Emphasis is given to publicly accessible golf courses, resort operations, and private clubs that permit forecaddie-accompanied or unaccompanied guest play with advance arrangement.

Private clubs are not excluded, in fact there are many clubs that will be featured on this site. But they are held to a higher standard. To earn a must-play recommendation, they must demonstrate exceptional architectural merit that balances the limited access.

If your private club is not listed or in a lower tier, but you believe it to be of higher quality than the public-access courses included, it may simply not have met the elevated criteria required for private clubs.

Courses listed are alphabetically categorized into 4 buckets. Each province list is independent of another - categorization is based on courses in the respective province at this time.

Must play - A golf course you should make every effort play.

Medium Recommend - A golf course that would be an excellent addition to any itinerary or a highly recommended golf course for locals.

Light Recommend - A golf course that would be suitable for locals or the travelling golfer who has seen the other courses above.

Unverified Recommendation - A golf course that has been presented for comment but has not been evaluated by staff.

If a course is not listed it has not been presented for evaluation or was excluded from the website on purpose.

Like life, the game of golf requires variety, both in design concepts and in playability. Shot options for players of all abilities are prioritized over brutally difficult or one dimensional golf courses. Setting and use of topography are important factors, but special settings do not override architectural integrity.

Consistent playing conditions that match the design aesthetic and concepts should be considered over courses which are purely green and soft. Firm and fast playing conditions are celebrated here.

These evaluations strongly consider architectural merit by identifying great features and how they are incorporated into the golf course and its setting. Subtlety and restraint often prevail above flamboyancy and wow factor.

Golf courses that are enjoyable for the long handicap golfer, whilst providing a thorough test for the better player, will be elevated. The best courses provide clear fundamental principles of strategic golf - coupling plentiful shot options to encourage the player to make decisions from tee to green.

Many golfers consider playing golf courses that fit their budget. A golf course that costs a reasonable sum to play may be categorized over a slightly better one which has a higher price point. Though just because a price point is “affordable” does not mean architectural merit will be outweighed.