Top 10 Best Golf Courses in Finland in 2026/2027

Finland has a short but incredibly intense window for summer golf, and the courses are currently in peak condition. If you are trying to figure out where to book your next tee time, we have put together a breakdown of the top ten courses across the country based entirely on player reviews and feedback. The scoring at the top of the leaderboard was remarkably tight this year, with just a few fractions of a point separating the highest-rated clubs on the list.

How Many Golf Courses Are There in Finland?

Finland has 125 golf courses across the country, serving a community of about 140,000 registered players. Those numbers are high enough to put Finland in the top ten European nations for total registered golfers. The steady growth of the local game comes down to a mix of rising interest from casual players and a lot of consistent investment into building reliable facilities that hold up well under heavy summer use.

Because the courses are scattered from the southern coast all the way up through Lapland, players can choose between very different layouts, from standard resort tracks to heavily forested inland designs. The unique summer midnight sun also means you can tee off at 10:00 PM and finish a full round without running out of daylight, which is a major draw for travelers looking for something different than the typical Mediterranean golf trip.

Best Golf Courses in Finland

1. Linna Golf Course

Address: Vanajanlinnantie 485, 13330 Harviala, Finland

Linna Golf Course

Linna Golf Course, which opened in 2005, winds its way through a picturesque pine and birch forest adjacent to the historic Vanajan Linna Hotel. Since its opening, Linna has not only achieved national acclaim but also regularly ranks among the top 100 best golf courses in Europe.

Linna Golf was designed by European Golf Design, led by Tim Lobb, adhering to USGA specifications. As a member of the European Tour Courses group, Linna has hosted prestigious events such as the Challenge Tour in 2009 and the European Amateur Championships in 2010, with aspirations to host a European Tour event soon.

The course features mature forested land and several water hazards, offering stunning views of Lake Katuma. It caters to all skill levels, with back tees providing a tough challenge for professionals, while club golfers can enjoy a more forgiving layout. The greens are exceptionally maintained, typically running between 10-12 on the Stimpmeter.

Golf legend Peter Thomson, a five-time Open Champion, praised Linna Golf, stating, “I doubt there is a better course in Scandinavia. The terrain is excellent and has been used in the best way possible to create a course with a great variety of holes that will challenge all standards of golfers. In time, I believe Linna Golf will become a national treasure.”

In June 2017, Linna Golf hosted the inaugural European Tour Properties Senior Classic, where Spain’s Santiago Luna secured his third European Senior Tour title by one shot.

2. Alands Golf Club – Castle Course

Address: Kastelholmsnasvagen 22, Kastelholm, Aland, Finland

Alands Golf Club – Castle Course

The Alands Golf Club – Castle Course stands proudly on the Aland Islands, earning its reputation as one of the best Finland golf courses. This course was rated the 4th best golf course in Finland by Golf Digest in 2001.

Contrary to what one might expect from a remote location, Alands Golf Club ambitiously built not just one but two 18-hole courses (the King’s and the Castle) right from its inception in 1983. Designed by architect Jan Sederholm, these courses were developed in the shadow of the medieval Kastelholm Castle to cater to the locals’ and visitors’ golfing passion.

The Castle Course, the longer of the two, is a beautifully designed parkland course measuring just under 6,000 meters from the back tees. The par-72 layout is unique with its eight par fours, five par fives, and five par threes.

In September 2018, the Castle Course closed for significant renovations and reopened in the summer of 2020. Philip Christian Spogárd of Spogárd & VanderVaart led the redesign, incorporating the sea more prominently into the course’s strategy. Several holes were moved closer to the shoreline, providing a striking new layout while maintaining the original hole corridors.

Adam Lawrence of Golf Course Architecture praised the redesigned Castle Course, stating, “All in all, the new Castle course is clearly destined to be a very fine piece of work indeed, one of the best in Scandinavia, perhaps even among the best in Europe….”

3. Kytaja Golf – North West & South East Courses

Address: Kytajantie 1265, 05720 Hyvinkaa, Finland

Kytaja Golf – North West Course

Finnish industrialist Yrjo Laakkonen knew exactly who to call for his ambitious golf project on the rugged terrain northwest of Helsinki: Canadian architect Thomas McBroom. McBroom’s expertise in designing courses on challenging landscapes, such as Ontario’s Muskoka region, made him the perfect fit for this endeavor.

