Canada is known for many things: hockey, maple syrup and Canadian geese, just to name a few. While you might not immediately think that golf belongs near the top of the list of the country’s hallmarks, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that there are a number of spectacular venues to tee it up across the Great White North.
Canada is a vast country made up of 10 provinces and three territories covering 3.8 million square miles. The country’s golf season is fairly short, with peak months for play ranging from mid-April through October, depending on where you go.
So where should you go? Start by heading west, golf fans! Western Canada, particularly British Columbia and Alberta, is home to some of the country’s finest courses set against the stunning backdrop of the Canadian Rockies.
Start your journey by flying into Vancouver, the picturesque city in British Columbia’s southwest corner. From there, take a quick ferry trip over to Vancouver Island to visit the province’s capital city of Victoria. On the island, be sure to check out Westin Bear Mountain, Canada’s only 36-hole Nicklaus Design resort.
Vancouver consistently ranks as one of North America’s top places to live. Between golf rounds, be sure to save time to walk through Stanley Park and take in the view from its seawall or cross over the Lions Gate Bridge and immerse yourself in nature at the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
Then head east to Calgary, Alberta, located just 45 minutes east of the idyllic town of Banff, home to one of the world’s most scenic national parks. For golf, the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course was designed by Stanley Thompson more than 100 years ago and has attracted visits from world leaders and Hollywood actors. In 2006, the course hosted a Skins Game match with Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, John Daly, Sergio Garcia and Stephen Ames. It’s so scenic that you may have a hard time focusing on your swing without being distracted by the surrounding beauty.
A few hours north of Banff is Jasper Park Lodge, featuring another Stanley Thompson layout that dates back to 1924. The course’s surrounding mountains are home to a wide variety of wildlife, including elk and even an occasional bear.
Silvertip Resort
If you prefer the road less traveled, hop aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train and take a guided golf tour across British Columbia and Alberta. Premier Golf, a luxury travel company, is currently offering a 10-day golf and Rocky Mountain train package in August. Along with Banff Springs, the trip includes stops at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, where views of the crystal blue waters will make you wonder if you are in the Swiss Alps, as well as golf at Silvertip Resort in Canmore, a true mountain golf experience with 600 feet of elevation changes.
Although Canada’s rugged west offers plenty of world-class golf options, don’t overlook the east, particularly Nova Scotia, the country’s easternmost province. Nova Scotia is home to Cabot Cliffs and Cabot Links, which both rank on Golf Digest’s list of World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses. Tee times sell out quickly, so plan at least a year in advance.
While in Nova Scotia, make your way to Cape Breton Island and tee it up at Highland Links, a remote Stanley Thompson layout that hasn’t changed much since he designed it in 1939. North of Cape Breton is Fox Harb’r, an immaculate resort course with a private airstrip that has attracted visits from a vacationing Tiger Woods.
Cabot Links Golf Resort
Another east coast must-visit is Prince Edward Island, or PEI as it’s known to the locals. Canada’s smallest province is also home to its best golf bargains with numerous public courses, including The Links at Crowbush Cove, which was named Canada’s Best New Course by Golf Digest when it opened in 1994.
Whether you decide to head west into the scenic Canadian Rockies, venture eastward to the rugged coast of Nova Scotia, or make other stops in between, a Canadian golf adventure is worth the journey northward.
To explore a trip to Canada visit Premier Golf here.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
