Canada is home to some of the world’s top golf courses, many of which have been designed by Canada’s most significant and successful golf architect, Stanley Thompson, and feature challenging, inspiring, intriguing, and thought-provoking layouts.
Cabot Cliffs
Designed by the decorated golf course design team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, the Cabot Cliffs course is carved out of the spectacular Cape Breton landscape with picture-postcard panoramic vistas. One of two award-winning courses at the Cabot Links, the Cabot Cliffs is a walking course with 18 holes of challenging golf for all levels of golfer. The first hole is a 5, 581-yard par 5 and overlooks most of the course with beautiful ocean views and the village of Inverness in the distance. Cabot Cliffs is one of two courses at Cabot Links, which also features 72 rooms of luxurious accommodation at Cabot Links Lodge, 19 upscale golf villas and three fine dining restaurants.
18 Cabot Lane, NS B0E 1N0, Canada, Phone: 902-258-4653 or 855-652-2268
Highlands Links
Designed by Stanley Thompson and established in 1941, the Highland Links is a 6,592-yard, 18-hole, par 72 course with a gorgeous setting nestled against the northeastern shores of Cape Breton Island and bordered by mountains and ocean. Built to resemble the rugged coastline of Scotland, the Highlands Links boasts a dramatically diverse topography, running from a rocky promontory to the mountains of Cape Breton and back. Signature features include the cascading 13th hole, the tumbling wide fairway on the 16th hole, and the incredible panoramic views of the 15th and 18th holes. The Highlands Links provides pedal and push carts, a practice green, a teaching pro, and food and beverage concessions.
77 Kings Road, Sydney, NS, B1A 1A2, Canada, Phone: 902-563-4636
Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course
Situated at the Banff Springs Golf Club, the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course was designed by Scottish expatriate Bill Thomson and opened as a 9-hole course in 1911. It was later expanded to an 18-hole course by Donald Ross in 1924 and laid out by Canada’s most significant and successful golf architect, Stanley Thompson. Today, it is one of the most scenic golf courses in the world, with some superb holes, such as the iconic Devil’s Cauldron, a scenic par 3 hole that overlooks glacial lake at the foot of impressive Mount Rundle. The Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course is open to the public and members of the Banff Springs Golf Club.
Golf Course Rd, Banff, AB, Canada, Phone: 403-762-6801
Beacon Hall
Beacon Hall is a private club with a unique and memorable 18-hole golf course with distinctively different front and back nines. The front nine opens through spectacular stands of pines, echoing the great courses of the Carolinas and Georgia, while the back nine reflects the fescue and waste bunkers of Scotland, along with two of the finest par 5’s in Canada. The course is beautiful and comfortable to play and provides a challenge for all levels of players, and the club offers friendly games, active mens, ladies, intermediate, senior and junior members sections, an inviting event and social calendar, and scholarship and caddie programs.
400 Beacon Hall Drive, Aurora, ON L4G 0L3, Canada, Phone: 905-841-9122
Black Bear Ridge
Located in Belleville, Ontario, the Black Bear Ridge golf course features a traditional parkland layout with natural water features, sweeping vistas, and superior conditioning. The course boasts five sets of tees, ranging from 5,145 to 7,238 yards, and provides golfers of all skill levels with a challenging and rewarding experience. Black Bear Ridge has a golf academy led by golf teaching professional and Director of Instruction Steve Auger, who offers golf instruction for beginning novices to fellow professionals and all skill levels in between. The club also hosts several leagues for varying levels of player.
501 Harmony Rd, Corbyville, ON K0K 1V0, Canada, Phone: 613-968-2327
Cabot Links
Nestled along the beautiful sandy shoreline of Cape Breton between the Atlantic Ocean and the picturesque town of Inverness in Nova Scotia, Cabot Links is Canada’s first and only authentic links golf resort. Cabot Links features two acclaimed award-winning courses with 36 holes of challenging links golf, 72 rooms of luxurious accommodation at Cabot Links Lodge, 19 upscale golf villas, and three fine dining restaurants. The Cabot Links golf course is a walking-only course and features six holes right next to the water, with each boasting breathtaking views of the spectacular Nova Scotia landscape.
18 Cabot Lane, NS B0E 1N0, Canada, Phone: 902-258-4653 or 855-652-2268
Tower Ranch Golf Club
Tower Ranch Golf Club is located in the heart of Kelowna and offers a unique and challenging golfing experience. The 18-hole championship golf course was designed by Thomas McBroom and is one of the Okanagan’s top courses, with a strategic layout that offers plenty of risk/reward opportunities. Located just minutes from both downtown Kelowna and Kelowna Airport, the challenging course is surrounded by pristine natural landscapes and magnificent views from every hole on the course. The Clubhouse at Tower Ranch boasts 10,000 square feet of amenities, including a fine dining restaurant, lounge and full-service bar, a pro shop with merchandise, clothing, and golf equipment, and modern event spaces for special functions.
