Manitoba Golf Guide

By Todd Lewys W hen Ontario-based golf travel writer and photographer Grant Fraser thinks about mountainside golf courses in Canada, one immediately comes to mind. "While Canada has all kinds of great mountainside golf courses, I'd have to say that Grey Wolf Golf Course in Panorama, B.C., is the best mountainside course I've ever played," he says. "Its layout is excellent, it's very playable and the scenery is spectacular from start to finish." He adds that there's also a fabulous quartet of courses in Whistler, B.C. "What I recommend to vacationing golfers is to find areas where there are clusters of good golf courses. Whistler is that type of area, with courses like Whistler Golf Club, Nicklaus North, Big Sky, and the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club. You can easily play all four without having to drive a ton, and the golf and scenery is incredible." Another good spot in B.C. lies in its interior in the form of the Columbia Valley. "It's home to the Columbia Valley Golf Trail, which encompasses 10 golf courses that are in close proximity to each other," says Fraser. "They include Spur Valley, Radium Course, Springs Course, three Fairmont golf courses – Mountainside, River, and Creekside – and two more at Copper Point." The Golf Trail then concludes with gems such as Eagle Ranch and Windermere Valley. "It's a spectacular area that puts all kinds of great golf right at your fingertips," he says. "It's a fabulous golf destination. In Alberta, while I do like Banff Springs, I like the Jasper Park Lodge a little better. While both are Stanley Thompson gems, Jasper is a little more open which makes it a bit more playable and really opens mountain vistas up." Being from the Toronto area, Fraser also has plenty of recommendations for Manitobans looking to head east, noting there's plenty of great golf in Toronto and outside its city limits. "Within Toronto itself, I would recommend Angus Glen G.C., TPC Toronto and of course Glen Abbey G.C. in Oakville, which has hosted countless RBC Canadian Opens. Osprey Valley is another great choice with 54 holes of great golf." Travel outside the Big Smoke, and there's also plenty of fine golf to be found. "You might want to play a couple of courses in the city and then head over to Niagara on the Lake," he says. "Again, there's a cluster of fine golf courses. I would recommend Whirlpool, Peninsula Lake, and Grand Niagara." From there, intrepid golfers might want to drive from the Niagara area up north. "That's where Muskoka is. Again, there's all kinds of golf within easy reach. Courses include Rocky Crest, Muskoka Bay, Deerhurst Highlands, South Muskoka, Bigwin Island, Seguin Valley and more." Head further east, and you can sample some great golf in Quebec before traveling on to the Maritimes. "If you're looking to play in Quebec, Mont Tremblant is a great destination. It has two great courses in Le Geant and Le Diable. Both courses are challenging but fair, and the scenery is just spectacular. The Charlevoix region also is home to great golf with courses like Le Manoir Charlevoix, Club de Golf Murray Bay and Golf Le Loup De Baie St-Paul." Finally, there's the Maritimes. "If you travel to Nova Scotia, go to Cape Breton where there's another great cluster of courses in Cabot Links, Bell Bay and Highland Links, another Stanley Thompson design. Glen Arbor and Osprey Ridge, both of which are near Halifax, are also excellent golf courses. In PEI, I would recommend The Links at Crowbush Cove and Dundarave." Fraser says the diversity of golf courses in Canada is what makes golf in our country unique and special. "From the scenic mountain courses out west to the courses that cut through the Canadian Shield in Ontario and the ocean courses in Cape Breton, you can literally go anywhere and find great golf." Best Places to Play in Canada 08 GOLF GUIDE 2024 M A N I T O B A Greywolf Golf Course, Panorama B.C. Grant Fraser/GolfTheWorld.ca Cabot Links, Cape Breton Island. Grant Fraser/GolfTheWorld.ca "While Canada has all kinds of great mountainside golf courses, I'd have to say that Grey Wolf Golf Course in Panorama, B.C., is the best mountainside course I've ever played." — Grant Fraser Golf travel writer/photographer

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