Golfweek’s Best 2021: Top 25 Classic Courses in Canada
Welcome to Golfweek’s Best rankings of the Top 25 Modern Courses in Canada – built before 1960 – as determined by Golfweek’s Best Raters for 2021 (pictured atop this story: Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge).
The members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Then each course is ranked against other courses in Canada to produce the final rankings.
Golfweek also ranks the top Modern Courses in Canada. For more on top courses outside the U.S., check out the following lists:
Listed with each course below is its average rating, location, designers and year opened. Private clubs include a p, municipal courses have an m, and resort courses are marked with an r.
Nos. 1-10
Fairmont Banff Springs in Canada (Golfweek files)
1. Fairmont Banff Springs 7.88
Banff, Alberta; Stanley Thompson (1927); r
2. Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge 7.86
Jasper, Alberta; Stanley Thompson (1925); r
3. St. George’s 7.85
Etobicoke, Ontario; Stanley Thompson (1930); p
4. Capilano 7.63
West Vancouver, British Columbia; Stanley Thompson (1937); p
5. Hamilton (West & South nines) 7.41
Ancaster, Ontario; Harry S. Colt (1915); p
6. Westmount 7.28
Kitchener, Ontario; Stanley Thompson (1931); p
7. Royal Montreal (Blue) 7.22
Ile Bizard, Quebec; Dick Wilson, Rees Jones (1959); p
8. Toronto GC (Colt) 7.14
Mississauga, Ontario; Harry S. Colt, Martin Hawtree (1912); p
9. Cape Breton Highlands Links 7.13
Ingonish Beach, Nova Scotia; Stanley Thompson (1941); m
10. Rosedale 7.05
Toronto, Ontario; Donald Ross (1922); p
Nos. 11-20
Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello Golf Club in Canada (Courtesy of Fairmont)
11. Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello 7
Montebello, Quebec; Stanley Thompson (1929); r
12. Cherry Hill 6.75
Ridgeway, Ontario; Walter J. Travis (1924); p
13. Shaughnessy 6.71
Vancouver, British Columbia; A. Vernon Macan (1912); p
14. Calgary G&CC 6.7
Calgary, Alberta; Willie Park Jr. (1922); p
15. Brantford G&CC 6.63
Brantford, Ontario; “Nicol Thompson, Stanley Thompson, George Cumming ” (1906); p
16. Scarboro G&CC 6.6
Scarborough, Ontario; George Cumming, A.W. Tillinghast (1912); p
17. Victoria GC 6.58
Victoria, British Columbia; Harvey Coombe, A. Vernon Macan (1923); p
18. Weston 6.55
Toronto, Ontario; Willie Park Jr. (1920); p
19. Summit 6.54
Richmond Hill, Ontario; Stanley Thompson (1919); p
20. Thornhill Club 6.43
Thornhill, Ontario; Stanley Thompson (1922); p
Nos. 21-25
Algonquin Resort Golf Club in Canada (Courtesy of Algonquin Resort Golf Club)
21. Lookout Point 6.41
Fonthill, Ontario; Walter J. Travis (1922); p
22. Essex 6.38
LaSalle, Ontario; Donald Ross (1929); p
23. Mississauga G&CC 6.32
Mississaugua, Ontario; George Cumming, Stanley Thompson (1906); p
24. Royal Colwood 6.3
Victoria, British Columbia; A. Vernon Macan (1913); p
25. Algonquin Resort GC 6.23
St. Andrews, New Brunswick; Donald Ross, Rod Whitman (1927); r