1855 Tower Ranch Blvd, Kelowna, BC V1P 1R2, Canada, Phone: 250-491-8211
Capilano Golf & Country Club
Designed by the estimable golf course architect Stanley Thompson, the Capilano Golf & Country Club is set on 160 acres of prime land on the North Shore of Vancouver west of the Capilano River in an area known as the British Properties. Renowned for its stately clubhouse, the private country club features a superb course with an artistic layout that embraces the natural beauty and topography of the area. The golf course presents a challenging and rewarding golf experience for all levels of golfer, from scratch golfer to high handicappers, and the magnificent clubhouse offers a luxurious space to relax after a game with spectacular views of Downtown Vancouver.
420 Southborough Drive, West Vancouver BC, V7S 1M2, Canada, Phone: 604-922-9331
Devil's Paintbrush
The Devil’s Paintbrush is one of two outstanding courses that are part of the Devil’s Pulpit Golf Association, which is an institution that is committed to providing a world-class experience for both members and the public. Established in 1992, the Devil’s Paintbrush is a 6,772-yard, par 72 course with all the features of traditional British Isles links courses, including grassy hollows, mounding, rock fences, sod-wall bunkers, knee-deep fescue rough, and blind shots. The award-winning links-style golf course is perfect for small-group outings and tournaments for up to 72 golfers and offers a spectacular venue for special occasions such as weddings and other celebrations against a backdrop of Niagara Escarpment views.
17151 St. Andrews Road, Caledon East, ON L7C 2S1, Canada, Phone: 905-584-0155
Hamilton Golf and Country Club
The Hamilton Country Club is home to the 18-hole, par 70 Hamilton golf course, which measures 6,966 yards from the tips. Designed by Harry Shapland Colt and opened to the public in 1916, the Hamilton golf course hosts several significant tournaments every year as well as the Borthwick Memorial Golf Tournament and features an excellent caddie program and the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. The club also features a 9-hole short course, which was designed as a tribute to the leading course designer Harry Colt and uses many of the legendary designer's concepts and ideas. It is situated on Hamilton's old practice grounds.
232 Golf Links Road, Ancaster, Ontario, L9G 2N5, Canada, Phone: 905-648-4471
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club
One of Canada's premier golf courses, the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club is an award-winning course in Alberta that was designed by Canada's master golf course architect, Stanley Thompson, and has been serving the golfing community for more than 90 years. Set deep in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, the 18-hole course features elevated tee boxes, broad fairways carved through thick forests, dramatic bunkers, and holes aligned with beautiful landscapes and distant mountain vistas. Amenities and services at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club include four sets of tees ranging from 5,397 to 6,663 yards for all levels of players, an award-winning 7th Tee Snack Shack and patio seating with a barbecue and beverage cart, and a golf shop with a variety of merchandise and rental equipment.
1 Old Lodge Rd, PO Box 40 Jasper, Alberta, T0E 1E0, Canada, Phone: 780-852-6090
Laval-Sur-le-Lac - Parcours Bleu
The Laval-Sur-le-Lac features two golf courses, the legendary Parcours Vert, a 6,616-yard course designed by renowned architect Willie Park Jr., and the Parcours Bleu, 7,221-yard Weir Golf designed course inspired by the spectacular architecture of prestigious courses in Australia’s Sunbelt region. The vision of Mike Weir and Ian Andrew, Parcours Bleu embraces the hilly landscapes with articulating fairways with sharp angles, offering the opportunity for long drives, and shorn blankets of greens for challenging flag positions. Parcours Bleu has varying levels of difficulty, giving every level of golfer a challenging and enjoyable experience, and there is a stately white clubhouse located in a beautiful setting amidst ancient, ancestral trees.
150 rue Les Peupliers, Laval-sur-le-Lac, Québec, H7R 1G4, Canada, Phone: 450-627-2643
Memphrémagog Golf Club
Located near the postcard village of Magog in the heart of the Eastern Townships, the Memphrémagog Golf Club is an exclusive and enchanting private golf club that was envisioned and conceived by a small group of Montreal businessmen who love the game. Designed at over 7,600 yards, the remarkably playable course features five sets of tees for maximum flexibility and boasts the signature design element of dramatic bunkering created in a classical rugged style. The natural and timeless course is a walking course with a fantastic variety of playable holes that blend and flow seamlessly and feature well-articulated risk-and-reward strategies that cater for all levels of player. Anchoring the course is a stately clubhouse with breathtaking views over the golf course and Lake Memphrémagog.
