Where to play golf in and around Montréal
With a few excellent courses on the island of Montréal and surrounding areas, plus many notable ones within an hour’s drive, there’s no shortage of quality links to choose from for avid golfers and beginners alike. Here are eight courses where you can work on your long drive without having to make a long drive. So throw your clubs in the car – or even the metro, that’s how close some courses are – and you’ll be there faster than you can say “Fore!”
ISLAND OF MONTRÉAL AND SURROUNDING AREA
This public, nine-hole, par-3 course is so close to downtown you can hop on the metro and be there in a flash. Perfect your drive at the newly refurbished driving range and look around for views of the Olympic Village, the two pyramid-shaped buildings that housed athletes during the 1976 Summer Olympics. This popular course get busy, which means a ten-minute play limit on each hole.
Club de Golf de l'Île de Montréal
There are two championship courses at this club, but it’s the Ireland Course, as its name suggests, that will make you feel like you’re playing a round on the Emerald Isle. This links course has three double greens, pot bunker sand traps and dunes that rise to 50 feet in some places. You don’t have to be an O’Brien or a Murphy to love this gem of a course.
Club de Golf Métropolitan Anjou
Your arms (and legs) will get a workout playing the Métropolitain’s 18-hole Championship course: It has the longest yardage for a public course in the province. The 6-hole Executive Course is a par 3, perfect for novices and those looking to master their short game.
Great value just 15 minutes from downtown (even with traffic!), this public, 18-hole course is closer than you can shake a golf club at. With an 80-year history and a bucolic landscape of plants and trees native to the area, playing at Meadowbrook is like stepping back in time.
Located on Nun’s Island, this public 9-hole course is a golf ball’s throw away from downtown. Stunning views of the city’s majestic skyline are par for the course from the greens and from the clubhouse’s huge terrasse (with drink in hand, of course). If Mother Nature is being moody you can take shelter and perfect your swing at the indoor, PGA-certified golf virtual simulators.
This public course, located only 20 minutes from downtown, has four levels of difficulty to choose from. Ready to challenge yourself? Swing from the back tees for a par 72 round.
Located on the island of Île-Bizard, this semi-private club features two championship courses designed by renowned architect Graham Cooke. Large sand traps and water features make for sporty rounds. Swing by the bistro for après golf; its impressive wine list is on par with the five-star cuisine.
Located in the middle of a National Park, this is perhaps Canada’s only golf course where you take a boat from one island (Île Charron) to another island (Île Saint-Jean) to get your golf fix. This gorgeous course can get busy though…with wild animals. Your golfing partners may include white-tailed deer and great blue herons.
NORTH AND SOUTH SHORE OF MONTRÉAL
Located across the river in Longueuil and designed by the renowned architect Graham Cooke, Le Parcours du Cerf has been welcoming golfers of every level since 1992. It is one of the few courses in the province to offer bentgrass fairways and greens for an exceptional playing surface.
Just north of Montréal, Le Cardinal’s fairways are lined with mature maple trees and enchanting scenery. Fun fact: The club’s first “hole in one” was made by Montréal Canadiens hockey legend Henri Richard. In fact, both he and his brother Maurice (“the Rocket”) Richard were both frequent players at Le Cardinal.
The St-François offers two par-71 courses just minutes from downtown on Montréal’s north shore. Its lush landscape of flowers, mature trees and water features has been attracting avid golfers for nearly 50 years.
WITHIN AN HOUR OF MONTRÉAL
Club de Golf Express La Prairie
La Prairie is only ten minutes from the Champlain Bridge on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. Book ahead to enjoy what is considered one of Québec’s most beautifully landscaped public courses.
Just 30 minutes from downtown Montréal, the Atlantide offers two magnificent 18-hole courses designed by Graham Cooke and bordered by Lac St-Louis. Experienced players can take on the challenging Atlantide course, while beginners and corporate groups can enjoy the breathtaking views along the Don Quichotte course.
Located about an hour’s drive west of Montréal, this Graham Cooke designed public course has landed its way onto top 100 lists of Canadian courses for its lush and majestic surroundings. Celebrate your eagle hole at the Falcon’s new clubhouse, with its fully functioning pub.
Less than an hour's drive from Montréal, the Château-Bromont Golf in the Eastern Townships is a certified championship course and winner of the 2016 Golf Course Award. The spectacular setting and the quality of the course, designed by renowned architects Howard Watson and Graham Cook, guarantee a perfect day on the links for beginners and experts alike. Equipment rentals are available on-site. Make it a weekend with great golf package deals at the beautiful Hôtel Château-Bromont.
Dave Lank
Dave is a freelance writer with an MBA. He covers business and tech events, writes copy for brands (major ones and those soon to be), and articles on business and lifestyle trends, and interviews business, sport and entertainment personalities. Dave is passionate about good design and covering entrepreneurs who are taking risks and making a difference in our city.