Divot, Commonwealth Golf, Spring 2006

The golf is excellent along Canada’s coast-and so is everything else for the traveler.

The influence of water on Canada’s Maritime Provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia is everywhere. It affects and defines the land, culture, people, and their way of life. An example is the food, whether it be fresh catches of malbeque oysters in PEI, Digby scallops in Nova Scotia, or lobster and a daily variety of fish everywhere. The impact of water is readily apparent on the golf courses and resorts as well.

My journey to explore this region as a golf destination was an exceptional venture and discovery of seven golf and spa resorts defined by their location in relation to water. Some sites were set amidst dramatic landscapes framed by the rugged coast and the sea, others are found in idyllic settings of national or provincial park forests along rivers, lakes, or the Bay of Fundy. Others are set on the flat coastal plain at the ocean’s edge.

I found beautiful locations, challenging and interesting golf, and impeccable accommodations, spas, dining, and service. The relationship of private enterprise and the federal and provincial government is a uniquely Canadian arrangement at most of the resorts visited, with the government owning the property while the hotel and dining is managed by private companies. 

New Brunswick

The Fairmont Algonquin, in addition to golf, features a historic, charming, classic hotel, initially constructed in the late 1800s. It offers modern amenities, first-rate service and food, and gracious old world hospitality. The Tudor Style, four-story building and castle-like front is located in the quaint historic seaside village of St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, only 30 minutes from the Maine border.

The Thomas McBroom-redesigned Algonquin Golf Course offers a pleasant golf experience for all levels from its five sets of tees, as well as a challenge, especially from the tips. The layout and routing require shot-making to avoid getting into trouble created by some downhill, forced carries and hazard locations. There are a number of holes along the shore of Passamaquoddy Bay availing scenic water views.

Prince Edward Island

It’s about a seven-hour drive from Algonquin to Prince Edward Island, with the eight-mile-long Confederation Bridge offering a direct driving route. Rodd Hotel and Resorts manages three properties with golf on PEI, ranging from five to 30 years old. Each property delivers comfortable, spacious accommodations; full service spas; and dining featuring local delicacies taken from the waters nearby.

The Rodd Mill River Resort is in the Mill River Provincial Park, a wooded, rural setting that presents a casual and relaxing rustic ambience. The course-side restaurant and lounge, and the quiet setting, lend themselves to a restful stay that is ideal for families. The Rodd Spa Boutique, in the hotel, is a new state-of-the-art facility. The Mill River Golf Course, a parkland style track designed by Robbie Robinson, plays friendly, with its wide, forgiving fairways winding through rolling terrain. The difficulty here is found on the greens, which feature tricky and subtle breaks.

A two-hour drive from Mill River takes you to Rodd Crowbush Golf and Beach Resort, Atlantic Canada’s only five star/four diamond resort. The seaside setting of this relatively new resort (opened in 2001) and golf course (opened in 1993) on PEI’s North Shore is a visual treat. The staff here exudes a friendly, country charm; I found their focus on service and attention similar to the way you’d be treated by a good friend. The Rodd Spa Boutique’s personalized treatment and customized care, indoor pool, outdoor whirlpool, tennis courts, fitness center, and area activities including horseback riding, deep-sea fishing, kayaking, and biking add to the richness of this resort.

The Links at Crowbush Cove, a McBroom design, isn’t especially long but it’s very challenging, as a look at the slope ratings reveals. Only scratch players or masochists should tee it up from the back tees at 6,903 yards with a 148 slope, and middle handicappers should probably shy away from the 6,475-yard tees, which carry a 144 slope, in favor of the 6,004-yard markers (134 slope). The undulating fairways, frequent ocean breezes, water holes (including some along the ocean), pot bunkers, and potentially perplexing greens deliver a stern test. The tee on No. 15 provides a spectacular vista of the hotel, golf course, and shoreline north and south for miles.

An hour away sits the Rodd Brudenell River Resort on the banks of the eponymous river. The resort features 36 holes of golf at the Brudenell River Golf Course and Dundarave Golf Course. The Brudenell River course, a Robbie Robinson design, showcases six each of par threes, par fours, and par fives with wide fairways and well maintained greens amongst many gardens, lakes, and ponds. The 7,284-yard Michael Hurdzan/Dana Fry-designed Dundarave course opened in 1999. Its distinctive red sandstone offers generous fairways, but if you miss them you are in for a long day. The course, which has a 139 slope from the back tees, is dotted with 140 bunkers and lined with fescue rough. The resort offers choices of deluxe rooms, junior suites with views of the river or golf course from deck or balcony, two-bedroom cottages with kitchen and fireplace, or 50 country cabins.

