Golf is an expressive, emotional, and, for some, therapeutic game you play alone, even in the company of friends. The love for the sport is so great that Canadians make over one million golf trips within the country and spend $2.5 billion on golf-related travel. For people who love an extra bit of peace when playing a round of golf, we’ve compiled the best private golf courses, as well as the prices for short-term rental homes if you decide to go on a golf vacation.
Plus, we’ve included median real estate prices in those areas if you choose to make a permanent move.
To rank the best places to play golf, we used the price-to-rent ratio, which you can calculate by dividing the home price (we used the average home price) by the annual rental rate. As a general rule, it’s best to purchase properties when the ratio is between 1-15.
The National Golf Club of Canada
If you’re a golfer looking for a challenge, know that The National Golf Club of Canada in Woodbridge, Ontario, just 3.2 km from the city of Vaughan, is an excellent choice. George Fazio and his nephew Tom designed the course with a SCOREGolf rating of 8.81. They also ensured it became one of the best putting greens in North America.
Those seeking a golf vacation will find an average weekly Airbnb cost of $511, and if you fall in love with the place, the median price of real estate is $912,000.
St. George’s Golf and Country Club
You’ll find St. George’s Golf and Country Club just 3 km west of Toronto, Ontario. This Stanley Thompson course, founded in the roaring 1920s with railway money, has a SCOREGolf rating of 8.74 and incorporates rolling gullies and ravines into the landscape.
Median real estate around the area is $875,000, but vacation golfers can get a fantastic rental at an Airbnb for $462 a week.
Hamilton Golf and Country Club
If breathtaking landscapes and history are what you seek in a golf course, there is only one course that comes to mind: Hamilton Golf and Country Club (HGCC) in Ancaster, Ontario. Scoring an 8.74 in the SCOREGolf rating, the century-old golf course sits near the Niagara Escarpment.
For those who are interested in calling Ancaster their home, real estate prices average $1,140,248. But, Airbnb’s average weekly rates sit at $840.
Capilano Golf and Country Club
Connected via the Lions Gate Bridge to Metro Vancouver, West Vancouver, B.C. boasts having Canada’s first shopping mall site. Golfers will also love that West Vancouver is home to the Capilano Golf and Country Club. Here, golfers of all levels can enjoy generous tree-lined fairways against the backdrop of the North Shore Mountains. This Stanley Thompson golf course has an 8.5 SCOREGolf rating.
For a golf vacation, Airbnb’s average weekly rate is $1,288, and the median real estate price is $2,700,000.
Beacon Hall Golf Club
Located in Aurora, Ontario, just 30 minutes from Toronto, the Beacon Hall Golf Club is a private 18-hole golf course designed by Bob Cupp. This picturesque golf club ranks third in Canada according to the U.S. magazine Golfweek, and it has an 8.41 SCOREGolf rating.
The course is within a gated community of only 80 residences, whose real estate averages $851,000. For golf vacationers, you can avail yourself of an exceptional Airbnb for around $231 a week.
Devil’s Paintbrush
There is no need to go to Scotland to play golf. That’s because the Devil’s Paintbrush in Caledon is just 20 minutes northwest of Toronto, Ontario; here, the greens marked with pot bunkers, blind shots, ruins, and stone walls are reminiscent of Scotland golf courses. This charming golf course has a SCOREGolf rating of 8.34 and is the brainchild of Chris Haney and Scott Abbott — the creators of Trivial Pursuit!
The price of real estate in the area averages $908,000. For a short golf trip, the median price of a rental home via Airbnb is $357 per week.
Toronto Golf Club
Just 8 km northwest of Mississauga, Ontario, and south of the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) is the third oldest golf club in North America. Steeped in history with legends like Hagen, Nicklaus, Palmer, and Snead and rated 8.33 by SCOREGolf, the Toronto Golf Club boasts a 27-hole course.
Golfers can enjoy a golf trip here with charming Airbnb rentals for about $826 weekly. The median real estate value in the area is $725,000 for those interested in purchasing a property.
Westmount Golf and Country Club
Westmount Golf and Country Club is a 160-acre property in Kitchener, Ontario, just 50 km southwest of Toronto. This Stanley Thompson-designed 18-hole parkland golf course has an 8.29 rating from SCOREGolf.
Golfers can find beautiful Airbnb accommodations for an average weekly price of $1,981. Real estate around the area averages $626,231.
Blackhawk Golf Club
Minimalist, modern golf course Blackhawk Golf Club, established in 2003, is located southwest of Edmonton in Nisku, Alberta. The dramatic banks of the North Saskatchewan River frame this picturesque golf course, which has a SCOREGolf rating of 8.24.
For vacationing golfers, prices for accommodation via Airbnb are around $413, while for those who want to stay more permanently in the area, real estate prices are approximately $366,000.
Öviinbyrd Golf Club
If privacy and exclusivity are on top of your list when looking for a golf course, the Öviinbyrd Golf Club at Foot’s Bay, Ontario, is so private their website requires a member password. Scoring an 8.21 rating by SCOREGolf, it is landscaped to make the most of the region’s natural wetland areas and rocky outcrop characteristics.
People who want to go on a golf trip to experience Öviinbyrd can find exceptional Airbnb accommodations for an average weekly price of $436. For those who want to make their visit more permanent, real estate prices are at an average of $442,225.
