The Top Canada Golf Courses You Can Play

Best Public Golf Courses in Canada: Mountain Views & Unforgettable Experiences

Canada is home to some of the most stunning public golf courses in the world, offering golfers breathtaking mountain views and unforgettable experiences.

From the majestic Rockies to the lush forests of British Columbia, each course provides a unique blend of natural beauty and challenging play. Whether you’re teeing off at the iconic Banff Springs or navigating the scenic fairways of Jasper Park Lodge, you’re in for a remarkable adventure.

Discover the best public golf courses in Canada and enjoy world-class golf amidst awe-inspiring landscapes.

1. Banff Springs

Banff Springs is located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site Banff Springs National Park. A collection of world-class golf holes that utilize the natural, dramatic landscape, with elevation changes, and breathtaking scenery. 

The famous 4th hole “Devil’s Cauldron” is a downhill three-shotter ranging from 79 to 192 yards, and you must carry the emerald green lake in front of the green.

Enjoy the dramatic Mt. Rundle to one side of the track and the azure waters of the Bow River to the other, it’s easy to get distracted from the golf, especially if a bear or herd of elk pass by! Many people love this course so much they schedule it twice on the same vacation.

Opened: 1927
Par: 71
Length: 6938 yards
Designers include: Stanley Thompson, C. E. Robbie Robinson
Difficulty: 72.9/135

2. Jasper Park Lodge

Another one of Stanley Thompson’s masterpieces, the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Course is one of the finest courses in Canada. Set overlooking the crystal waters of Lake Beauvert, this classic era course is a good challenge without being too difficult, ensuring the golf remains enjoyable and in-keeping with the spectacular scenery and exquisite resort experience.

Visitors enjoy this course for the scenery and because the conditions are always beautiful. It’s also not uncommon to see wildlife on the course, such as bears and elk.

Opened: 1925
Par: 71
Length: 6663 yards
Designers include: Stanley Thompson
Difficulty: 71.6/130

3. Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club

Another great Fairmont course in Canada, Chateau Whistler is not overly long but sitting at the base of Blackcomb Mountain ski area, the holes traverse creeks and lakes in a stunning landscape.

This is our favorite of the Whistler area courses, and Robert Trent Jones Jr’s team molded one of their finest courses here and most memorable holes, including the 8th hole, a par three at over 200 yards downhill to a green surrounded by rocks, water and sand. Pick the right club!

Opened: 1993
Par: 72
Length: 6635 yards
Designers include: Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Donald Knott, Gary Linn
Difficulty: 71.9/136

4. Kananaskis Country Golf Course – Mount Kidd

As beautiful as its sister course, the Mount Kidd layout is more notorious for the extensive sand traps and mountain features of the course. The Mt Kidd course is hilly with lots of trees and elevation changes, and plays much tighter than the sister Mt Lorette course. Both layouts are equally exceptional as each other, and among the world class golf holes and spectacular scenery, you will also likely be visited by some of the local wildlife, ensuring a memorable experience.

This is one of the best value courses in Alberta and guarantees great bang for the buck!

Opened: 1983
Par: 72
Length: 7136 yards
Designers include: Robert Trent Jones, Sr., Roger Rulewich
Difficulty: 73.7/140

5. Kananaskis Country Golf Course – Mount Lorette

One of the two Robert Trent Jones Sr. designs at Kananaskis, Mt Lorette is set in the foothills of the mountain from which it was named. 

Water impacts play here, and although this adds a depth of challenge for the golfer, it also provides spectacular reflections of the mountains that tower above, near the Nakiska ski area that hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics races. It’s a flatter track than Mt Kidd, but equally challenging and beautiful.

Opened: 1983
Par: 72
Length: 7232 yards
Designers include: Robert Trent Jones, Sr., Roger Rulewich
Difficulty: 74.6/139

6. Stewart Creek Golf & Country Club

Another of the great Banff and Canmore area courses, Stewart Creek G&CC has won numerous environmental awards and the mountainside setting is stunning. It can play tight from the tee, but the elevation changes are not as extreme as other nearby courses and therefore the penalties for errant shots are not as dire.

Interestingly, the first hole might be the signature hole, at just under 400 yards and bending right with a mountainous backdrop. The downhill 9th hole is impressive too, with a 200 yard shot downhill to a small green, where once again, golfers can get distracted by the views.

Opened: 2000
Par: 71
Length: 7009 yards
Designers include: Scott Miller, Gary Browning
Difficulty: 73.0/128

7. Silvertip Golf Course

Talk about a beautiful golf course! Silvertip is in Canmore, Alberta not far from Banff and traverses the side of a mountain with beautiful views and some challenging holes.

There are some exciting blind shots and plenty of trees along the fairways, so bring your “fairway finder” and keep the ball in play. The 4th hole is perhaps the most stunning, with a 100 foot drop to the fairway and views for miles.

Golfers walk away their Canadian Rockies golf experience at Silvertip with some memorable shots and plenty of photographs of the gorgeous mountain scenery.