McBroom’s skill in routing holes through dense woodland and over rocky outcrops was crucial to transforming the difficult terrain outside the Finnish capital into a championship-caliber golf course. This led to the creation of the South East course in 2003, followed by the North West course in 2004.

Already recognized as one of Scandinavia’s premier golf facilities, the Kytaja Golf Club, particularly the North West course, promises to get even better with time. Stretching to a formidable 7,145 yards from the back tees, the course challenges even the longest hitters, with three of its four par threes exceeding 185 yards.

Maintained to an exceptionally high standard, both the South East and North West courses benefit from top-notch greenkeeping during the short playing season, which runs from mid-May to mid-October. This ensures that the putting surfaces remain in pristine condition.

4. Nordcenter Golf & Country Club – Fream Course

Address: Herrgardsvagen, 10410 Raseborg, Finland

Nordcenter Golf & Country Club – Fream Course

Ron Fream’s American golf design company, Golfplan, has been involved in the construction of nearly 100 courses worldwide, with over a dozen located in Scandinavia, France, and Portugal. One of their first European designs was at Nordcenter Golf & Country Club, situated on the edge of the Gulf of Bothnia, 50 miles west of Helsinki.

Nordcenter features two 18-hole championship courses: the Fream, designed by Ron Fream in 1987, and the Benz, created later by Brad Benz. Both par 72 courses offer distinct challenges, with the Benz being a bit shorter but tighter.

The Fream course boasts some stunning holes along the coastline, particularly from the 6th to the 8th. The elevated tee on the 6th hole offers breathtaking views down to the green at the water’s edge. Holes 7 and 8 feature narrow fairways that hug the shore, with water inlets threatening the approach to the greens, presenting wonderfully challenging golf.

The course is designed with minimal tree interference, except for significantly wayward shots, and water hazards come into play on holes 7, 8, 12, 14, and 17. A notable design feature is the shared green complexes at holes 2 and 8 and between the 4th and 13th holes to maximize land use.

5. Vierumaki Golf – Cooke Course

Address: Cookentie 1, 19120 Vierumaki, Finland

Vierumaki Golf – Cooke Course

The Cooke Course at Vierumäki was designed by Graham Cooke and opened for play back in 2006. It is a wide, expansive layout built into the regional sandy soil, which keeps the turf firm and well-drained even when the weather turns wet. While the fairways give you plenty of room off the tee, the real challenge comes when you approach the large, heavily contoured greens that require some creative putting.

Water comes into play early on, especially on the 3rd, 6th, and 7th holes, but the course is mostly defined by how it shifts between two distinct environments. The front side features more open, exposed terrain built around deep lakes, while the rest of the routing cuts directly through thick pine forests with noticeable changes in elevation. It has a great mix of short, tempting par fours where you can try to drive the green if you are willing to risk the deep greenside bunkers, making it an entertaining loop that relies on strategy rather than raw distance.

6. Pickala Golf Club – Forest Course

Address: Golfkuja 5, 02580 Siuntio, Finland

Pickala Golf Club – Forest Course

Pickala Golf Club – Forest Course is a championship course designed by renowned Swedish architect Jan Sederholm. Opened in 2004, this 18-hole layout winds through the perimeter of the resort southwest of Helsinki, offering a scenic challenge for golfers of all levels.

While the terrain isn’t overly hilly, strategic bunkering, water hazards on keyholes (like the par-4 2nd and par-5 7th), and a generous helping of mature trees keep things interesting. Accuracy is rewarded here. Don’t miss the string of doglegs from holes 12 to 15 on the back nine, demanding thoughtful course management for a memorable Finnish golfing experience.

7. Aura Golf Course

Address: Ruissalon puistotie 536, 20100 Turku, Finland

Aura Golf Course

Aura Golf sits on Ruissalo Island, just a short drive outside Turku. The club was established in 1958 on the grounds of an old castle estate that is now a protected nature park. Pekka Sivula redesigned and updated the property in 1980, creating a classic parkland layout heavily defined by the massive, centuries-old oak trees framing the fairways.

