Golf Courses in Huron County
As the province of Ontario has crept out from under the rock of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the first recreational activities permitted by the government was golf, an announcement that had enthusiasts cleaning their clubs, stretching their backs and waiting in parking lots for tee times.
Though there have been some changes to ensure physical distancing can be practised and optimal cleanliness and sanitization can be maintained, golfers were able to return to the links just ahead of the Victoria Day weekend, a true milestone on the way to summer here in Ontario.
Golf was a natural leader for the new normal with COVID-19 still making the rounds. It’s an outdoor sport with plenty of distance between players, so it wasn’t a surprise when it was the first outdoor recreational activity to be allowed, despite the ongoing pandemic.
Most courses are asking players to call ahead and book tee times and groups are spread out further than normal to minimize bottle-necking at tee boxes. In addition, like most businesses, golf courses are putting safety protocols in place to ensure the safety of both employees and golfers.
Huron County has always been a major player on the golf scene with numerous high-level courses in the area. It has also been home to a professional golf tournament for over 10 years, though that will change this year with the cancellation of the Seaforth Country Classic due to the pandemic.
The tournament, which began as a Canadian Professional Golf Association (CPGA) stop, has raised over $130,000 for charity since its inception in 2008. In the later years, the tournament adapted to include 36 male professionals and 36 female professionals
playing simultaneously with each winner guaranteed a first prize purse of $7,500.
However, despite the tournament cancellation, there is still plenty of golf to be played in Huron County this summer and fall.
Woodlands Links
Woodlands Links is a golf course where it’s said that no two holes play alike.
It’s a shotmaker’s course where water comes into play on 11 of its 18 holes. Also making it challenging are 28 strategically-placed bunkers and natural rough running along the well-manicured fairways.
The championship Par 72 links course is 18 holes and over 6,600 yards long and it boasts a full practice facility as well.
Due to COVID-19, the course now requires pre-booked tee times and you must call the pro shop at 519-482-7144 when you arrive. The course is only allowing one rider per cart, unless both golfers are from the same household.
For more information on the course or to book a tee time, call 419-482-7144 or visit its website at woodlandslinks.com, where the course accepts online tee time bookings.
Seaforth Golf Club
The Seaforth Golf Club boasts a mature and challenging golf experience on its course. It is one that has been recognized on the national stage, playing host to the Seaforth Country Classic for over a decade.
The 18-hole, Par 71 course measures nearly 6,300 yards from the Highland tees and offers all of the standard amenities, including a pro shop, power carts and lessons.
The course has been family-run by the Doig family for well over 50 years and it is open from 7 a.m. until dark throughout the warm season. It is listed at number 18 on Golf Advisor’s list of the top 20 golf courses in Canada.
Tee times can be booked by phone or online and walk-on play is no longer permitted due to the pandemic. For more information, or to book a tee time, call 519-522-0985 or visit seaforthgolf.com.
Goderich Sunset Golf Club
Goderich Sunset Golf Club is located just seven kilometres north of Goderich on Highway 21. It features an 18-hole regulation course, a nine-hole Par 3 course and a driving range equipped with a practice putting green and chipping area.
The club also features a clubhouse, a snack bar and a patio, in addition to power carts, club rentals and a fully-stocked pro shop, though safety guidelines and physical distancing will be enforced to ensure all are safe this season.
The club also boasts professional lessons with Ashley Gravett, who graduated with honours from the Professional Golf Course Management course at Georgian College. She became a golf professional and a member of the PGA of Canada in 2014.
The course is a challenging one, in that water comes into play on 13 of the course’s 18 holes, which span 5,797 yards from the blue tees.
Goderich Sunset Golf Club is located at 33937 Golf Course Road. For more information, or to book a tee time, call the pro shop at 519-524-8047 or visit the website at sunsetgolfclub.com.
Wingham Golf Club
Wingham Golf and Curling Club is located at RR4, Wingham and features a Par 35, nine-hole golf course, in addition to its restaurant, patio and curling facilities.
The course’s signature hole is its final hole, the ninth, which can result in a high number on your scorecard if you’re not careful.
However, many who play the course regularly say that the very first hole really sets the tone for the rest of the round.
The hole, which has been described as tough, but fair, really rewards precision. If you hit the ball too far, it will end up in the water, but if you hit it too short, it will end up in the sand. With such a tough hole right off the bat, the Wingham golf course challenges golfers from their very first swing of the club.