Opened: 1997
Par: 72
Length: 7140 yards
Designers include: Les Furber Design
Difficulty: 74.6/146

8. Big Sky Golf and Country Club

About half an hour north of Whistler is Big Sky G&CC, built in a marshy area and like many other British Columbia courses, has spectacular views of mountains as far as the eye can see. The 8,200 foot Mt Currie dominates the sky, but don’t look up too much or the trees and water might devastate your score. 

Seven sets of tees makes certain that it is playable for all skill levels, and everyone will remember the par five 4th hole, which can stretch to over 600 yards, and the creek crosses the fairway no less than four times! The service is excellent and the visitors are treated like members, making Big Sky a must play in BC golf.

Opened: 1993
Par: 72
Length: 7001 yards
Designers include: Bob Cupp, John Fought 
Difficulty: 71.7/133

9. Bear Mountain Golf and Country Club – Mountain Course

This Jack & Steve Nicklaus design, located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, is a masterpiece maximizing the natural terrain. The mountainous topography creates elevation changes that add to the test, as the holes are framed with spectacular views. 

This is a good test of golf, with a high slope of 152 from the tips, making it one of the most challenging British Columbia golf courses. Accuracy of the tee and the ability to play from uneven lies are key to scoring well on this testing, but enjoyable layout.

Opened: 2003
Par: 71
Length: 6820 yards
Designers include: Jack Nicklaus, Steve Nicklaus
Difficulty: 73.1/142

10. Nicklaus North Golf Course

The second of several Nicklaus courses in British Columbia, Nicklaus North GC has hosted numerous tournaments and is a classic risk-reward course. Nicklaus routes the holes so it can punish you if you try to force shots, but play too conservatively and you’ll find longer approaches to penal greens.

The long 17th hole stretches to 236 yards, so from the beginning pick from the proper set of five tee boxes so that your day does not end in Green Lake. Site of Skins Games and Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf, greats such as Fred Couples and Vijay Singh have praised Jack’s first British Columbia golf course.

Opened: 1996
Par: 71 
Length: 6961
Designers include: Jack Nicklaus
Difficulty: 73.0/138

11. Whistler Golf Club

The Arnold Palmer-designed Whistler Golf Club draws golfing crowds to the famed ski resort through the summer months. Located right in Whistler Village, the course maximizes the tall pines and lush scenery to create a sense of escape in the wilderness.

Upgraded in 2012, including new bentgrass greens, you’ll find a selection of small lakes that help define the layout, along with stunning snow-capped mountain views.

Opened: 1983
Par: 71
Length: 6722 yards
Designers include: Palmer Course Design Co., Ed Seay, Olson, Beatty & Hnatiuk Golf Design
Difficulty: 71.7/133

12. Olympic View

At the heart of the Vancouver Islands golf scene, Olympic View offers exceptional year-round golfing in the mild British Columbia climate. The scenery includes views over the ​​Strait of Juan de Fuca to Washington, USA.

A dozen lakes dotted around the forest form the primary hazards, the waterfall that backs the 17th green is an unmissable photo opportunity.

Opened: 1990
Par: 72
Length: 6600 yards
Designers include: Bill Robinson, Ted Locke
Difficulty: 72.7/133

13. Canmore Golf and Curling Club

Neighboring Silvertip, Cranmore is another Les Furber layout in the Canadian Rockies. Dating back to 1926, this was one of the first layouts to be established in the region, helping put the Rockies on the golfing map.

Offering mountain views, the course features extensive water hazards, including the Bow River that runs alongside. While it may not have the acclaim and gravitas of some of its surrounding courses, Cranmore makes for a great addition to an Alberta golf tour.

Opened: 1926
Par: 71
Length: 6470 yards
Designers include: Les Furber Design
Difficulty: 69.6/122

14. Fairwinds Golf Club

Located on Vancouver Island’s East coast, the Les Furber design, Fairwinds, offers scenic views over the Georgia Strait. Proudly an Audubon-certified course, a connection to nature is afforded throughout.

A testing layout requires a strategic and considered approach. The undulating greens and forest-lined fairways make for a test for any standard.

Opened: 1983
Par: 71
Length: 6204 yards
Designers include: Les Furber Design
Difficulty: 72.7/121

15. Bear Mountain Golf and Country Club – Valley Course

The Valley Course at Bear Mountain offers stunning views of Vancouver Island as it meanders through native forest.

The layout is a little more friendly than its sister ‘Mountain Course’, offering wider fairways, fewer sand and water hazards, and larger, less undulating green complexes. The two tracks make for a great combination, designed by the Golder Bear himself.

Opened: 2009
Par: 71
Length: 6807 yards
Designers include: Jack Nicklaus
Difficulty: 72.9/135

16. Furry Creek Golf and Country Club

Known as the most scenic golf course in British Columbia, Furry Creek’s setting along the pristine Howe Sound Bay leaves little competition.

A relatively short course, at just over 6,000 yards, the layout provides elevation changes and doglegs through tight tree lined fairways—a test of skill and accuracy.

Opened: 1993
Par: 71
Length: 6060 yards
Designers include: Robert Muir Graves, Ted Locke
Difficulty: 70.0/125

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