12 of the Best Golf Courses in Northwest Ontario

Beauty Bay Golf Course on the shores of Black Sturgeon Lake

Northwestern Ontario has some excellent golf courses, many of which give a whole new meaning to the saying "play it as it lies". With our Canadian Shield topography, the courses out here wind through craggy rocks, pine trees and border the Boreal Forest with all it's potential hazards. Here you may take a swing from the tee and not see where your ball landed because of a large rolling hill. If you are going to shoot a low score, you need to be on your game.

Here's an overview of some of the Sunset Country Golf Courses:

Ear Falls Golf and Country Club
Great little 9 hole course located in the Township of Ear Falls, Ontario on the shore of beautiful Lac Seul. This challenging course, amid stunning scenery, is located just minutes from downtown. It features medium-sized greens that occasionally offer some slope and has narrow tree lined fairways that are generally flat. You can stay at area lodges or at the local motels.

Red Lake Area Golf & Country Club

Red Lake Area Golf & Country Club
Known as the most northerly 18 Hole golf course in Ontario, the Red Lake Golf and Country Club will challenge the most accomplished golfer. The course measures 6359 yards from the blue tees and has a slope rating of 68.8. The course is situated on the scenic shores of beautiful McNeely Bay on Red Lake. The Red Lake Area Golf & Country Club is a great combination of rolling hills, tree-lined fairways and breathtaking lake vistas. Find local accommodations in the Municipality of Red Lake.

Sioux Lookout Golf Course & Curling Club
This beautiful and strategic 9 hole course has stunning visuals and some very challenging holes. The most challenging hole is also the most scenic, the par three 8th at 181 yards from the back tees. This tee shot is over water to a large green and plays longer than the length on the score card as it is uphill and into the prevailing wind. Water will come into play on 3 holes and the greens roll between 8.5 and 9 on the stimp meter. The Club dates back to the early 60s. The Municipality of Sioux Lookout is a recreation seeker's dream. There are many places to stay in Sioux Lookout.

Sioux Lookout Golf & Curling Club

Beauty Bay Golf Course, Kenora
Known locally as the "Diamond in the Rough", Beauty Bay is located along the shores of Black Sturgeon Lake and offers a real challenge. Over the last several years the golf has been nurtured into of of Northwest Ontario's best 18 holes golf courses. It's rolling terrain and numerous water hazards combine to make breathtaking scenery. Carved out of the Canadian Shield, this course is a true test for golfers of all levels. Visit the Beauty Bay Golf Course's website to see each hole and the scorecard. This Par 72 golf course is located just 15 minutes from downtown Kenora, Ontario where you can find accommodations.

Kenora Golf & Country Club
Situated only minutes from downtown Kenora on the shores of Lake of the Woods, the Kenora Golf and Country Club boasts a challenging 18 hole course accessible by land or water. From the higher elevated holes, you can see beautiful views of the lake as you play. Don't be surprised if you see wildlife on the course. Whether it is a deer, bear or fox sighting, it just adds to the total golf experience. The course's terrain varies from level to hilly. Tall, mature trees outline the fairways and water comes into play on 7 holes. There are 3 sets of tees with distances ranging from 5206 to 6333 yards.

Dryden Area Courses
Dryden has three courses you can choose from. Eagle's Landing is located on the shores of Wabigoon Lake. The 9 hole, Par 36 course is set in scenic surroundings. Every hole has at least one sand trap and 4 of the holes contain water hazzards. The Evergreen Golf Course on Wabigoon Lake Road is a fully licensed 9 hole golf course. It is an excellent facility to host golf tournaments for 35-70 people. Anderson's Homestead Golf Course is the third golf course in Dryden. There are lots of hotel and motel accommodations in Dryden to choose from during your stay.

White Moose Golf Course in Sioux Narrows

White Moose Golf Course, Sioux Narrows

The White Moose Golf Course is a 9 hole, Par 35 course and is located about 7 kms north of Sioux Narrows off Highway 71. Like many other golf courses in Sunset Country, many holes overlook the lake. If you are fishing Lake of the Woods and want a break from the boat, come in and play a round of golf. Call 807-226-5319 for more information. Visit Sunset Country's website to find out more about Sioux Narrows.

Spruce Creek Golf Course, Morson
The Spruce Creek Golf Course is Morson's newest recreation opportunity. This 9 hole course, designed by Grant Golf of Winnipeg, Manitoba is a Par 36, 3397 yards from the blue tees, 3218 from the white tees and 2767 yards from the red tees. The course has rolling fairways set amongst the rugged terrain of the Canadian Shield. The course is 2.6 kms east from the junction of Highways 621 and 619.

Kitchen Creek Golf Course, Fort Frances
Great course set up with a length of 6424 yards from the Blue Tees and Par 72 with a 68.9 rating. This 18-hole first opened in 1976. At Kitchen Creek, don't expect the rock outcrops that you see at most of the golf courses in Sunset Country. Most holes, particularly the front nine resemble a prairie course with flat fairways and wide open spaces. The creek comes into play on 12 out of the 18 holes and with a good selection of sand bunkers you will encounter a  variety of tactical challenges during your round of golf. Accommodations available in nearby Fort Frances, Ontario.

Heron Landing Golf Course, Fort Frances
The Heron Landing Golf Course is located just minutes from downtown Fort Frances and the International Bridge. It is located on the east end of Fort Frances on Couchiching First nation 3.1 kms (2mi) down Frog Creek Road on beautiful Rainy Lake. This 18 hole course is one of the newer golf courses in Sunset Country. The sixth hole is a tough par 3 that requires an accurate tee shot over a finger of Frog Creek to an angled green protected by a large bunker to the left and a severely slope grassy swale to the right. The eleventh hole is probably the most scenic hole on the course as it overlooks Rainy Lake. Long-iron tee shots must be played to a large green that has deep bunkers on 3 sides. The green crowned in the middle makes the back right tee position hard to find. For a complete description of all the holes, the Heron Landing website has great write-ups of each hole.

Golfing in Sunset Country

Little Falls Golf Course, Atikokan
The Little Falls Golf Course in Atikokan is frequently described as the most challenging course in Northwestern Ontario. It is a double teed nine-hole course carved out of the boreal forest. Water can come into play on six of the nine holes and one tee is elevated some twenty meters above the fairway, providing a spectacular view of the course and of the waterfalls. This course has a tight playing layout with narrow fairways framed by dense trees. Failure to keep your ball straight will add strokes quickly to your score. The well kept greens are some of the finest in the Northwest. They are small in size and have slopes that deliver interesting breaks and tend to putt true. Little Falls welcomes all to play on it's beautiful golf course located in Atikokan.

Ignace Golf and Country Club
The Ignace Golf and Country Club is a 9 hole golf course with a driving range and is located in scenic Ignace. They have a new 2,500 sq ft club house that will also double as a year-round, multi-purpose recreation facility.  For more information call 807-934-6871.

Sunset Country is known for it's fishing and hunting, but once you've played golf here, you won't forget it. You'll be talking about your golf game and the course almost as much as you talk about 'the one that got away'. The courses are anything but boring and all have a great view of the area. You can easily spend a week touring beautiful Sunset Country in Northwestern Ontario and playing some challenging golf at the same time. If you are heading to Sunset Country, bring your clubs along with your fishing gear and play a round of golf. Most golf courses rent clubs in case you didn't bring yours along. If you require any more information you can call the Sunset Country Travel Association at 1-800-665-7567.