Canada's golf gods have set up a series
of varied and valuable golf trails that are luring hundreds
of American duffers north each year.
Modeled after the highly successful golf trails in the lower 48,
sprinkled mainly among several southern U.S. states, two noteworthy
golfing trails have recently opened in
Canada, with more possibly
on the way. The trails, the Glen Abbey Golf Trail and Niagara Golf
Trail, both located in the province of
Ontario, offer course
ratings, centralized tee times, and Web sites with maps and
detailed descriptions, along with trail packages offering discounts
for multiple-course play.
"We were looking for something unique, something that would tie our
new, high-end courses together and lure American golfers north to
see what we have to offer," says Charles Lorimer, a v.p. at
Canada's ClubLink Corporation, which owns all of the trail stops on
the Glen Abbey Trail. "We want people to know they're going to have
a pleasant, upscale golfing experience when they play any of the
trail courses," adds Niagara Parks Commission director of golf Bob
McIlveen, who operates the Niagara Trail.
These two new Canadian golf trails do just that for anyone who
wants to play a lot of golf in a short amount of time in some
unbelievably scenic conditions. So next time you're headed to the
Great White North, pack your clubs and check out these two
top-notch trails. Happy golfing, eh.
GLEN ABBEY TRAIL
(866) 421-6909,
www.glenabbeytrail.com
This first trail, which officially opened in early 2001, consists
of four ClubLink courses and stretches from just outside of
Toronto, the home of the flagship Glen Abbey Golf Course, to the
Rocky Crest, Grandview, and Lake Joseph golf clubs 90 minutes or so
north in the Muskoka region. All four courses are within a two-hour
drive, with Rocky Crest, Grandview, and Lake Jo all within an hour
of one another.