Uncovering the magic of Prince Edward Island golf courses: Canada’s best-kept secret

Many Americans have heard of Canada’s Prince Edward Island, but don’t know where it is. Most Canadians know the location of this small province but have never been there. On the other hand, Canadian golfers consider Prince Edward Island, located on the east coast of New Brunswick, along the Northumberland Strait, to be an excellent golf destination that rivals the best in the country. The island’s topography has always provided the perfect setting for golf: sandy soil by the sea to rolling hills with elevations over 400 feet and everything in between. The temperate maritime climate provides excellent golf weather nine months of the year.

I first came to Prince Edward Island as a young man in 1972, when the only way to the island was by ferry (now a bridge). I had heard about the golf course at the recently opened Brudenell River Golf Course, so I brought my clubs. Prince Edward Island’s bucolic landscape hasn’t changed much since then, but from a golfer’s perspective, golf resources have exploded. There are now 28 amazing courses on the island! Why? Because as one young local game star pointed out, “In the winter, we have hockey and curling. In the summer, we need some hitting.” For off-island visitors, that means 15 excellent 18-hole courses, as well as some very good full-size 9-hole courses.

There are plenty of accommodation options throughout the island, from high-end resort hotels, chic boutiques, every imaginable motel to charming B&Bs. We have a small RV, so we took advantage of Prince Edward Island’s array of excellent provincial parks throughout the island, camping along the coast and spending most of our time outdoors. No matter which accommodation you choose, the island is small and you’re only an hour or less from anywhere in Prince Edward Island if you stay in the middle.

Prince Edward Island is famous for its potatoes (McDonald’s buys much of the crop because they grow giant potatoes that produce long fries in little red containers), and Prince Edward Island’s world-famous seafood is delicious. I don’t know how many pounds of steamed littleneck clams, mussels, and raw oysters I ate, or how many pounds of lobster I ate, but each one was better than the last. I can still feel the melted butter dripping down my chin!

But let’s get back to golf. We headed east from the northwest tip of the island. With courses available just about everywhere, visitors must do some planning to get the most out of their Prince Edward Island experience. Most golfers, especially those coming here for the first time, will choose the “Big Three” as must-play spots. Under the banner of “PEI’s Finest,” peisfinestgolf.comand operated by the Government of Prince Edward Island, Links course at Crowbush Cove, side by side Brudenell GC and Dundarave Courses get the most attention.

Crowbush is located on the north shore of the open Atlantic Ocean, and the scenery is spectacular. Hurricane Fiona devastated the island in 2022, destroying most of its trees, and the drought in 2025 baked the fairways, making the course as hard and fast as a true links course. Designed by Canadian Thomas McBroom, Crowbush features one great hole after another, often passing through fresh and saltwater ponds and marshes. The craziest hole is No. 17, with a maximum distance of 135 yards, but for most of us, play from 97 yards. Easy, right? Located on the top of the seaside dunes, shots from the elevated tee box must cross a ravine and reach the height of the hidden “postage stamp” green, often when the wind is blowing sideways. Finding and holding the green is a feat in itself.

Home to PEI’s iconic red sand pits, Dundarave is a more forgiving contrast to the white sand of the Brudenell River, and is part of the sprawling Rodd Resort, offering all the amenities a visitor could want. My favorite hole is the 8th at Dundarave, a short par 4 that offers as much reward as you want to risk, requiring a tee shot through a deep ravine and over multiple red bunkers on the fairway to reach a green overlooking the Brudenell River. Brudenell’s No. 5 hole, called “Ink Pot,” is a short but tricky par 3 that plays over a pond to a green that hugs the hillside. It’s usually best to use greenside slopes and make open shots on the putting surface.

But if you only take these three courses, you’ll be missing out on some of the best Canada has to offer. Another great Canadian designer, Graham Cooke, created anderson creek and eagle glen The courses are all located in the central interior of the island, with wonderful elevation changes, wide forest-lined fairways and superb bunkers made from native red sand. Avondale GC It is one of the oldest golf courses in Prince Edward Island, with the first nine holes built in 1968 and the second in 1971. The first hole at Avondale, also in central Prince Edward Island, is a short par 4 whose zigzag fairway immediately grabs your attention and leads you to the exit nine. Glasgow Hills GC Offering a joyful riding experience at the highest altitude on the island while Green Gables GC (beside anne of green gables House) takes you on a gentler, lusher journey through the coastal valleys of northern Prince Edward Island. Mill River GC, At the northwest end of the island is another fine track, originally designed by Robbie Robinson in 1970 and refurbished several times by Graham Cooke twenty-five years later.

If you’re looking for some shorter activities, especially catering to families or youth groups, PEI won’t miss a beat. Our trip starts with St Felix GC To the north west there is a fine full length 9 hole circuit designed by Graham Cooke while he was working at Mill River. Red Sand GCThe golf facility, designed by Alan Whitehead in 2000, is a very interesting facility, although the length is shorter and the par has been reduced to 32, the holes can be played up or down and the fairways are over 2400 yards long. You can imagine the bright red sand in the many strategically placed bunkers.

There are several other 18-hole and 9-hole courses on the island that I have yet to enjoy. Prince Edward Island has been calling me back, allowing me to play great rounds of golf and sample some of the best seafood from around the world.