Canada’s Top 100 Public Golf Courses

100. Legends, Niagara

Niagara Falls

26th in Ontario

Course:

Usshers Creek

Architect:

Thomas McBroom

Year Built:

2001

Max Rate:

$90

Photo credit: Golfpass

Legends of the Niagara boasts two quality public golf options that continuously get debated as to which is better… we wish our panel would have separated them more to end the debate! Interestingly, the discussion between Thomas McBroom, the architect behind Usshers Creek, and Doug Carrick, who built No. 102 Battlefield, represents a coin flip between the two architects’ careers, with McBroom’s Usshers Creek edging out the other on our list.

The golf course is the perfect motif of McBroom’s work, with smaller, devilish green complexes and attractive, yet difficult bunkers. While Battefield plays more in the trees, Usshers Creek is fully exposed to the trade winds coming from the Falls and Lake Ontario or Lake Erie, providing a slightly more difficult—and some might argue —fun experience.

99. Deer Valley

Deer Valley

3rd in Saskatchewan

Architect:

Harold Pasechnik

Year Built:

2000

Max Rate:

$70

Photo credit: Saskgolfer

Saskatchewan is stereotypically labelled as a flat province, with visions of farmland for miles without much undulation. It should come as no surprise, however, that the best golf courses in the province find pockets of dramatic topography suitable for a round of golf.

Hop on a boat and head upstream from downtown Regina on the Wascana Creek, or perhaps drive 30 minutes to the northwest, and you arrive at Deer Valley, a layout galloping up and down the Wascana Creek river valley. In fact, the creek is the dominant trait here, with holes 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 finding a way to interact with the water hazard in some regard.

98. Okanagan

Kelowna

26th in British Columbia

Course:

Bear

Architect:

Steve Nicklaus & Bill O’Leary

Year Built:

1999

Max Rate:

$160

Photo credit: courtesy

A very difficult region to stand out, with numerous excellent public option within a two-hour radius from Kelowna airport. Perhaps one that is overlooked is Okanagan Golf Club’s Bear course, quite literally across Highway 97 on the hillside above YLW airport.

Steve Nicklaus’ golf course plays through sandy, rolling terrain on the front nine, which produces the best moments. The fall-away green at the 2nd, the dramatic tee shot at the 3rd, and the short 4th is a brilliant early stretch, and an early highlight. The ending to both nines provide a contrasting perspective: on the front, the reachable par 5’s at the 7th & 9th sandwich a driveable par 4, but on the back nine, the gruelling 16th & 17th set the stage for the long, gambling par 5, 18th playing down and back up the clubhouse.

97. Royal Oaks

Moncton

4th in New Brunswick

Architect:

Rees Jones

Year Built:

2000

Max Rate:

$65

Photo credit: Tourism New Brunswick

Rees Jones rightfully acquired the nickname the “Open Doctor” for his work on notably US Open golf courses like Bethpage’s famed Black course, and at Royal Oaks, he draws inspiration from his time renovating some of America’s notable tournament venues.

As a result, the golf course has that feeling of grandeur, with big, bold playing spaces defended by strong bunkering and the occasional water hazard. Rees’ greens are usual and expected here, with tiers, ridges, and sections perfectly planned for a tournament venue.

The holes that stood out are the attractively bunkered par 3, 6th, the dogleg right par 5, 10th, and the demanding 467 yard par 4, 18th, which feels like a fitting way to end a “US Open” golf course.

96. Crown Isle

Courtenay

25th in British Columbia

Architect:

Graham Cooke, Wayne Carleton, & Ted Locke

Year Built:

1993

Max Rate:

$72.50

Photo credit: Experience Comox Valley

A staple in the Canadian Tour’s schedule, and in recent years, the lone Canadian Q-School stop, Crown Isle is a popular Canadian course, and worthy of its status among tour players and great club golfers alike.

The stunning views of Beaufort Mountain creep in behind the pine trees, and with an abundance of water, Crown Isle is as beautiful as is it difficult, though there’s more than what meets the eye here. The par 5’s at the 5th and 15th are full of strategy and trouble, though perhaps a little too reliant on water for our panel’s liking. Like many of the holes, the par 4, 18th is dominated by water, making for a stern closing hole, but the 9th—the finishing hole to the other side of the golf course—relies on trees to cleverly, and rather uniquely, provide a distinct challenge to golfers.

95. Sundre

Sundre

17th in Alberta

Architect:

Sid Puddicombe

Year Built:

1963

Max Rate:

$89

Photo credit: Golfpass

Locally, Sundre has developed a reputation as the so-called “Augusta of Alberta,” but truthfully, they share very little in common, other than the fairways lined by pine trees and above-average conditioning.

Instead, Sundre plays similarly to Marine Drive, which ranked 84th on our Canadian Top 100. Tight, tree-lined fairways, with strategic doglegs at various points to pinch longer hitters, allows this to be a very strategic, shot-makers golf course. Truthfully, the main highlight is the set of greens, which offer a ton of variety: from the domed 2nd green, to the sunken 9th and everything in between.

