Looking to play the best golf courses in Greece? GolfReviewsGuide.com picks out the top courses to play in Greece and the Greek Islands.
Greece, known for its rich history and stunning Mediterranean landscapes, has emerged as a premier golf destination in Europe for golf from January to December.
The country now boasts several world-class golf courses and resorts, with Costa Navarino leading the way as not only one of the best golf courses in Greece, but also as one of Europe’s top golf resort too.
The combination of challenging courses, stunning scenery and Greek hospitality has firmly established Greece as a must-visit location for golf enthusiasts from around the world.
1. Costa Navarino Resort
Costa Navarino is a resort that is home to four courses, all launched since 2010 at Navarino Bay overlooking the Ionian Sea close to Pylos and Messenia.
The Dunes Course opened in May 2010 as Greece’s first signature golf course and was designed by Bernhard Langer in association with European Golf Design.
The par-71 course measures 6,581 yards from the back tees incorporates links-style features near the sea. It ventures through olive and fruit groves, with some holes running along the Sellas River.
The Bay Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones II and opened for play in October 2011. It offers a different challenge compared to the Dunes Course.
The 18-hole, par-71 seaside course spans 6,139 yards meanders through three distinct landscapes – Seaside, Canyon and Grove and has two holes that play directly along the historic Bay of Navarino.
The Hills Course, one of two new courses at Navarino Hills, opened in 2022 and offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, the Bay of Navarino and the Ionian Sea.
Designed by Jose Maria Olazabal, the par-72, 18-hole course spans 6,280 yards and overlooks the rustic landscape of Messenia.
Slightly newer having opened in 2021, the International Olympic Academy Golf Course was also designed by Olazabal and was named as the “World’s Best New Golf Development” at the World Golf Awards.
The par-72 course measures 6,366 meters and offers breathtaking views of the historic Navarino Bay and the Ionian Sea.
2. Corfu Golf Club
Established in 1971, Corfu Golf Club was designed by Swiss architect Donald Harradine and is a mature 18-hole course set in the Ropa Valley.
The course blends natural resources with man-made water hazards and incorporates the river where, according to myth, Odysseus was rescued by Princess Nafsika.
It features tree-lined fairways, seven lakes, and well-maintained greens and bunkers and unique to this course is its eco-friendly maintenance, where local sheep help fertilize the greens.
3. Glyfada Golf Club of Athens
The Glyfada Golf Club, located in the seaside suburb of Athens, is Greece’s oldest 18-hole golf course.
Designed by Donald Harradine in 1962, it was renovated by Robert Trent Jones Sr in 1979 for the World Cup of Golf.
The course spans 6,261 yards, with a par-72 layout featuring two returning nines. Its rolling terrain offers challenging uphill and downhill lies, while mature trees and shrubbery create tight fairways that demand precision.
Glyfada Golf Club serves as a hub for golf development in Greece, hosting PGA Hellas and the Hellenic Golf Federation.
It remains the only course in Athens’ metropolitan area and operates as a municipal enterprise under the Municipality of Glyfada.
4. Porto Carras Golf Club
Located on the Sithonia peninsula in Halkidiki, Porto Carras Golf Club was originally designed by Geoff Cornish and Bill Robinson and established in 1974.
Expanded in 2002 to an 18-hole par-72 layout, it spans 45 hectares with paspalum grass and panoramic views of the Aegean Sea, Mount Itamos pine forests and vineyards.
The course features three lakes as water hazards and is surrounded by olive trees and stone pines. Known for its scenic beauty and challenging design, it is Northern Greece’s premier golf destination.
5. Crete Golf Club
Located near Hersonissos, Crete Golf Club was originally designed by Bob Hunt in 2003 and extensively upgraded in 2015.
The 18-hole par-71 course is strategically positioned just 15 minutes from Heraklion International Airport and close to cosmopolitan beaches.
The course combines Mediterranean scenery with ultra-modern facilities, making it playable year-round due to Crete’s mild climate.
It features undulating fairways, well-maintained greens, and breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape and its renovation marked Crete’s emergence as an international golfing destination.
James is an avid golfer and reviews golf equipment and new gear for GolfReviewsGuide.com as well as providing the latest golf news. You will find him on a golf course wherever possible.