Muskoka Bay Club Review

Muskoka Bay is the course everyone means when they say Muskoka golf. Carrick routed it through the raw material of the Shield, exposed granite, ridges, marsh and forest, and the holes use every feature: tee shots from rock ledges to fairways far below, greens set against stone, a stretch through wetland on the back nine that is as spectacular as anything in the country. The design is ambitious and largely succeeds, with a few holes where the drama costs playability for a mid handicapper.

Conditioning is excellent, as it must be at the price, with fast greens and immaculate bunkering. The scenery is the reason to make the drive, and the grade for it is the easiest on this list. The value is the difficulty: the green fee is among the highest in Ontario and a visitor pays for the view as much as the golf, which is a defensible trade once a year. It is a course that lives up to its reputation.