July 30, 2012 – Whilst the summer festivals might grab your attention in the evenings, you’ll be eager to take advantage of the glorious weather to hone you skills on the fairways.
And the good news is that the courses in and around Montréal are in superb condition, and are likely to stay that way until the end of October or, as in the past few years, well into November.
On the island itself, you'll find a wonderful selection of courses, prime among them being the two Pat Ruddy-designed courses at Club de Golf de l’île de Montréal, the Ireland course providing a links-like course in the heart of the city – and it plays tough! The Island course just across the highway (you pass under it) is more tree-lined, but still favours the straight-hitters.
Not far away are two excellent Graham Cooke-designed courses at Métropolitain Anjou Golf Club, easily reachable from downtown in 20 minutes.
On the northern tip of Montréal, Club de Golf St-Raphaël has two exquisite tree-lined courses, one open primarily for members but the other, equally challenging, is for visitors and the very realistic price includes a pull-cart and bottled water.
Go west, as they used to say, and just off the island, 10 minutes past the Montréal-Trudeau Airport, is Club de Golf Atlantide, a hidden gem of a course running through trees, around lakes and with several holes running along the shore of Saint-Louis Lake with a view of downtown Montréal in the distance.
On the south shore, in Longueuil, Golf Parcours du Cerf has two very well-maintained courses and a very warm reception. The Faon is the toughest, being fairly wide open, but not by much. The Brocard runs more through the trees, and here, accuracy is the key. And for something unusual try Golf des Îles in Boucherville, a challenging course set on an island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River. You actually need to take a boat to the first tee!
And if you have time to spend a few days north of Montréal, you'll adore the five courses at Mont Tremblant, a majestic mountain golf with every type of challenge you can imagine, all played against a dramatic backdrop of stunning views.