94. Fraserview

Vancouver

24th in British Columbia

Architect:

A.V. Macan, Thomas McBroom

Year Built:

1935

Max Rate:

$65

Photo credit: courtesy

A.V. Macan’s golf courses dominate our Top 100, with five golf courses—No. 24 Victoria, No. 27 Shaughnessy, No. 45 Royal Colwood, No. 62 Kelowna, and No. 84 Marine Drive—all ranked inside, but they are all private! Thankfully, Fraserview, a Vancouver municipal golf course, cracks our Top 100 public, which recieved a facelift from Thomas McBroom in the last 1990s.

Primarily on a fairly consistently tilted hillside sloping down towards the (you guessed it) Fraser River feeding in from the Pacific Ocean, Macan’s routing utilizes the hillside in a way that provides the utmost variety: on the 3rd, the golfer tumbles down into the valley to open up Macan’s prowess, getting multiple interesting holes into the side hill. All this excitement sets up the dramatic 18th, a Hail Mary over a natural barranca to the green cut on the other side.

93. Lora Bay

Thornbury

25th in Ontario

Architect:

Thomas McBroom & Tom Lehman

Year Built:

2006

Max Rate:

$135

Photo credit: Chris Fry/Albatross images

Featuring dramatic views of the nearby Georgian Bay, this Thomas McBroom and Tom Lehman co-design is best known for having hosted the Nationwide Tour’s Wayne Gretzky Classic from 2008 to 2010.

Featuring some of his most distinct bunkering to date and plenty of width, Lora Bay is an early example of what we deem as Mr. McBroon’s later period. In particular, the short par 4, 2nd, the clever 7th, and the strong 18th are standout holes. Eminently walkable and serene, there are few more enjoyable places to play in this well-frequented area of the province. 

92. Whirlpool

Niagara Falls

24th in Ontario

Architect:

Stanley Thompson

Year Built:

1951

Max Rate:

$80

Photo credit: Niagara Parks

Whirlpool is Stanley Thompson’s last original build before his passing, to which he wrote that he needed more land to make this a “truly great course.” Given its placement in the Top 100, our panel seems to disagree, though Thompson was likely comparing Whirlpool against the top of his catalogue, which dominates the top 10 of this list.

Thompson’s artistic bunkering style is the main draw of Whirlpool, which gently works its way over the relatively flatter piece of ground. Interestingly, Thompson, the man known for his par 3’s, relies more on a strong set of par 4’s to further compliment the landscape: the 2nd, 10th and 11th are excellent, and the routing, gathering at a primary hill to get some elevation change, is nothing short of brilliant.

91. Ambassador

Windsor

23rd in Ontario

Architect:

Thomas McBroom

Year Built:

2005

Max Rate:

$59

Photo credit: GolfinOntario

On a barren field near the Detroit River south of Windsor proper, Thomas McBroom did a commendable job manufacturing an exciting and dramatic modern “faux-links,” which is certainly exposed to the winds and begs creativity out of those who visit.

Strong iron play and deft touch are required to score well on this challenging par 71 layout, but in particular, the set of par 4s is strong and varied, with the driveable 15th likely being the most memorable of the set. On the whole, Ambassador provides one of the best values in Canada. 

90. The Lakes

Ben Eoin

8th in Nova Scotia

Architect:

Graham Cooke & Yannick Pilon

Year Built:

2010

Max Rate:

$169

Photo credit: Hidden Links

With dramatic elevation and long views of East Bay coming in off the Bras D’Or Lake, this Graham Cooke & Yannick Pilon is located just south of the coastal town of Sydney, Nova Scotia in the surpsiringly hilly area of Cape Breton. In fact, The Lakes is located at the base of Ski Ben Eoin… one of the few golf courses on this list located at the bottom of the ski hill!

The golf course was extremely well-received by the professionals of the Canadian Tour when it hosted the Cape Breton Classic, and for good reason: Fair and strategic, it is a quintessential “championship golf course” featuring a number of standout holes, such as the perched par 3, 4th, the driveable and dramatic par 4, 6th, and tricky par 3, 17th.

89. Kingswood Park

Hanwell

3rd in New Brunswick

Architect:

Graham Cooke & Darrell Huxham

Year Built:

2003

Max Rate:

$75

Photo credit: courtesy

Although it’s fallen from the national spotlight since being named the best new course in Canada by Golf Digest in 2003, Kingswood Resort remains a favorite among east-coast golfers. Designed by Darrell Huxham and Graham Cooke, this 7000 yard golf course, which could be classified as a “modern faux-links”, perhaps features a slightly too manicured aesthetic for the tastes of many of our panelists, but nevertheless there are some real standout holes, including the 14th which features a Trump-esque waterfall, and the 18th. Moreover, it features one of the better sets of greens designed by the firm, as well as first-rate conditioning to round out a rather unsuspecting, excellent experience.

88. Royal Québec

Boischatel

7th in Québec

Course:

Royal

Architect:

Willie Park Jr., Herbert Strong, Howard Watson

Year Built:

1925

Max Rate:

$125

Originally founded in 1874, Royal Quebec’s current course is attributed to Willie Park, who provided “recommendations” to the club in 1922 and potentially a routing, which officially opened in 1925.

