The best golf courses in Canada rank among the most spectacular in the world, from clifftop links pounded by the Atlantic to mountain fairways framed by the Rockies. For golf travellers, few countries offer this much scenery and challenge in a single season.
Quick answer: Canada’s best golf courses include Cabot Cliffs and Cabot Links in Cape Breton, the Fairmont Banff Springs course in the Alberta Rockies, and standout mountain layouts such as Silvertip and Tobiano in British Columbia. Together they make Canada a bucket-list golf-travel destination.
TL;DR
- Cape Breton’s Cabot Cliffs and Cabot Links are among the top-ranked golf courses in the world.
- The Alberta Rockies deliver iconic mountain golf at Banff Springs and Silvertip in Canmore.
- British Columbia offers dramatic mountain and canyon layouts — Tobiano, Sun Peaks, Whistler and the Kootenays.
- Atlantic Canada punches above its weight, with top courses across Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Why Canada Is a Bucket-List Golf Destination
Canada has quietly become one of the world’s great golf-travel countries, home to more than 2,000 courses overseen in part by Golf Canada, the sport’s national governing body. As Destination Canada highlights, the appeal is the setting: oceanfront links, mountain valleys and cool-summer conditions that stay playable when it’s sweltering elsewhere. Explore the full collection in our Canadian golf travel guide.
The Best Golf Courses in Canada, Region by Region
Cabot Cliffs & Cabot Links — Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
The Cabot resort in Inverness put Canadian golf on the global map. Cabot Cliffs is routinely rated the top course in the country, perched above the Gulf of St. Lawrence, while its sister Cabot Links is a pure seaside links. Read how Cape Breton tees off on your heart and how Cabot Links won over the golf world.
Nova Scotia & New Brunswick — Atlantic Canada
Beyond Cabot, the Maritimes are stacked with gems, from the five-star Fox Harb’r to a deep bench of oceanside layouts. Start with our picks for Nova Scotia’s most intriguing golf courses and the top golf courses in New Brunswick.
Banff Springs & the Alberta Rockies
Golf doesn’t get more epic than a tee shot in the shadow of Mount Rundle. The Fairmont Banff Springs course is a Stanley Thompson masterpiece, and nearby Canmore adds another showstopper — see where golf and history meet in Canada and how Silvertip Resort delivers a golf experience for the ages.
Tobiano, Sun Peaks & the BC Interior
British Columbia’s interior is mountain-golf country. Tobiano’s undulating fairways near Kamloops and Sun Peaks’ alpine layout are two of the most scenic rounds in Canada. See why Tobiano is as beautiful as it is beastly and bring your ‘eh’ game to Sun Peaks.
Whistler, the Kootenays & Northern BC
The rest of British Columbia rounds out a golf road trip for the ages — mountain views at Whistler, lakeside fairways in the Kootenays and hidden value up north. Explore golf in Whistler, golf and eats in the Kootenays and the surprises from tee to tyee in northern BC.
Niagara & Ontario
Closer to Canada’s biggest city, Niagara pairs championship courses with wine country. It’s prime autumn golf, as we explain in our guide to why it’s time to fall for Niagara golf.
How to Plan a Golf Trip in Canada
For a bucket-list links trip, fly to Cape Breton and play the Cabot courses. For mountain golf and cooler summer conditions, base in the Alberta Rockies or the BC interior. And for a long-weekend escape, Niagara delivers championship golf within easy reach of Toronto. Browse more ideas in our Canadian golf collection.
Frequently Asked Questions About Golf in Canada
What is the best golf course in Canada?
Cabot Cliffs in Inverness, Nova Scotia, is widely ranked the best golf course in Canada. The clifftop links on Cape Breton Island regularly tops national and international course rankings.
Where is the best golf in the Canadian Rockies?
The Fairmont Banff Springs course and Silvertip Resort in nearby Canmore offer the most spectacular mountain golf in Alberta, with fairways framed by the peaks of Banff National Park.
When is the best time for a golf trip in Canada?
Most Canadian courses play from late spring through fall. Summer is peak season in the mountains and Maritimes, while September and October bring cooler temperatures and prime conditions in regions like Niagara.
