The Global Golfer · Course Intelligence · Messinia · Costa Navarino
The Dunes Course — Costa Navarino
Location: Navarino Dunes, Messinia, Greece
Design: Bernhard Langer with European Golf Design
Par: 71
Back-tee length: 6,581 yards
Course type: Resort / coastal
Access: Resort golf; tee-time availability and playing conditions should be confirmed for the travel dates.
The Dunes Course is the original golf anchor at Costa Navarino and the first signature-designed golf course in Greece. Open since May 2010, it moves between seaside ground, river corridors, olive and fruit groves, wide fairways and large undulating greens. The closest holes to the coast introduce links-style features, while the inland sections soften into the Messinian landscape.
Why play The Dunes Course
The Dunes Course works well as the opening round in a Costa Navarino golf trip because it introduces the destination before the contrasting Bay and Navarino Hills courses. Multiple tee sets allow the course to work for mixed-ability groups, while the combination of width, strategic bunkering and changing ground means stronger golfers still need to choose position carefully rather than simply chase distance.
Course character
- Opening and coastal influence: sea and river views establish the resort’s Mediterranean setting early in the round.
- Links-style features: the holes closest to the sea use firmer-looking contours, pot-style bunkering and more exposed ground.
- Inland contrast: olive and citrus groves change the visual rhythm and create a softer landscape away from the coast.
- Playability: generous landing areas and multiple tees make the course accessible, but the greens and bunkering still reward sensible angles.
Practice and facilities
Costa Navarino operates the Navarino Golf Academy and practice facilities for golfers who want tuition, warm-up or structured practice around their rounds. Equipment hire and golf packages are also offered by the resort. Current availability should be checked directly when booking.
Build a Costa Navarino Course Swing
- 1 · The Dunes Course: start with the destination’s original signature course and use it as the baseline for the week.
- 2 · The Bay Course: move to a shorter, more positional layout with Seaside, Canyon and Grove landscapes.
- 3 · International Olympic Academy Golf Course: add the longer Navarino Hills test overlooking Navarino Bay and the Ionian Sea.
- 4 · The Hills Course: finish with the second José María Olazábal design across the elevated Messinian landscape.
Costa Navarino’s four signature 18-hole courses sit within a compact destination footprint, making a three- or four-course itinerary practical without turning the trip into a daily transfer exercise.
Stay · Play · Recover
Navarino Dunes combines The Dunes Course with resort accommodation, restaurants, sports and the Anazoe Spa environment. That makes it especially useful as a base for golfers who want morning or afternoon tee times without separating golf from recovery, dining and non-golf activities.
For a multi-round stay, alternate the four courses rather than repeating the same style of golf on consecutive days. Build in practice or recovery between the longest playing days, particularly if the group is combining all four courses in a short window.
Checked 18 September 2026. Course facts are based on Costa Navarino’s current official course information. Tee-time access, opening hours, packages, equipment hire and other time-sensitive details should be reconfirmed directly before committing to non-refundable travel. The Global Golfer’s editorial guidance is independent.