700 Ch Gendron, Magog, Quebec, J1X 0M9, Canada, Phone: 819-843-1566
Mount Bruno Golf Club
Mount Bruno Golf Club is a private club in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec, that has hosted the Canadian Open Golf Tournament twice and is reputed to be one of the most exclusive golf clubs in Canada. Originally designed by Willie Park, Jr. and later renovated by Canada's master golf course architect, Stanley Thompson and Tom McBroom, Mount Bruno Golf Club was built in 1918 and is a challenging course with challenging mountain terrain. The understated yet challenging course’s signature hole is a 435-yard, par 4 hole at the 13th, which is located at the highest point on the course and boasts spectacular views of the golf course and the surrounding valley.
665 CH Des Vingt, St-Bruno-de-Montarville, QC J3V 4P6, Canada, Phone: 514-861-6053
Muskoka Bay
Designed by acclaimed architect Doug Carrick, the golf course at prestigious Muskoka Bay features mammoth rock ridges, pristine wetlands, dramatic elevation changes, and serene vistas. The award-winning course offers a challenging game for all levels of golfers and is complemented by the magnificent 17,000-square-foot Clifftop Clubhouse designed by award-winning architect Richard Wengle. Set high on a scenic ridge overlooking Muskoka Bay, the clubhouse provides members with a place to gather, play, and relax and features an entertainment lounge, a fine dining restaurant, and a pro shop. The club also boasts a fully equipped fitness studio, spa rooms with steam showers and private lockers, and outdoor amenities such as an infinity-edge swimming pool, tennis courts, a fire pit, and a wraparound terrace with spectacular views.
1217 N Muldrew Lake Rd, Gravenhurst, ON P1P 1T9, Canada, Phone: 705-687-7900
National Golf Club of Canada
The National Golf Club of Canada is a prestigious golf club and course in Woodbridge in Ontario and is hailed as being one of the best and toughest golf courses in the world. Founded by Irv Hennick, Gil Blechman, and Harvey Kalef and designed the Fazio brothers, George and Tom, the course was officially opened in 1975 and is renowned for being notoriously difficult. The highly acclaimed course is a masterwork of design that boasts an incredible topography with a wide variation in holes, of which no two are alike. A readily walkable course, the National features a picturesque and devilishly par 5 4th hole and characteristic greens that are both slick and subtle, undulating and treacherous, making it one of the most challenging and satisfying courses to play on the planet, according to both amateur and professional golfers around the world.
134 Clubhouse Rd, Woodbridge, ON L4L 2W2, Canada, Phone: 416-798-4900
Olympic View Golf Club
Aptly named for its beautiful views of Washington State's Olympic Mountains, the Olympic View Golf Club is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island and a short drive from the center of downtown Victoria. Ranked as one of the top 50 golf courses in Canada, Olympic View is playable year round due to the region experiencing some of Canada's mildest winters. The 6,534-yard, 18-hole par 72 course was designed by Bill Robinson and hosts a variety of tournaments throughout the year and caters for special occasions such as weddings and other celebrations. The Olympic View Golf Club is home to the GBC Golf Academy, which offers a variety of coaching programs for golfers of all ages and skill levels.
643 Latoria Rd, Victoria, BC V9C 3A3, Canada, Phone: 250-474-3673
Oviinbyrd Golf Club
The Öviinbyrd Golf Club in Ontario’s Foots Bay offers a challenging 18-hole golf course that was designed by Thomas McBroom and opened in 2005. The course’s holes have been described as playable and intriguing, with great character all around the course, such as the 8th hole – a marginal par 5 with water on the left. There are no tee times at the club – access to the tee is the foundation of the course, which explains why the club has a small membership. The Öviinbyrd Golf Club has a fine dining restaurant, which is part of a unique regional dining club, and a full-service bar where players tend to gather after a game.
Hwy 169 #4805, Foots Bay, Ontario, P0C 1H0, Canada, Phone: 705-375-0555
Ridge at Manitou Golf Club
Located a short drive east of Parry Sound, near McKellar, the Ridge at Manitou Golf Club is set within a protected rugged landscape that is home to a myriad of wildlife, from deer, moose, and black bears to great-horned owls and wolves. Designed by Thomas McBroom, the Ridge at Manitou Golf Club features a course hewn out of the Canadian Shield, winding its way through dense forests, rugged rock, and rolling meadowlands. This breathtaking golf sanctuary hosts several tournaments throughout the year, has a modern clubhouse with a restaurant and pro shop, and provides instruction for golfers of all ages and skill levels.
