It’s an exhilarating ride (or walk) at Duntroon Highlands

Course at a Glance

Location: Duntroon, Ontario
Designed by: Dalton Sampson
Opened: 1986
Type: Public Golf Course
Holes: 18
Par: 71
Yardage: White: 5,903 / Yellow: 5,496 / Red: 5,128
The Course: Dramatic elevation changes on the Niagara Escarpment with majestic views out to Georgian Bay; relatively short but quite demanding based on the hills; very pretty course.
Rates: M-T $72 walking / FSS $82 Walking

My Review

As we walked up to the starter’s hut at Duntroon Highlands, the starter rushed over to ask if we wanted a cart.

“No thanks. We’re good.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yup, no problem.”

“OK, we have oxygen and a defibrillator here if you need it.”

Funny guy. It was our first time at the course. Perhaps we should have taken the starter seriously. Or paid more attention to the fact that it was called “Highlands.” Maybe the steep downhill fairway on the first hole should have been a clue that at some point you have to walk back up those slopes too.

But it was a beautiful day for a walk, so off we went.

Overview

Duntroon Highlands is perched high on the Niagara Escarpment just south of Collingwood. It’s a golf course where the setting is as much a part of the experience as the golf. From its elevated position, the property looks across the surrounding countryside toward Georgian Bay, while the course itself moves up and down the dramatic terrain, dotted with ponds and creeks and large stands of pines and mature hardwoods.

The course opened in 1986, but its origins are rather different from those of many Ontario courses of the era. It was developed by Dalton Sampson on farmland that had been in his family for generations. Rather than bringing in a recognized golf course architect, Sampson essentially created the course himself, with some input from a friend who owned another golf course. His objective was to preserve the character and natural beauty of the property, and the finished layout reflects that philosophy.

The result is an 18-hole, par-71 layout measuring just under 6,000 yards from the white tees. The routing has a distinctly varied character: some holes are relatively level and open, while others climb or descend dramatically. Water comes into play on 12 holes, and mature maple trees frame many of the fairways.

Elevation is the defining feature. Duntroon is not simply a course with a few hills; the Escarpment shapes the way many holes are played. There are downhill drives that invite golfers to take advantage of gravity, uphill approaches where the landing area may be difficult to see and greens perched on slopes that make recovery shots particularly demanding.

The greens are another important part of the challenge. They tend to be relatively small and contoured, with slopes that can make both approach shots and putting more complicated than the yardage might suggest. Those surrounding slopes can make a missed approach particularly costly too.

My Favourite Holes

The opening hole provides an immediate introduction to Duntroon’s personality. The 490-yard par-5 plays downhill, but the apparent invitation to hit a big drive comes with a catch: the fairway bends sharply and the right side can leave the player blocked out. A creek also becomes a factor on the approach.

The 5th is one of the more interesting par-4s. A pond tempts longer hitters to take an aggressive line from the elevated tee, requiring a 230-yard carry. The conservative option is to lay up to the right and play uphill to a two-tiered green that introduces another challenge entirely.

No. 9 is Duntroon’s signature hole and arguably its most memorable. From the elevated tee, you look down across the property, with a pond below and large trees framing the right side. I can reach the pond with my drive but can’t get over it. Laying up leaves a brutally long uphill approach to a well protected green.

No. 15, a 502-yard par-5, is the longest and toughest hole on the course. Playing uphill and often into the wind, it combines out-of-bounds along the left, a creek crossing the fairway and a pond protecting the green, tucked into one of the prettiest settings on the course.

Final thoughts

As noted, the scenery and the majesty of the Niagara Escarpment dictate the personality of Duntroon Highlands. Even though the course wasn’t designed by a professional golf course architect, Sampson’s love of the land and his knowledge of it’s unique nature shine through.

It’s a fun course and I try to play it at least once a year. I’ve walked it and taken a cart, but on foot is always the better option. No oxygen required.

For more information about Duntroon Highlands, click HERE.