Golf: A Good Drive Gets You to Canada

A ten-hour road trip from New York to New Brunswick, Canada to play golf and experience differences in culture had the makings of a fun adventure but is this foreign country really foreign?

Driving through Maine past border crossing into Atlantic Canada was exciting as I have never experienced leaving the U.S.A. by automobile. The scenery is beautiful yet monotonous on both sides of the border and there aren't many exits along the way. Even my GPS periodically lost its signal until it closed in on the City of Fredericton.

Crowne Plaza Lord Beaverbrook Hotel

I felt relieved to finally arrive at our destination, the Crowne Plaza Lord Beaverbrook, a business hotel with comfortable amenities located near legislative buildings, museums and lots of outdoor dining; free concerts are also provided during the season. The Changing of the Guard, a twice-daily Canadian event, occurs right down the street and I was disappointed that my schedule did not permit me time to experience it.

The Crowne Plaza also abuts the Saint John River and offers access to about sixteen miles of biking (mountain bikes available for rental) and hiking trails. Walking across the Old Train bridge, for example, is a great photo opportunity and gave us the chance to meet and greet other friendly strollers.

Be aware that Fredericton is not a late-night city. Although you can still get a coffee at Tim Hortons (the equivalent of Dunkin Donuts) or a Moosehead Light at the local Snooty Fox Pub, the streets are pretty much deserted.


Our first day of golf in Canada began with a hearty breakfast on the patio of the Terrace Room of the Crowne Plaza and then we drove about ten minutes to one of Fredericton, New Brunswick's signature golf courses.

Kingswood Golf Course, designed by Graham Cooke has a slew of accolades to its credit including a Top-20 in 2004 by Travel and Leisure Magazine, Golf Digest's best new course in 2003, top-100 pick in 2005 and was selected to host the 2010 University and College Championship.

Kingswood offers golfers a 9-hole executive course and an 18-hole Signature Course (which we played). It is scenic, well-manicured and offers golfers a challenging round. The interior of the clubhouse was created with wood from trees taken from the course giving it a log cabin feel and a Sam Snead's restaurant is currently under construction complete with memorabilia.

Our foursome included Jeffrey Hutt from Golf New Brunswick, Barry, myself and the eleven-year-old New Brunswick Junior golf champion, Graham Gourley, who also happens to be the son of Kingswood Golf Course Teaching Pro Bari Gourley.

Being beaten at golf by an eleven-year-old who weighs about eighty pounds soaking wet can be humbling but it also taught me a few things about how I can improve my own game, for example:

1. You can shoot an 84 without driving the golf ball more than 150 yards.

2. Keep shots in the short grass and, if necessary, get the golf ball back into the short grass whenever possible.

3. Lay-up to your "go-to" short game shot. Graham laid up all fairway shots to about 100 yards. Pick your favorite distance, the one you are confident with, and strike with confidence.

4. Try to two-putt every green: get the ball within the "circle of trust" then get it in the hole.



Stacy Solomon, NB Junior Champion Graham Gourley with Jeffrey Hutt of GolfNB.com



Dinner at the cozy yet hip Brewbakers restaurant located along King Street after the round provided me with my first taste of fresh Canadian seafood, a satisfying fettucine dish with shrimp and scallops.

A good night's sleep (yes, the Sleep Advantage Program at Crowne Plaza really IS comfortable) and we're off to to play golf at Fox Creek Golf Course in Dieppe, another challenging layout by Graham Cooke, along the Fundy Bay Drive in Atlantic Canada. Then, we're off to St. Andrews by-the-Sea to play golf at the Algonquin Signature Course and to catch a glimpse of a ghost at a haunted hotel!

To visit New Brunswick and experience the natural wonders for yourself just hit a good, long drive! Watch for part two of my Golf Canada Adventure in the Maritimes on Golf for Beginners. You can also view a few additional pictures on our Facebook page.

Thanks for the hospitality:

Crowne Plaza Lord Beaverbrook Hotel, Fredericton, Canada

Kevin Johnston, Manager Kingswood Golf Course

Jeffrey Hutt, Golf New Brunswick
Bari Gourley, Teaching Professional, Kingwood Golf Course

And to all of the people of Canada that we encountered during our stay who were very friendly and welcoming!


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Win a FREE Golf Vacation and Gear in Coastal Canada Summer Giveaway Contest!