Regardless, the course bears some of his distinct features, including a few exceptional greens, notably on the par 4, 2nd, the par 3, 8th, and the par 4, 16th. Overall, the course is a tad uneven, with some high quality and exhilarating stretches where the land is best (the 2nd to the 6th, especially) and some duller stretches where the land is less intense (the middle of the back 9), but those who visit know this is the best public-access golf course in Québec’s capital region.

87. Granite Hills

Lac du Bonnet

2nd in Manitoba

Architect:

Les Furber

Year Built:

2007

Max Rate:

$72.50

Located about an hour and a half northeast of Winnipeg, Granite Hills is Winnipeg’s “cottage country,” which draws similarities to Toronto’s cottage country in the Muskoka’s. Large rock outcroppings—so much, in fact, that the highest point in Manitoba is actually to the right of 13 fairway on top of a limestone outcroppings near the 14th tee—and swampy water dominate the inland holes, which set the stage for the holes on the Lac du Bonnet.

In particularly, Furber’s ability to let the land speak, which is dramatic and certainly loud enough, with the natural elements, rolls, and elevation change, makes Granite Hills a clear selection at the top of his rather large catalogue in Western Canada.

86. Bell Bay

Baddeck

7th in Nova Scotia

Architect:

Thomas McBroom

Year Built:

1997

Max Rate:

$140

Photo credit: Saltwire

Located in the stunning town of Baddeck in the heart of Cape Breton, those wanting to avoid the hustle and bustle of Cabot Cape Breton find solace in Bell Bay, a wonderful option near Sydney. Like nearby The Lakes, Bell Bay’s long views of the Bras d’Or Lake provide the setting, but Thomas McBrtoom’s architecture is no slouch either. A variety of bunker styles further impresses the golfer: McBroom’s late 1990s staircase bunkers are certainly here, but small, circular, almost pot style bunkers can be found, as well as artistic shapes as if Mr. McBroom was drawing off nearby Cape Breton Highlands Links. Furthermore, the property, benches into the hillside between the mountains of Cape Breton and the lake feeding off the Atlantic Ocean, provides dramatic elevation change and tasteful undulations.

85. Silvertip

Canmore

16th in Alberta

Architect:

Les Furber

Year Built:

1997

Max Rate:

$159

Photo credit: courtesy

A rather unusual selection given the property, which is entirely unsuitable for golf in the traditional sense, and is much more of an engineering feat than anything, but nevertheless, if someone leaves Silvertip complaining, they just might be that much fun.

Furber’s routing finds multiple times to showcase the Rocky Mountains and the Three Sister Mountain Range, beginning at the 2nd, notably on the 13th, and the final sweeping par 4 down the hillside. These just happen to be among the highlights, too, showing it is not all just views here. Without views, the sweeping par 5, 10th can hold its ground on its own, as can the par 3, 17th.

84. Gowan Brae

Bathurst

2nd in New Brunswick

Architect:

Robbie Robisnon, Graham Cooke

Year Built:

1958

Max Rate:

$70

Photo credit: Allsqauregolf

Like Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Dick Wilson south of the border in the United States, Robbie Robinson’s architecture has fallen slightly out of flavour in the post-modernism Renaissance of Golden Age principals. Also like RTJ and Wilson, Robinson left a handful of golf courses worthy of lasting the test of time, with Gowan Brae’s addition to this list a testament to that sentiment.

The property’s location jutting out into the Bathurst Harbour coming in from the Gulf of St. Lawrence via the Chaleur Bay allows for numerous highlights to include such a massive body of water, which sets the stage for ht excellent stretch of golf from the 13th to the 17th. Away from the water, the contours on the 5th and strategies on the 1st are worthy of mention.

83. King’s Forest

Hamilton

22nd in Ontario

Architect:

Matt Broman & Rod Goodes

Year Built:

1973

Max Rate:

$76

Photo credit: The Canadian Golfer

Certainly among the better municipal selections in the country, this Hamilton-area course, designed by the unheralded Matt Broman and Chedoke head pro Rod Goodes, takes advantage of the dramatic terrain over which it is routed, providing some hair-raising moments, such as on the tumbling par 4, 1st, the rambunctious par 4, 8th, the pulse-quickening 11th, and the strategic 453 par 4, 13th, playing along and then over the meandering creek. A slight lack of interest on and around the greens, coupled with some overgrowth, likely holds it back from being considered among the very best municipal courses in Canada, but nevertheless it is a golf course worthy of spending a day upon. 

82. Grand Niagara

Port Robinson

21st in Ontario

Architect:

Rees Jones

Year Built:

2005

Max Rate:

$115

Located along the bank of the Welland River, Grand Niagara offers exceptional conditioning over a rather typical Rees Jones layout, but that does not mean it cannot provide some highlights. Such is the case on the par 4, 2nd, a long two-shot hole cleverly featuring some visual deception, or the perched par 3, 5th with fall offs everywhere and a green tempting golfers to hit to the flags that they likely should not attempt.

On the back, the mid-length par 4, 14th is naturally pretty and seamlessly into the landscape, as is the par. 3,15th, playing over a natural stream to a well-bunkered green.

There are rumours Grand Niagara could potentially close, or at the very least lose nine holes, so those looking to see this golf course should do so before it is too late; if it is good enough to rank here, it is good enough to go to.

