10 courses to play this season
People ask me all the time where to play and travel. I don’t like to make recommendations unless I’ve actually experienced a course or destination myself.
There are over 800 golf courses in Ontario, and I’ve played less than half of them, but each year I check off a few more. The reasons for playing vary a great deal. There are courses I want to play because of their history, their designer or something unique about them. Others may have to do with the geography, as in grouping courses for a road trip article. Sometimes it’s just because I’ve been invited.
This year I’m trying to be more organized in my approach and have several trips planned to different parts of the province. Following is a partial list of the courses I hope to play this season, along with the reason they’re on my list.
If you’ve played them or get to them before I do, I’d love to hear your comments.
Courses are listed in no particular order. To learn more about any of them, click on the name to link to their website.
(Niagara-on-the-Lake pictured above.)
I’ve been curious about this course since it opened in 2002. It’s a co-design from Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Jr. and is generally regarded as the best public course in the Ottawa Region.
Smuggler’s Glen Golf Club, Lansdowne
Smuggler’s was a popular choice in our listing last year of the Best Value Courses in Ontario. It’s carved out of the rugged Canadian Shield and said to rival Muskoka for scenery. There are gorgeous views of the St. Lawrence River from the clubhouse too.
Stone Ridge Golf Club, Elliot Lake
Last year I played Huron Pines in Blind River. It was spectacular and everyone tells me I should have also played Stone Ridge, a classic Ted Baker design in nearby Elliot Lake. It’s a long drive for GTA golfers but this year I plan to play them both with an overnight in between.
There’s a longstanding controversy about the oldest course in Ontario. Toronto Golf Club (1876) usually wins that argument but there’s evidence that golf was played at Niagara-on-the-Lake in 1875. I’m not going there as a detective to sort this one out, simply to play this historic nine-holer on the shores of Lake Ontario.
The Maples Golf & Sports Club, Noelville
About 20 years ago, I heard about a new course concept called Par 90. It involved 18 holes with three sets of tees on each that could turn each hole into a par 3, a par 4 or a par 5. My math isn’t good enough to calculate all the possible combinations, but the concept was turned into reality at The Maples in Noelville, which is about an hour south of Sudbury.
Port Hope Golf & Country Club, Port Hope
The club just celebrated it’s 100th anniversary which is noteworthy in itself but another reason I want to see it is a huge renovation and restoration they did a few years ago under the direction of Jason Miller. Part of that involved new holes on a recent acquisition of 55 acres of land along the bluffs overlooking Lake Ontario.
Years ago, I was a member at Summit Golf & Country Club and one year we had a huge influx of golfers who had been members at Uplands when it was 18 holes but left when it changed to nine. I heard glowing reports about the 1922 Stanley Thompson design but never played it. Looking to rectify that this summer.
Blairhampton Golf Club, Minden
Cottage country in Haliburton and The Kawarthas is a mystery to me, having spent most summers in Muskoka and Georgian Bay. A friend who has recently retired there tells me that I should definitely play Blairhampton Golf Club in Minden. A good recommendation is all the reason I need.
Niagara National Golf & Country Club, Stevensville
Located between Niagara Falls and Fort Erie, I’m told that Niagara National is one of those ‘hidden gems’ that often falls below the radar when people are discussing golf in the region. New ownership and huge renos five years ago have elevated the course. I think it’s worth a look.
Hard to believe that I still haven’t played Don Valley. This venerable Howard Watson design has been around for 70 years and may be one of the busiest courses in the province. Time to knock this one off my list.
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