Jan 23, 2015

Favorites, Disappointments and Bucket List Golf Courses from a Canadian Golf Blogger

This is the time of the year I begin to have a real itch to play golf. The PGA Merchandise Show is in full swing down in Orlando. Buying and selling golf clubs takes on a new meaning and planning a golf vacation for the upcoming golf season is in full swing.

So here’s a few of my favorites and not so favorite golf courses that I’ve played over the years when I get a break from the family and a few more I’m hoping to play real soon to cross off that bucket list.



Favorite Golf Courses Played
Hands down Cabot Links in Inverness Nova Scotia is my favorite golf course played in Canada. A few years ago I had the pleasure of playing a bunch of beautiful golf courses in the Cape Breton area of Nova Scotia and the newly built Cabot Links was on that list. Considered the only true links course in Canada Cabot Links is a must play for the avid golfer.

Over two days I got to play the not only challenging but very playable Cabot Links. The course was in beautiful condition and the minimalist approach taken by Cabot is perfect for this pristine piece of property that once was an old coal mine. With amazing views of the Gulf of St. Lawrence you are guaranteed to get caught up in the majestic beauty of the golf course.

Cabot Links was the first golf course I got to play with a caddy and the first course I had the pleasure of playing a few holes with my wife who was along for the week long golf ride.



There are many golf courses in the Muskoka area of Ontario and I have played a few but the Deerhurst Highlands Course was a course that surpassed my expectations. With a variety of holes and challenges for every type of golfer Deerhurst Highlands golf course was a course you could easily play 36 holes in a day and come away with a huge smile on your face. It’s just an all around top notch facility. Make sure you have the Cedar Plank Salmon at Steamers in between rounds.

Disappointments
I’ve never met a golf course I didn’t enjoy some aspect of but here a few that left me just a tad disappointed.

Highland Links Golf Course
On my Cape Breton trip a few years ago I finally got to play Highland Links. With all the accolades heaped on the course I was disappointed with the conditions as well as I found it one of the toughest courses to play with so many uneven lies from the fairway it made for a very high scoring round. Maybe it was the day or poor golf I played but Highland Links left me wanting more.

Devil’s Paintbrush
A beautifully conditioned golf course outside of the GTA, I found a few of the holes on the course contrived with way to many blind tee shots and very unforgiving bunkers. The layout had me wondering what it’s sister course, Devil’s Pulpit had to offer.


Bucket List – Must Play
This list can change depending on my mood or where I’m planning on traveling to in the near future but here are a few must play from a golf starved blogger.

Cabot Cliffs
Looks like it’s opening up this July and indications are it’s on a more spectacular piece of land than it’s brother course, Cabot Links. This one two punch will make Inverness, Nova Scotia one of the top golf resort destinations in the World.



Valderrama Golf Club
Looks I’ll be heading to Spain in April and what better course to cross off the bucket list than the world famous Valderrama Golf Club. Having held the Ryder Cup back in 1997 Valderrama packs a wallop playing from the pro tees at 6,990 yds. (source). This is one golf course that needs to be crossed off the bucket list. Will keep you updated

Lahinch Golf Club
Started by Old Tom Morris in 1894, English designer Martin Hawtree remodeled the greens giving more size and slope and adding bunkers and reshaping fairways. The result is a remade masterpiece one of the best in Ireland (Phil Mickelson has called it his favorite links course). I've been to Ireland before back in the late 1990s but didn't golf at the time. I'd love to go back to County Clare, Ireland and play Lahinch. It would be a dream.

So what are some of your favorite golf courses, disappointments or bucket list courses?

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I can't believe that some of those courses are golf courses. They just look like some places you go for the scenery! I would love to golf on that first golf course with the ocean like that. http://www.willoughbygolfclub.com

Christina said...

I don`t know. Being that close to the ocean, woudn`t the weather be too windy? I`m not a professional golfer, but I don`t see how the golf ball could stay on its direction if it`s too windy.

SMITH said...

Have I ever found myself confused by the number of golf courses I can play in? I want to know how to distinguish a good golf course from a crappy one? I think I knew the all answers here in this article.