81. Heritage Pointe

De Winton

15th in Alberta

Course:

Desert/Heritage

Architect:

Ron Garl

Year Built:

1992

Max Rate:

$104

Photo credit: courtesy

Floridian architect Ron Garl’s routing is a toboggan hill—literally—up and down the prairie landscape, and particularly on the back nine, with the opening hole on the inward nine dropping a whopping 100 feet from the tee to the landing zone.

There is no denying the “Heritage” back nine is as dramatic as they come, especially given its location an hour and change east of the Rocky Mountains, but our panel preferred the Desert nine on the flat portion above the back nine. Certainly more low-key, the green complexes steal the show, with ridges and sharp falloffs, like that on the 7th, providing quite a unique flavour. We imagine the public will see the Heritage side as the more fun part of the golf course, especially ending on the island green, but the contrasting styles appealing to different audiences are an asset in itself for Heritage Pointe.

80. Shadow Mountain

Cranbrook

23rd in British Columbia

Architect:

Graham Cooke & Wayne Carleton

Year Built:

2009

Max Rate:

$109

Photo credit: Golf Ontario

Routed through a sandy property at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Graham Cooke & Wayne Carleton took advantage of the property’s assets, tapping into Pine Valley’s general aesthetic and concept to provide a public experience that is is arguably above the rest in the area.

Direct homages to Pine Valley include the par 3, 8th playing over a massive bunker complex and paying tribute to the famed one-shot hole at Pine Valley’s 5th; the Great Hazard on the par 5, 5th; the 7th calling back to the risk-reward tee shot at PV’s 6th; and the general bunker style—although we admit it is a bit of a stretch to directly compare the 80th best public golf course in Canada to the best golf course in the world.

79. Seguin Valley

Seguin

20th in Ontario

Architect:

Ted George

Year Built:

2004

Max Rate:

$109.95

Photo credit: courtesy

If any golf course utilizes the Muskoka landscape so dominantly in its routing, we have yet to see it. As such, Seguin Valley’s personality is engulfed in the rock outcroppings, swampy hazards, and beautiful foliage, which leads to one of the more attractive rounds in a rather notable region.

First-time visitors will be quick to identify the par 3, 7th as the signature hole, playing across Back Lake connected by a man-made bridge (including the artificial turf front tee boxes), but the group of par 5’s after the opening hole is excellent, including the 5th and the wonderful 10th, which uses rock outcroppings in a brilliant manner.

78. Timberwolf

Sudbury

19th in Ontario

Architect:

Thomas McBroom

Year Built:

1998

Max Rate:

$73.45

Photo credit: Golf Sudbury

Routed through the swampy, rocky landscapes of Northern Ontario, Sudbury’s premiere public golf course is an exacting, yet riveting Thomas McBroom golf course.

Unfortunately, the prospect of the lost ball does dominate this layout, but that is not to say there is no quality here (overwhelmingly so, in fact). The drivable par 4, 5th from a high tee surrounding the area below is both an attractive hole to look at and play, while the par 3’s—highlighted by the long 15th with its bail out up the right—-are the real star of the show.

77. Roseland

Windsor

18th in Ontario

Architect:

Donald Ross, Ray Hearn

Year Built:

1926

Max Rate:

$49.50

Photo credit: courtesy

Donald Ross worked quite a bit across the Detroit River, but only ventured across to work twice in Windsor: at Essex, which ranks comfortably inside our Top 100 Golf courses list; and at Roseland, a municipal golf course recently restored by Ray Hearn.

Ross’ style of architecture here is surprisingly demanding, with greens set above their surroundings and sharp drop-offs, either into bunkers or rough. Off the tee, grass-faced bunkers impose on the ideal lines with elaborate schemes to challenge and inspire play. As expected with Ross, the internal contours in the greens are rather excellent.

76. Gallagher’s Canyon

Kelowna

22nd in British Columbia

Course:

Canyons

Architect:

Bill Robinson

Year Built:

1980

Max Rate:

$159

Photo credit: courtesy

High above the valley and the City of Kelowna, Gallagher’s Canyon side-winds its way through the tall pines and rolling terrain of British Columbia’s interior.

Fans of both the drivable par 4 and the short par 3 will be pleased to find they come quickly, with the 2nd and 3rd, respectively, introducing the golfer following a brutish opening hole on what some argue is Bill Robinson’s best eighteen hole design. The 6th, pictured above, is a beautiful risk-reward par 5, while on the 10th green side bunkering seems to call back to Stanley Thompson. On the inward nine, the par 4, 15th over some of the best rolling land in Kelowna is an excellent par 4, and the short two-shot 18th avoids the cliché of an uphill, long closing hole.

75. Fort McMurray

Fort McMurray

14th in Alberta

Course:

Black Bear/Fox Tail

Architect:

Bill Newis, Wayne Carleton

Year Built:

2017

Max Rate:

$110

Photo credit: Chris Fry/Albatross Images

Northern Canada’s relationship with the boreal forest and the environment it finds itself in generally provides challenging golf courses, and the same is true at Fort McMurray, a recently renovated Bill Newis & Wayne Carleton design following the devastating fires of 2016.