The course recently welcomed patrons back, asking them to only drive one per cart, to practise physical distancing on the course and not remove the pin flags.
The club also features a driving range, carts, club rentals, a pro shop as well as lessons. It’s open from April until mid-October.
To book a tee time at the club, call 519-357-2179 or visit the club’s Facebook page for more information.
White Squirrel Golf Club
An 18-hole, Par 72 course located at RR2, Zurich that boasts a total yardage of just over 6,200 yards, the recently renamed White Squirrel Golf Club is a local favourite.
Located north of Grand Bend on Hwy. 21, the course features power carts, club rentals and a pro shop.
The course owners have asked that all provincial safety protocols be enforced, including sanitization and physical distancing. You must book a tee time for the course, as its offices remain closed. Back nine starts are not being permitted at this time.
For more information, or to book a tee time, call the pro shop at 519-236-4030 or visit the course’s website at whitesquirrelgolfclub.com.
Bluewater Golf Course
Bluewater Golf Course is a target-style nine-hole course that has been described as challenging. The course features plenty of bush with a lot of sand traps and water hazards along the way.
To give the nine-hole course a new look for a second time around, it offers a multi-tee system that can transform the course significantly the second time, making it play nearly 400 yards longer for a total of 6,122 yards.
Bluewater Golf Course is located on Bluewater Highway north of Bayfield. It features power carts, club rentals, a pro shop and a snack bar. The course is open from April 1 to the end of October.
The course also features an adjacent campground that’s home to over 100 seasonal sites, open from May 1 to the end of October. In addition, there are over 25 adult year-round living sites on the grounds.
To battle the spread of COVID-19, the course will space tee times out in 12-minutes intervals and accept online bookings in addition to those by phone. No walk-ons will be permitted on the course.
For more information on the course, or to book a tee time, call 519-482-7197 or visit the website at www.bluewatergolfandcamp.ca.
Exeter Golf Club
Exeter Golf Club is a nine-hole golf course located in Centralia and it measures just over 3,000 yards. It’s located two kilometres east of Highway 4 on County Road 6. It dates back to 1961.
It’s a Par 36, nine-hole course that features a charming clubhouse, constructed from a century-old barn that is now home to The Barn restaurant and pub.
The course features a driving range, power carts and club rentals. Like most other courses in Huron County, it’s no longer allowing walk-ins due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so you can book a tee time online or by phone.
For more information, or to book a tee time, call 519-235-1517, or visitwww.exetergolfclub.ca.
Ironwood Golf Club
Ironwood Golf Club is located at 72 Wellington Street in Exeter. It features over 6,100 yards of rolling landscape that has been described by many as being very user-friendly. The course is 18 holes and a Par 71.
The course has been hosting golfers for over 50 years. It has recently become part of the GolfNorth family, which operates 31 golf courses across Ontario.
For more information, or to book a tee time, call 1-888-833-8787 or visit www.golfnorth.ca/ironwood.
Maitland Country Club
The Maitland Country Club in Goderich features a picturesque nine-hole golf course that’s artistically threaded through the scenic Maitland River valley. The course is both scenic and challenging and the club also features tennis and curling.
The club offers a fully-stocked pro shop, power carts, pull carts, club rentals and CPGA golf lessons.
The nine-hole course is a Par 34 with a total yardage of over 5,600 yards. It’s open from April to November, from 8 a.m. until dark.
The club is located at 25 North Harbour Road in Goderich. For more information, or to book a tee time, call 519-524-9641 or visit the website at www.themaitland.com.
Oakwood Resort
Oakwood Resort has plenty to offer at its location just north of Grand Bend on Highway 21.
The resort offers a 126-room hotel as well as a newly-built pub to complement the 18-hole, Par 70 golf course.
The 5,356-yard course is the heart of the operation, which dates back to the 1920s. The course also offers a fully-stocked pro shop, lessons and memberships. It is open from 7 a.m. to dusk from April through to October.
The location features practice putting greens, tournament packages, tee time reservations, private lessons, carts and a driving range.
Tee times must be booked in advance online or by phone and no tee times will be booked on-site. Upon arrival, golfers should stay in their cars until instructed otherwise and they are asked to pay with debit or credit card, rather than cash.
For more information on the course, or to book a tee time, call 1-800-387-2324, or visit the resort’s website at www.oakwoodresort.ca.