adding a day in Athens can play Glyfada Golf Club, a Donald Harradine design renovated by Robert Trent Jones. Crete Golf Club near Hersonissos, designed by Bob Hunt, suits groups splitting the trip between the island and the mainland. See our full best golf courses in Greece guide.
How much does a Greece society trip cost in 2026?
Indicative 2026 visitor green fees at Costa Navarino sit at around 200 to 240 euros per round on the Dunes and Bay courses, with preferential rates for resort guests. A six night package with four rounds and resort accommodation typically runs from about 3,200 to 4,200 euros per head excluding flights in peak season, and from around 2,000 euros in the shoulder months of April and October. Rates change with season and rate plan, so always confirm directly before booking.
When is the best time for a Greece golf society trip?
Costa Navarino's season runs from April to late October. May to June and September to October are the sweet spots, with temperatures in the low to mid twenties Celsius, courses in peak condition and lighter crowds than high summer. July and August are the hottest months, above 30 degrees Celsius, which suits groups who want a full beach resort week alongside the golf. April and late October are the most affordable shoulder months and can offer outstanding conditions in a good year.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, opening years and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from Costa Navarino, operator data and industry booking platforms. Last reviewed June 2026.