GOLFING BAY OF QUINTE
The Bay of Quinte region has several award-winning golf courses to choose from; here’s a roundup of what you can expect from four of them. I promise they will leave you dreaming of emerald green fairways and birdie putts as the leaves turn bright yellow, orange, and red.
TIMBER RIDGE GOLF COURSE
Timber Ridge opened in 2001 and it’s been one of my (and many others) favourite BoQ golfing destination ever since. Voted as one of Canada’s top 100 golf courses by website Top 100 Golf Courses, it was also rated as the “10th Best Value in all of Canada” by Score Golf in 2021. It’s not hard to see why the course is a local, provincial, and national favourite. Four sets of tees cater to all levels of golfers and the course is immaculately maintained. Bunkers are strategically placed in and alongside fairways, plus in front of tiered, sloping greens. On many occasions, my golf ball has found one of the aforementioned sand traps requiring me to lay up or go for broke (not always with successful results). I enjoyed my recent round at Timber Ridge so much that after lunch, I played another 18— the course is that good!
QUINTE HILLS GOLF GOURSE
Quinte Hills is an 18-hole golf course with a twist. The front nine is “Regulation” length, while the back nine is “Executive” length. There’s so much to like about Quinte Hills: from the moment you arrive at the course, the staff treat everyone like a regular. With dramatic elevation changes throughout the course, there are stunning views of the surrounding countryside. And to top it off, the golf course is pretty darned good too! Long par 4’s on the front require two excellent shots to reach the green to have the chance for birdie. And the myriad of par 3’s on the back, challenge the golfer to make pin-point tee shots. Unfortunately during my recent round, my tee shots were rather wayward on the back nine, finding the rough more often than not. Good value for your money and beautiful scenery, what more could you ask for?
ROUNDEL GLEN GOLF COURSE
Located inside Canada’s largest airforce base, CFB Trenton, Roundel Glen is one of the region’s top golf courses. In fact, I have played Roundel Glen more often than any other course in the BoQ. On one hand, the course is challenging. It contains several dog legs, demanding thought and accuracy on virtually every shot. Equally testing are the flawless, small greens that require golfers to make precision approach shots with all the irons in their bag. On the other hand, Roundel Glen is one of the prettiest courses in the BoQ. Mature trees, almost statuesque, line the fairways, creating narrow openings and danger on both sides of the holes. And in the Fall, the trees become beacons of colour; there may not be a nicer place to play golf in September and October.
BLACK BEAR RIDGE GOLF & RESORT
Simply put, Black Bear Ridge is a world class golf course. It consistently ranks as one of Canada’s top 100 courses by both Top 100 Golf Courses and Score Golf. The pro shop oozes class, but is still welcoming. The practice facilities are second to none: I will often practice my sand shots in one the many practice bunkers available to golfers. And as noted above, this is definitely an aspect of my games that needs help! The course is no less stunning. From tee box to green, the course is impeccably maintained. The course is long and tough, but rewards good shots. My favourite hole is #11, a 692-yard par 5 (yes, you read that right 692 YARDS!). When the course opened, it was a par 6, and even then I had trouble making par. Today, forget about it. But despite its toughness, the course is fair and welcomes golfers of all skill levels. This a bucket list course, be sure to cross it off your list this fall!