We took the 75-minute ferry from Wood Island, PEI, to Nova Scotia rather than re-crossing the Confederation Bridge. Total travel time to the next resort was seven hours, but the scenic nature of the land and sea route was well worth it.

Nova Scotia

The Keltic Lodge Resort and Spa and Ingonish Beach is a majestic structure in a national park, perched atop a ragged, rocky ridge, with commanding views of the Atlantic Ocean in both directions. Whales may be sited just offshore during the summer. The lodge combines a classic hotel, fine dining, state-of-the art spa facilities, and an outdoor, heated swimming pool. The Purple Thistle Room offers an exceptional dining experience, with its open space and windowed walls providing the opportunity to enjoy ocean views.

Next to the lodge is the Scottish links style Highlands Links Golf Course, a 1939 Stanley Thompson design. Thompson makes the best use of the natural undulating terrain in his design, which features strategically placed small greens. He also employs clever mimicry of topographical features. The 15th hole is an outstanding example, with its green a mirror image of Whale Island sitting behind it in the bay. The location, history, and classic design make this course a true gem. 

Traveling south takes you over Mt. Smokey on a winding switchback road and offers spectacular Atlantic views along the rocky coast. This route is dotted with many shops showcasing local artisan wares-pottery, jewelry, stained glass, iron, leather, and wood works.

Located in the heart of the Cabot Trail is Inverary Resort in Baddeck, a village influenced by Celtic culture and music. The Inverary is part of Cape Breton Resorts, which owns and operates a number of golf and spa properties. Inverary Resort’s lakeside lodging, dining, and spa facilities and situated on the shore of the Bras d’Or Lakes. Located in town is the Alexander Graham Bell Museum, featuring the work of the inventor of the telephone, who had a summer estate in Baddeck.

You can sail in the early morning from the resort’s dock on Bell’s sailboat Elsie, and later take on a relative newcomer to the lineup of the region’s golf courses; Bell Bay Golf Club. This McBroom-designed, challenging parkland style layout is perched high, offering views of the lakes and the Bell Estate. It quickly earned acclaim after opening in 1998, and was the site of the Canadian Amateur in 2005. A lantern-lit pathway takes you to the outdoor tent pavilion adjacent to the 18th tee that offers diners a grand vista of the golf course, surrounding lake, cliffs, and bays.

A seven-hour drive southwest from Baddeck across much of Nova Scotia brings you to the Digby Pines Golf Resort & Spa, set on a hillside amongst evergreens, overlooking the Bay of Fundy. Operated as a Signature Resort property, the Digby Pines offers a classic experience of casual elegant lodging and fine dining in the Annapolis room. In addition to the 75 guest rooms in the main lodge, cottages are also available. A new full-service spa features state of the art facilities and treatments. 

The resort’s location, two hours by car from Halifax, one hour’s drive from the dock for the high-speed CAT ferry from Bar Harbor and Portland, Maine, and five minutes from the ferry to St. John, New Brunswick, makes it very accessible from various starting points. The Thompson-designed Digby Pines Golf Course, a parkland style layout, rolls easily through and amongst the pines, winding brooks, and ponds.

The nearby village of Digby is a charming, quaint seaside town with local shops and restaurants that is home to a large scallop fleet. Make sure to try the succulent, world-renowned Digby scallops.

Canada’s Maritime Provinces are a consummate golfer’s destination, with excellent courses designed by the likes of Thompson and McBroom. Some are relatively new, others are very old; but all are found in settings that emphasize the natural land.

Beyond golf, there is kayaking and canoeing on pristine lakes and rivers, wilderness hiking and seaside trail walking, bird and whale watching, and sailing to experience throughout the Maritimes. There are interesting towns to wander through; local crafts, culture, and music; as well as islands, mountains, and beaches to explore. On top of all that, the people of the Maritimes make the journey pleasurable. Their genuine warmth harkens back to a time when honesty, openness, and trust were commonplace characteristics. 

Whether you are tasting the regional delicacies, being pampered in luxurious spas, breathing in the ambience of old-world charm, or being spoiled by the friendly service, the region delivers a top-notch golf and travel experience-with a favorable exchange rate, besides.

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