The golf course provides three nine hole loops: Fox Tail, Big River, and Black Bear, with the Black Bear loop comprising the front nine, and Fox Tail finishing the golf course for the combination that made this list.

A rather abrasive start, tumbling down into the river valley, allows the golfer to get to the Athabasca River as fast as possible for the 2nd and 3rd before returning inland until the 12th. Of particular interest, the set of par 3’s is excellent, and the finishing stretch, including the drivable par 4, 17th, is a ton of fun.

74. Manoir Richelieu

La Malbaie

6th in Québec

Course:

Tadossauc/Richelieu

Architect:

Herbert Strong, Darrell Huxham

Year Built:

1925

Max Rate:

$89

Rather than including the more picturesque and extreme St. Laurent nine, our panel has (somewhat controversially) chosen the Tadossauc & Richelieu combo, which dates back to Herbert Strong’s original golf course in 1925.

The golf course we play today is essentially one Darrell Huxham built over most of Strong’s routing, and some of the old school features make for the most interesting golf: Strong’s old 18th became the 4th, a funky and unique drivable par 4, immediately followed by the plunge down into the valley with the St. Lawrence River in the background.

Interestingly, this is the only golf course on either Top 100 list we have published to start on a par 3.

73. Coal Creek

Ryley

13th in Alberta

Architect:

Sid Puddicombe

Year Built:

2012

Max Rate:

$89

Photo credit: Go East of Edmonton

Golf is perhaps the only game, activity, or sport where you could drag someone out to Ryley, Alberta, and impress them with an enthralling amenity, but that is the case for Coal Creek, Sid Puddicombe’s magnum opus.

The obvious shoutout is the bunkering, which is very obvious and beautiful, featuring black sand from the local coal mine. Puddicombe certainly uses them liberally, which helps emphasize of the strategies on some of the great holes found throughout, like the approach coming into the 2nd, the shorter 7th, and the drivable 12th. There is restraint on holes 6, 9, and 10, which helps provide a well-rounded golfing experience.

72. Wildstone

Cranbrook

21st in British Columbia

Architect:

Jeff Lawrence for Gary Player Design

Year Built:

2011

Max Rate:

$88

Photo credit: TripAdvisor

A surprising amount of A-list talent came together to help Gary Player Design build Wildstone, including Jeff Lawrence, Trev Dormer, and Rob Collins, and the details show. The bunkering is among the most interesting in a golf-rich area for public golf, and perhaps in the province.

The talent that came together might be a surprise, but the results are not given the résumés of the crew: Dormer has been a part of Coore & Crenshaw’s shaping team for a while, Rob Collins is one half of the design team behind Sweetens Cove and Landmand, and Jeff Lawrence was one of Tom Fazio’s key guys before coming to Gary Player Design.

Those who visit will find solace in the beauty and superb green at the 4th, and the 17th, with the 1st/12th shared bunker complex being a real beauty.

71. Bond Head

Beeton

17th in Ontario

Course:

South

Architect:

Jason Straka

Year Built:

2005

Max Rate:

$110

Photo credit: GolfPass

Wide, expansive fairways are the name of the game here, with Jason Straka’s creative architecture finding ways to challenge the golfer throughout. As a standout, the green complexes are rather daring and exciting, with numerous pockets, shelves, humps, bumps, and wings to provide a stark contrast on daily play and increase memorability on repeat plays.

Standout features include the turtle back 3rd, the wicked green at the 5th, the drivable 6th, the sharp dogleg at the 10th, the long 15th, and the par 3, 17th, which provide adequate room and strategy to provide drama, risk, reward, and triumph.

In recent years, Clublink has let Bond Head’s South course—the preferred of the two layouts for our panel—go, with conditions and care slipping. Let’s hope Golf North returns the South to what it once was.

70. Eagle Ranch

Invermere

20th in British Columbia

Architect:

Bill Robinson

Year Built:

2000

Max Rate:

$159

Primarily working its way through a gently rolling property set atop a bench between the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Columbia River to the west, Bill Robinson’s effort is commendable, navigating the limestone gully’s and thick forest.

There are a number of odd decisions that will surely stick in golfers’ memories: the par 4, 9th is demanding, with its forced carry layup, while the par 4, 10th features a row of trees dividing the fairway in two, as well as the head-scratching 18th. The three holes separated at the southernmost part of the property almost feel like an interlude between the excellent par 3, 11th, roller coaster 12th and the signature par 3, 16th tucked into the hillside, while the short par 4, 7th is an excellent drive & pitch hole.

69. Le Géant

Mont-Tremblant

5th in Québec

Architect:

Thomas McBroom

Year Built:

1995

Max Rate:

$89

Reborn after being closed due to the pandemic, Thomas McBroom’s layout, which was once ranked as high as 12th in the country according to SCOREGolf, has returned to good form according to our Alex Hunter, who visited the club last summer.

The front 9, which begins in the valley until it climbs into more dramatic terrain at the 3rd, is sure to elicit strong reactions—with tight fairways and a number of greens cut halfway up ridges, it is not an easy task to navigate. The back 9, which affords wonderful views of downtown Tremblant and its famous ski slopes, is a little gentler and stronger, with the strategic par 4, 11th, the side bending par 5, 12th, and the dramatic final two holes being the standouts. 