The 18-hole course isn’t a long track by modern standards, but it relies on an unusual routing to protect par. The front nine breaks traditional rhythm by throwing three long par-threes at you, all demanding precise long irons to secure a green regulation. On the back half, the routing groups the main scoring opportunities together; holes 13 and 14 are consecutive par-fives, but they are tightly flanked by two short, touch-based par-threes that can easily spoil a good scorecard.

The playing season in southwest Finland is brief, running from May until mid-October. If you are planning a trip, keep an eye on the calendar for the Ruisrock music festival in July. Because the festival takes over the island, the area gets incredibly crowded, so you will want to schedule around that weekend if you want a quiet round.

8. Tahko Golf Club – Old Course

Address: Old Course, Klubitie 12, 73310 Tahkovuori, Finland

Tahko Golf Club – Old Course

In Finland’s heartland, beside Lake Syväri, lies Tahko Golf Club’s Old Course. Designed by Jan Sederholm, the course is famous for its scenic beauty. While summer offers a variety for Finns – horse riding, fishing, and mountain biking – golf holds its own. This popularity led to a second Tahko course in 2008.

The 18-hole Old Course stretches nearly 6,700 yards. The front nine winds through varied terrain and forests, with only the par-3 7th directly facing the lake. The back nine mirrors the front’s gentle slopes, but with a lakeside treat – three stunning holes (between the 12th par-3 and 14th par-4) hugging the shoreline. This course offers a delightful blend of challenge and breathtaking Finnish scenery.

9. Aulanko Golf – Eversti Course

Address: Aulangon-Heikkilän tie 91, 13900 Pekola, Finland

Aulanko Golf – Eversti Course

The Eversti Course at Aulanko Golf, located near Hämeenlinna, was designed by Lassi Pekka Tilander and opened for play in 2006. Even though the course is relatively modern, it sits directly inside a landscape park dating back to the 1880s. Tilander routed the holes around the existing trees and terrain so naturally that the property feels like an old, established classic that has been there for generations.

From the back tees, the 18-hole layout measures just over 6,300 meters. The routing follows a traditional out-and-back loop, but the back nine changes the pace with a highly balanced mix of par threes, fours, and fives that keeps you from settling into a predictable rhythm. Water hazards are used sparingly but effectively to force clear strategic decisions. On the front side, the par-four 7th hole requires a precise approach over a pond right in front of the putting surface. Near the end of the round, the 17th hole forces a completely different test, it is a long, grueling 435-meter par four where a lateral water hazard punishes any errant tee shots or forced layups.

10. Laukaan Peurunkagolf

Address: Valkolantie 68, 41350 Laukaa, Finland

Laukaan Peurunkagolf

Laukaan Peurunkagolf is located just outside Jyväskylä, sitting on a narrow strip of land between two lakes, Iso Peurunka and Pikku Peurunka. Designed by American architect Ron Fream and opened in 1989, the 18-hole course runs just over 6,100 meters from the back tees. The routing takes full advantage of the lakeside setting, meaning you are rarely playing a hole without a clear view of the water or a shifting crosswind to calculate.

Water defines the strategy here, particularly on the back half of the round where the lakes and inlets encroach directly onto the playing lines. The most memorable example is the par-three 16th, which features a true island green that forces a completely aerial approach over an inlet with nowhere to miss. Fream bookended both nines with accessible par-fives that let you play aggressively right out of the gate, but he balanced that slack with tight, strategic doglegs on the 4th and 6th holes. The par-five 14th is another spot where the scorecard can easily get away from you; the fairway narrows significantly on your approach, with out-of-bounds stakes tight to the left side and a deep pond guarding the right.

Conclusion

Golf courses in Finland offer a delightful blend of natural beauty, and strategic challenges, and cater to all skill levels. Whether you seek a lakeside escape, a historic course steeped in tradition, or a championship layout designed by a renowned architect, Finland has everything for you. So, grab your clubs, book your tee time, and get ready to experience the unique golfing adventure that awaits in the Land of a Thousand Lakes.

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