McKellar, ON P2A 0B4, Canada, Phone: 705-389-9577
Royal Montreal
Founded in 1873, the Royal Montreal Golf Club is the oldest golf club in North America, providing golfers from around the country with a challenging course and deluxe facilities for more than 145 years. One of only 66 authentic “Royal” designated clubs in the world, the Royal Montreal Golf Club one of the five founding clubs of the Royal Canadian Golf Association, which is the governing body of golf in Canada and organizes the major national championships, including the Canadian Open, the first of which was played at the Royal Montreal in 1904. The club has also hosted other major tournaments, such as the Presidents Cup in 2007 and the RBC Canadian Open in 2014.
25 South Ridge Road, Chemin South Ridge, Montréal, QC H9E 1B3, Canada, Phone: 514-626-3977
Sagebrush Golf and Sporting Club
The Sagebrush Golf and Sporting Club is a unique course that was established in 2009 and is listed as being the 10th best golf course in Canada. Located a short drive north of Merritt, near the site of the old Quilchena Cattle Ranch, the golf course is set in the heart of cowboy country and was modeled after private clubs, such as the Redtail in Port Stanley, Ontario, and the Sandhills in Nebraska. The greens and the fairways of the course are designed to fit the topography of the landscape instead of the other way around and feature signature elements such as blind shots, sloping fairways, rock outcroppings, fescue, sagebrush, and native grasses. The Sagebrush Golf and Sporting Club offers guest amenities like guest cottages and meals due to its somewhat isolated location, and the course promises a different and unique golfing experience.
6280 Merrit-Kamloops Highway 5A, Quilchena, British Columbia, V0E 2R0, Canada, Phone: 250-378-9555
St Georges Golf Country Club
The St. George's Golf and Country Club, originally known as the Royal York Golf Club, is a prestigious golf and country club in Etobicoke in Toronto. Established in 1909 by Englishman Robert Home Smith, the club was built in conjunction with the construction of the Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto in order to provide the guests of the hotel with first-class golfing facilities. The course was designed by leading Canadian golf course architect Stanley Thompson and hosted the Canadian Open in 1933. The name of the country club was changed from the Royal York Golf Club to St. George's Golf and Country Club in 1946 and has since hosted the Canadian Open five times as well as the Canadian Women’s Open and the 2017 Invictus Games.
668 Islington Ave, Etobicoke, ON M9A 3M9, Canada, Phone: 416-231-3393
Summit Golf Club
The Summit Golf Club was founded in 1912 and was designed by the well-respected and prolific golf course architect Stanley Thompson, following his unswerving philosophy of using natural surroundings to enhance the golfing experience. Measuring 6,865 yards from the back tees, golfers are challenged by the varying characteristics of each of the 18 striking holes, such as accuracy, distance, length off the tee, and precision. The walkable course also features wide greens, strategic sand traps, and several elevated tees with spectacular natural vistas as backdrops, combining beauty, charm, challenge, and class. The deluxe clubhouse features a fine dining restaurant and full-service bar with breathtaking views over the 18th green.
11901 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4E 3N9, Canada, Phone: 905-884-8189
Westmount Golf & Country Club
Westmount Golf & Country Club is a premier private club in Kitchener, Ontario, with world-class sporting facilities for members, their families, and guests. Founded as the Grand River Golf Club in 1929, the club’s golf course was designed by renowned golf course architect Stanley Thompson and opened in 1931. Westmount Golf & Country Club boasts a stunning 18-hole championship course with gently rolling terrain and parklands and has been consistently ranked among the top 15 courses in Canada. The club is home to the Westmount Golf Training Centre, which is exclusive to club members only and offers top training and development programs in Canada. In addition to superb golfing facilities, the Westmount Golf & Country Club also offers tennis courts and a curling club.
50 Inverness Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, N2M 4Z9, Canada, Phone: 519-742-2323
Wolf Creek Golf Resort
Wolf Creek Golf Resort features two golf courses, the Old Course and the Links Course. Designed by course designer Rod Whitman, the course has been a solid fixture on the Canadian Tour for the past 13 years and recently hosted the Alberta Open, receiving worldwide recognition for being one of the world’s best courses from young touring professionals. Wolf Creek Golf Resort also features a contemporary clubhouse with restaurant and full-service bar and caters for special events such as meetings, business functions, weddings and other celebrations. The golf club hosts several tournaments throughout the year and offers a variety of golfing packages for all levels of golfer.
Site 10, Ponoka, Alberta, T4J 1R3, Canada, Phone: 866-783-6050
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