68. Salmon Arm

Salmon Arm

19th in British Columbia

Course:

Champions

Architect:

Les Furber

Year Built:

1994

Max Rate:

$75

Photo credit: courtesy

The Shuswap is one of the more underrated areas in British Columbia for a vacation or for golf, and that is particularly because of Salmon Arm, a rather impressive Les Furber golf course over some very dynamic ground. In fact, the ground is evidently on the 1st, a brilliant reverse canted fairway on a dogleg left two-shot hole. The rolling fairways on the long par 5, 4th and the short 15th are exacting and Golden Age-esque, while the controversial dogleg holes from Furber pop up often on the 3rd, 8th, 10th, and 13th.

Depending on your tastes, the par 5, 11th is either love-it-or-hate-it moment, but there is no denying the beauty of the par 3, 17th, a stunning penultimate hole with some of Furber’s most attractive bunkering.

67. Whistler

Whistler

18th in British Columbia

Architect:

Ed Seay for Arnold Palmer Design

Year Built:

1983

Max Rate:

$190

Photo credit: Tourism Whistler

For some reason, Whistler is often seen as the “little sibling” to Big Sky, Nicklaus North, and Chateau Whistler, but that should not be the case: for some on our panel, this is one of, if not the best in the region, and a testament to the work Ed Seay and Arnold Palmer put in on this property.

Like the other Whistler golf courses, stunning views of Canada’s best ski region await, and truthfully, they surround the golf course. The architecture stands just as tall, with natural streams and some marshland providing a captivating canvas. First-time users will be keen to identify the finishing stretch as the highlight, but return visitors will find the subtlety of the par 3, 5th, the difficult 11th, and the charming opening hole to provide a wonderful golf course from start to finish.

66. Cooke Municipal

Prince Albert

3rd in Saskatchewan

Architect:

Huburt Cooke, Sid Puddicombe

Year Built:

2002

Max Rate:

$58

Golf on a sandy, rolling property in the expansive prairie landscape is what most architect’s dreams are made of, and at Cooke Municipal, local Hubert Cooke got the chance to see his dream play out much before anyone was considering Prince Albert golf destination.

The golf course’s inspiring start at the 1st—a tucked green behind a natural topographic ridge—and the 2nd with its heavily tilted green provide a little taste of what is to come, only slightly cooling off until the 6th, a blind, drivable par 4 with grass trench bunkers wrapping the edges. The 18th green is something Walter Travis might build, but the middle of the golf course, whether it be the sweeping dogleg left par 5, 11th back up to the clubhouse, the sneaky ridge short of the 13th, or the uphill par 3, 17th, fills out this excellent golf course nicely.

65. Digby Pines

Digby

6th in Nova Scotia

Architect:

Stanley Thompson

Year Built:

1929

Max Rate:

$85

Photo credit: Golfpass

With the expansion of Cape Breton’s golf scene, southern Nova Scotia has almost become an underrated golf destination, with Digby pines being one of the best you can play on the mainland.

From the get-go, the par 3, 2nd is the obvious show-stopper, and one of Stanley Thompson’s own favourite par 3’s, using it in multiple advertisements for his own firm. As if the 16th, next door to the 2nd, playing over Holdsworth Brook and the natural valley. The 18th provides some of the most inspiring bunkers on the property, but the 5th, 6th, and the exciting stretch from the 11th through the 14th provide just a taste of Thompson’s artistic vision.

64. Nicklaus North

Whistler

17th in British Columbia

Architect:

Jack Nicklaus

Year Built:

1996

Max Rate:

$189

Photo credit: Your Golf Travel

The popular town of Whistler, British Columbia is best-known for Whistler-Blackcomb, a world-renowned ski hill & resort, as well as host of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Nicklaus North is one of the handful of golf courses to help popularize it as a notable place to play golf in the summer, however, and upon a visitor’s first round, they understand why.

Most of the golf course winds itself through the marsh, with the towering Pacific Mountains looking high above the flat valley in which Jack Nicklaus’ routing takes us through.

The double green at the 3rd and the 12th is interesting and worthy of consideration, as well as some of the bunkering shapes and artistic flair, but the golf course really builds to the closing three holes. The 16th and 18th are longer par 4’s playing over Fitzsimmons Creek, while the par 3, 17th plays flush against Green Lake.

63. Storey Creek

Campbell River

16th in British Columbia

Architect:

Les Furber

Year Built:

1995

Max Rate:

$89

Photo credit: courtesy

Routed through the tall, mature Douglar Firs of Vancouver Island’s stunning Salmon Capital, Storey Creek is often put alongside Fairview Mountain and Predator Ridge’s Predator course as Les Furber’s best effort, at least among our panel. For good reason, too.

The 4th hole is a particularly spirited par 5, with a slight bend off the tee shot to the left, with a hazard eating into the fairway and landing zone in the spirit of A.W. Tillinghast’s “Great Hazard,” or Alister Mackenzie’s philosophy about there always being a route to the hole, but the most direct route is more troublesome. Rather inspired is the 13th green, featuring its clover shape tucked into the landscape and the trees, the 16th green sits beyond a natural ravine, and the dogleg right 18th asks the golfer to cut off as much as they can chew to attempt to get home in two, oer at the very least close enough to make it a three-shot hole.

