SILVER: Team must be at or below a combined PDGA rating of 2,700 at the time of registration and no individual player may be rated over 975. GOLD: Team must be at or below a combined PDGA rating of 3,000 at the time of registration. If you are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19, DO NOT attend this event.ġ round of unsanctioned, BEST SHOT triples at Burke Lake from the concrete longs. If you goĭave Finn travelled to Cape Breton as a guest of local tourism organizations.Please review the player information sheet prior to playing in this event: Want more tips on road trips from Ottawa-including info on hotel discounts, contests, festivals and other cool news? Subscribe to our free weekly e-newsletter! We will never spam you-promise. Roll down the windows and crank up the tunes … Travel+Leisure magazine recently rated Cape Breton the #1 island destination in North America and #3 in the world, and Lonely Planet says the winding roads and tranquil beaches of the Cabot Trail make it “one of North America’s best road trips.” Add the heritage and hospitality of the Scottish, Irish and French (Acadian) people who settled the land from Ingonish to Inverness, and the Cabot Trail becomes an amazing “golf trail” that is second to none. Parched from a day on the course? The Glenora Inn & Distillery has a solution. In June 2012, this course’s opening was the most highly anticipated in North America, and I can see why. Five holes play directly along the coastline, and every other hole overlooks the Gulf of St. Using an old coal mining site, architect Rod Whitman created a magnificent 18-hole par 70. At least we felt like we were on the moors! Following a two-hour drive from Cheticamp, we were near the tiny hamlet of Inverness (Nova Scotia, not Scotland) and about to play Cabot Links, Canada’s only authentic links course. Maybe it was just having a bad hair day! Cabot Links deserves its reputationĪfter that, the golf gods “blessed” us with a cool, foggy, rainy day. The bunkers were pebbly and the fairways were very dry. Nearby, Le Portage Golf Club offered a nice layout with views of the Cheticamp Highlands, but I didn’t find it quite as photogenic nor as well manicured as some of the others we had played. Beach, BBQ and beers! It doesn’t get much better. Lawrence waters are the warmest north of the Carolinas. Next, we took a spectacular 2.5-hour drive across Cape Breton to Pleasant Bay on the western shore and pulled into McLeod’s Campground, near the Acadian village of Cheticamp. Most Cabot Trail golf courses come with jaw-dropping views. ![]() I also discovered what may be the softest and deepest sand bunkers I’ve ever encountered. There are a few flat spots on the fairway, but I swear two humpback whales are buried under the swells on the second green. It was a great privilege to play such an historic gem, but don’t expect any level lies here. Designed by Stanley Thompson, this course stretches about four kilometres through hilly, forested land and regularly makes it onto lists of the world’s top courses. Opened in 1941, Highlands Links stands the test of time. The next morning, we were minutes from our next game. Scary but very cool! Bunkers to get lost in Those are on my to-do list for next time-especially after we spotted a moose and her “small” calf rustling in the shrubs near our campfire. The park sprawls over 950 square kilometers and has more than 25 hiking trails. ![]() I loved this course, but the best was still to come.Ī three-hour drive along the spectacular eastern portion of the Cabot Trail took us to Cheticamp Campground, part of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Bring your camera for the fantastic view of Bras d’Or Lake from the sixth tee, the highest point on the course. And don’t forget: you’re playing on ski runs and everything slopes to the water. Be forewarned: the greens are big, roll true and are in perfect condition. With its many changes in elevation and its tree-lined fairways, the course has a Muskoka-like vibe. Designed by Canadian architect Graham Cooke, this picturesque course opened next to the Ski Eion hills in 2010. The next day, it was a 10-minute drive to The Lakes Golf Club. Telling stories of my earlier adventures and listening to his tales of my new grandson make for easy conversation and a great first night on the road. It’s déjà-vu for me, except this time I’m taking a five-day golf trip in an RV with my son-in-law, another keen golfer. The clothes are put away, the drinks are cold, the campfire’s lit and we’re sitting on the beach listening to the surf. Photo by Dave Finn.įast forward 25 years, and I’ve just finished setting up for the evening at Ben Eoin Campground, some 20 minutes south of Sydney (Nova Scotia, not Australia). A serene campsite overlooking Bras d’Or Lake.
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