Lapland vs Iceland for Summer Golf
Two of the strangest, most magical golf trips on the planet, both played under a sun that never sets. Lapland offers the great border novelty of Green Zone and deep Arctic wilderness. Iceland counters with lava field links, ocean cliffs and the famous Arctic Open. Here is the honest head to head for a midnight sun golf trip, with our verdict up front.
Photograph: Green Zone Golf, Tornio, via Google
The verdict
For most golfers chasing the midnight sun, Iceland wins on balance. It has the more dramatic scenery by far, lava fields, volcanoes and ocean cliffs, a genuine depth of courses for such a small country, and the marquee event in the Arctic Open at Akureyri, the world's northernmost 18 hole course. It is also far easier to reach, with frequent direct flights into Keflavik, and the golf folds neatly into a wider Reykjavik and ring road trip.
But Lapland has the single most extraordinary round of the two. Green Zone at Tornio is the only golf course on earth that crosses an international border, seven holes in Finland and eleven in Sweden, with players hopping between two countries and two time zones four times in a round, all under the Arctic sun. It is quieter, more remote and cheaper, the definition of an off the beaten track novelty. Pick Iceland for spectacle, variety and ease; pick Lapland for the purest one of a kind experience in golf.
Head to head
| Lapland | Iceland | |
|---|---|---|
| Headline course | Green Zone Golf at Tornio, the only 18 hole course on earth that straddles an international border, with 7 holes in Finland and 11 in Sweden across two time zones | Akureyri Golf Club, the world's northernmost 18 hole course and home of the Arctic Open, plus dramatic seaside layouts like Brautarholt near Reykjavik |
| The big experience | Midnight sun golf at the Arctic Circle, crossing the Tornio river border four times a round, and the club's Midnight Sun event with rounds played through the small hours | The Arctic Open, a 36 hole tournament played under the midnight sun at midsummer since 1986, with tee times running past midnight to around 4am |
| Scenery | Northern forest, the broad Tornio river and the low Arctic light; novelty and wilderness over drama | Lava fields, volcanoes, glaciers and ocean cliffs; among the most dramatic golf landscapes anywhere |
| Number of courses | A handful of far northern courses, led by Green Zone, plus Rovaniemi and other Lapland clubs | Around 60 courses for a small population, many playable, several genuinely scenic |
| Midnight sun window | Best from roughly mid June to mid July, when the sun barely sets this far north | Best from roughly mid June to mid July around the solstice, with about 23 hours of daylight |
| Getting there | Fly to Kemi or Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland, or via Lulea in Sweden; more remote and a longer haul | Fly to Keflavik near Reykjavik, with frequent direct flights from Europe and North America; far easier access |
| Value and pace | Quieter and generally cheaper, a true off the beaten track novelty trip | Pricier and busier, but with more golf, more scenery and an easy add on to a Reykjavik break |
| Best for | Golfers chasing a singular bucket list novelty, the border round and deep Arctic wilderness | Golfers wanting dramatic scenery, more courses, the Arctic Open and the simplest midnight sun trip |
Course facts, events and seasons verified June 2026; the midnight sun window is short and tee sheets fill, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Lapland if
You want the single most unusual round in golf and a true Arctic adventure. Green Zone's border crossing layout, the deep northern wilderness and the quiet, lower cost of Finnish and Swedish Lapland make this the connoisseur's novelty trip, best built around the midnight sun fortnight in late June and July. It is remote and a longer haul, and that is precisely the point.
Pick Iceland if
You want jaw dropping scenery, more golf and the easiest midnight sun trip. Lava field and clifftop links, around sixty courses, the Arctic Open at Akureyri and frequent direct flights into Reykjavik make Iceland the natural choice for most travellers, and the golf slots neatly into a wider tour of waterfalls, geysers and hot springs. It is pricier and busier, but the spectacle is unmatched.
Plan your midnight sun golf trip
Tell us whether you are drawn to Lapland's border round at Green Zone, Iceland's lava field links and the Arctic Open, or a taste of both, and roughly which week in summer. One concierge handles the tee times, the flights and the base, and costs the whole trip to the head, with no obligation.
Lapland vs Iceland questions
Is Lapland or Iceland better for midnight sun golf?
Both deliver genuine midnight sun golf in June and July, and the right pick depends on what you want. Lapland's Green Zone course at Tornio is the great novelty, the only 18 holes on earth crossing an international border, set in quiet Arctic forest. Iceland offers more dramatic scenery, far more courses, the famous Arctic Open at Akureyri and much easier flights via Reykjavik. For pure spectacle and variety Iceland edges it; for a singular off the beaten track experience, Lapland is unmatched.
When is the best time for midnight sun golf?
In both destinations the window runs from roughly mid June to mid July, around the summer solstice, when the sun barely dips below the horizon and golf can be played through the night. Iceland enjoys about 23 hours of effective daylight at midsummer, and northern Lapland is similar. Outside this short window the light fades quickly, so plan your trip tightly around late June. Always confirm tee times and event dates directly before booking.
What is the Green Zone golf course in Lapland?
Green Zone Golf sits on the border of Tornio in Finland and Haparanda in Sweden, an 18 hole, par 72 course where seven holes lie in Finland, eleven in Sweden, and players cross the international border four times in a round, passing between two time zones in the process. It is one of the most unusual courses in the world and the centrepiece of any Lapland golf trip, including its celebrated Midnight Sun event.
What is the Arctic Open in Iceland?
The Arctic Open is a 36 hole tournament held each midsummer at the Akureyri Golf Club in northern Iceland, the world's northernmost 18 hole course, first played in 1986. Rounds are played under the midnight sun with tee times running late into the night, the last players finishing the par 3 closing hole around 4am. It draws golfers from around the world and is the marquee midnight sun golf event in Iceland.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, events and seasons verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.