62. Deerhurst

Huntsville

16th in Ontario

Course:

Highlands

Architect:

Thomas McBroom & Bob Cupp

Year Built:

1990

Max Rate:

$140

Photo credit: courtesy

The story goes that during Thomas McBroom and Bob Cupp’s collaboration years early in Mr. McBroom’s career, they traded: Bob Cupp’s vision at Beacon Hall, and McBroom’s vision at Deerhurst’s Highlands. The result is the grandfather of Muskoka resort golf, and the golf course ushered in a new area for cottage country.

The golf course notably features, small, heavily sloped green, with primary ridges separating various pin locations that put a premium on iron play coming in. Perhaps underlooked is the rotuing, which begins at a high point overlooking the valley below, meanders through the rocky, swampy Mukska landscape, finds its way in the expansive field adjacent to the golf course, and back into the intimate landscape provided.

61. Fairview Mountain

Oliver

15th in British Columbia

Architect:

Les Furber

Year Built:

1995

Max Rate:

$98

Photo credit: courtesy

A rather subdued Les Furber layout over the rolling, vineyard ridden hills of Oliver south of Kelowna, Fairview Mountain is an enjoyable, thrilling ride. The routing primarily finds itself tucked into the hillside of one of the beautiful Okanagan mountains, which lends way for dramatic plunges and climbs.

Generally, a Les Furber design is flamboyant and dramatic, relying on his own hand to make thongs exciting. On the other hand, Fairview Mountain is restrained, which lets the landscape talk. The result is a layout with holes like the par 4, 6th, doglegging right around a valley that doesn’t feel forced, but rather found – likewise for par 3, 4th, the 9th & 10th, and the dramatic par 4, 18th tumbling down into the landscape below in a thrilling fashion.

60. Glen Abbey

Oakville

15th in Ontario

Architect:

Jack Nicklaus

Year Built:

1973

Max Rate:

$241

Photo credit: Hamilton Halton Brant

Host of the Canadian Open a whopping 30 times between 1977 and 2018, Glen Abbey is one of Canada’s more notable golf courses because of its regular appearance on the PGA TOUR’s schedule.

It is relatively unknown that there was a Howard Watson design on this property that Jack Nicklaus overhauled in order to build the first Stadium course in North America. Large mounds line each fairway and small, severely sloped greens provide the “tournament experience” most seek when they play here.

The golf course is at its absolute best when it dives into the valley, beginning on the par 4, 11th and continuing there until the uphill par 3, 15th. The boomerang par 4, 17th is indeed unique, although controversial among our panel on whether it utilizes the template to its best ability.

59. Copper Point

Invermere

14th in British Columbia

Course:

Point

Architect:

Gary Browning & Wade Horrocks

Year Built:

1995

Max Rate:

$140

Photo credit: courtesy

Sound in architecture principals in a great setting like Invermere, British Columbia on the east side of the Rocky Mountains is a deadly combo, as made evident by the Point course at the popular Copper Point Resort.

A strong set of par 5’s is the backbone of Gary Browning & Wade Horrocks routing. Notably, the par 5, 3rd tumbling into the valley (above), and the par 5, 9th moving up, over, and back up are best-in-class for British Columbia. Nevertheless, the rest of the holes provide enough interest to make Copper Point a charmer: the par 4, 13th, playing against the ravine on the right before crossing it is an excellent par 4, as well as the Redan-inspired 2nd & 12th are both enjoyable.

Our panel specifically identified Copper Point’s strength as its ability to provide challenge in spots, while letting off the gas in others: the balance struck to accommodate a riveting golf course for low handicappers and an enjoyable one for high-handicappers is a true accomplishment.

58. Brunello

Halifax

5th in Nova Scotia

Architect:

Thomas McBroom

Year Built:

2002

Max Rate:

$159

Photo credit: Golf Course Gurus

Greater Halifax’s first notable golf course in two decades brought architect Thomas McBroom to the area, who re-created a very Muskoka-inspired layout. Not surprisingly, McBroom, who resides in Muskoka, captured the region’s beauty perfectly: Brunello works its way through the rocky outcroppings and swampy marshland, creating a demanding, stunning layout. So demanding, in fact, that in the 2019 Canadian Men’s Amateur, Brunello’s scoring average was a whopping 81.90, an astounding 5.73 shots harder than main host Glen Arbour.

Holes like the drop shot par 3, 2nd and the clover shaped par, 3,10th are excellent starting holes to their respective nines, while the finish hole is beefy in its own right, and the long par 5, 3rd is a beauty.

57. Radium

Radium Hot Springs

13th in British Columbia

Course:

Springs

Architect:

Les Furber

Year Built:

1988

Max Rate:

$116

Photo credit: TravelAdvisor

The Western side of the Canadian Rocky Mountains has produced numerous golf courses worth mentioning on a list like this, but one of the originals is Radium Resort’s Springs course, a beautiful Les Furber design near the famed Columbia River that takes full advantage of its setting with stunning, long views of the mountains.

The golf course primarily plays on the cliffs overlooking the river and the surrounding valley below, tucked into the town. Furber’s bunkering is random and sporadic, with various shapes, sizes, and styles to help direct golfers through the routing. Towering pines and stunning cliffside holes, like the par 3, 17th, continue to thrill golfers who visit this stunning region.

56. Kings Links

Delta

12th in British Columbia

Architect:

Robert Muir Graves, Bob Ahoy, Kenny Lamb

Year Built:

2002

Max Rate:

$65

Photo credit: courtesy

Golf on a property as bland and vanilla as King Links should not turn out as good as it had here, but that is a testament to the work put in by Robert Muir Graves, Bob Ahoy, and shaper Kenny Lamb, who took on the majority of the work on-site.

With a lack of natural features to work with, the team heavily relied on crowned, pushed up greens in a way that draws clear inspiration from Donald Ross’ Pinehurst No. 2. Similarly, unique shapes and winged greens provide dynamic pin locations in a way that William Flynn uses, although further complicated by the best-in-class green surroundings.

The par 5, 11th, inspired by Hogan’s Alley at Carnoustie along the northern perimeter fence, is worth the trip here alone.

55. Le Diable

Mont-Tremblant

4th in Québec

Architect:

Dr. Michael Hurdzan & Dana Fry

Year Built:

1995

Max Rate:

$119

Photo credit: courtesy

The East Coast’s response to British Columbia’s popular ski town of Whistler, Mont-Tremblant needed golf to make it 36 holes, which brought Le Diable (and its cousin Le Geant) to Canada’s big stage.

Hurdzan & Fry’s ability to consistently adapt to the various sites continues to impress at Le Diable, where expansive sand hazards sit at the base of the tall pines, with the famous ski hill overlooking. Holes like the par 3, 3rd and the middle stretch of the back nine explore the various terrains, and no mountain course would be complete without a drop shot par 3, as evident on the par 3, 6th tumbling down the cliff.

54. Kananaskis

Kananaskis

12th in Alberta

Course:

Lorette

Architect:

Robert Trent Jones Sr., Gary Browning

Year Built:

2002

Max Rate:

$140

Photo credit: Golfpass

Like its sibling No. 32 Mount Kidd, Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s Mount Lorette washed away in the historic Alberta floods in 2013. As a result, Albertan Gary Browning restored the RTJ features whilst adding playability.

The long views of the spectacular Rocky Mountains almost make the golfer feel like they are in a Microsoft screensaver, and the rugged bunkering combined with the stunning beauty of the Kananaskis River prove this would be among Canada’s prettiest even without the mountain setting.

The golf course hits its stride on the excellent stretch from the par 5, 14th, the par 3’s at the 15th and the 17th, and a wonderful par 5 on 16.

53. Northern Bear

Sherwood Park

11th in Alberta

Architect:

Jack Nicklaus & Chet Williams

Year Built:

2002

Max Rate:

$109

Photo credit: Play Golf Alberta

In recent years, former Nicklaus Design associate Chet Williams has made a name for himself at places like Whispering Pines (Texas) and Houston Oaks (Texas), but earlier in. his career, he played a key role in the development of Northern Bear, a standout Nicklaus near Edmonton.

Unique holes like the bowled green at the 11th, and the pseudo redan 17th provide a thrill for the architecture enthusiasts, while the routing, meandering through the marshland, provides drama on the topsy-turvy par 5’s and dramatic par 3’s. The finishing holes on either side of the pond to end the front and back nine are an overused Florida cliché, but there is far more to like here to justify a position on this list.

52. Taboo

Gravenhurst

14th in Ontario

Architect:

Ron Garl

Year Built:

2002

Max Rate:

$161

Photo credit: courtesy

Florida based architect Ron Garl only has a couple of Canadian golf courses, but his Muskoka excursion through the swampy, rocky land remains his best effort.

In fact, the swamp and rock do most of the talking here, which is a nice change of pace from some of the other standout Muskoka golf courses. Garl’s restraint in not only the routing, which remains walkable, and hazard selection puts an emphasis on fun.

Take the sandy par 3’s at the 3rd and 12th, both playing entirely over a waste bunker, a concept rarely found in a region such as the Muskoka’s.

Fear not, traditional Muskoka rock lovers, as the 18th employs a massive rock outcropping akin to a Leven template that’s sure to satisfy your craving.

51. Crowsnest Pass

Blairmore

10th in Alberta

Architect:

Les Furber, Gary Browning

Year Built:

1995

Max Rate:

$129

Photo credit: Visit Lethbridge

What started out as a Les Furber design quickly became a Les Furber & Gary Browning child following a land swap with one of the local mines. The switch allowed the golf course to go up into the mountainside more and leave the highway holes in history. Now, the golf course is better, with more interesting playing corridors and interest around the greens.

Those who were fond of the old layout should not panic. The current 6th/old 13th remains, yet improved around the green from Mr. Browning, as did the 8th, which has essentially stayed the same. The new holes are mostly the star of the show though, with the heavily forested 11th, the tiny par 3, 12th and the magnificent quasi-drivable par 4, 16th being absolutely stellar. The 17th is of the original Les Furber quirks, while the 18th does everything but avoid the cliché of the uphill finishing hole.