GOLF COASTAL CANADA ANNOUNCES SUMMER 2011 CONTEST FEATURING WEEKLY GIVEAWAYS AND GRAND PRIZE TRIPS

--The Four Atlantic Canada Provinces Offer Chances to Win Golf Gear and Golf Trips, to Residents of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania--

Golf Coastal Canada (www.golfcoastalcanada.com), a consortium of golf destinations along Canada’s Atlantic seaboard – New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, announces their online Summer 2011 Contest. Residents of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania can enter to win weekly golf gear prizes, or one of Golf Coastal Canada’s three Grand Prizes, with golf trips to the Atlantic Canada provinces.

Golf Coastal Canada wants to bring the Atlantic Canada golf experience to life for residents of this tri-state area. Beginning June 20^th through August 17^th, 2011, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania residents can enter Golf Coastal Canada’s Summer Contest by clicking on the contest icon at: www.GolfCoastalCanada.com. 

Weekly prizes include a dozen Titleist golf balls and Atlantic Canada ball caps. The Three Grand Prizes include a golf trip for two people to one of the Atlantic Canada provinces. Each Grand Prize trip includes three nights accommodations, a package of four rounds of golf and a power cart for two.

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The Atlantic Canada provinces boast some of the best golf in the world – in 2011 Prince Edward Island received the prestigious “Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year” Award from the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO).  

Departures Magazine named Golf Cape Breton, on the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia, one of “The World’s Best Golf Destinations” in its March/April 2011 issue. In addition, both Newfoundland & Labrador and New Brunswick offer several top-rated courses sprawled across breathtaking, rugged terrain. Now residents of the tri-state area have the chance to personally experience these courses, not to mention Atlantic Canada’s renowned local cuisine and culture.

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Rules and Regulations: 

This contest is intended for residents of the states of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania only. This excludes, without limitation, the state of Florida and all US territories and shall only be construed and evaluated according to United States law. You must be the age of majority in your state of residence or older to enter. You are not authorized to enter this promotion if you do not meet these criteria. Internet access required.

Grand Prize Trip Winners will be responsible for providing their own airfare, ground transportation, meals and other incidentals on their trips. Winners will be personally notified by email only. All prizes must be claimed before the expiry date of August 30, 2011. Prizes have no cash value and must be accepted as awarded with no substitutions. No cash substitutes, no exchanges, refunds or returns. An individual may only enter once per week during the promotion period.

About Golf Coastal Canada

Golf Coastal Canada (www.golfcoastalcanada.com) is the golf consortium representing the four provinces that make up the Atlantic Coast of Canada - Golf New Brunswick (www.golfnb.com), Golf Newfoundland & Labrador (www.golfnl.ca), Golf Nova Scotia (www.golfnovascotia.com) and Golf Prince Edward Island (www.golfpei.com). Each of these four destinations has its own signature offerings, including top-rate accommodations, local cuisine and culture and, of course, a wide variety of courses for different levels of play.

Join Stacy and Barry next week on Twitter @Golf4Beginners, Facebook and Golf for Beginners blog as they share their Canada golf vacation in Fredericton and St. Andrews, New Brunswick! 

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Golf in the Coastal Provinces of Atlantic Canada

I must admit, when I first accepted the assignment to spread the word about the once-in-a-lifetime Golf Coastal Canada Adventure contest, I didn't know much about Atlantic Canada, its provinces or heritage. A bit of internet research and a passion for golf and travel led me to reasons why I want to visit 'The True North Strong and Free'.

For those golfers who have never ventured into Atlantic Canada, there are four distinct provinces with flavors all their own: Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

The Atlantic provinces are not only meant for vacationers seeking to play golf at some amazing courses, but they are also filled with endless dining and cultural opportunities, making this a "must-see" region for those searching for a multifaceted Canadian adventure.

Prince Edward Island (PEI or 'the Island' for short) is the smallest and greenest province where it is said 'the air and water are fresh and clean'. PEI is known for fresh lobster and Malpeque oysters harvested straight from the bay! With over fifty lighthouses and ninety island beaches, the home of "Big Break XI" will tempt you with it's natural wonders and challenging golf courses!

River Mill Golf Club is the site of Big Break XI, but I understand that two of the courses featured in the contest, Green Gables and Crowbush, are equally considered "must-plays" on Prince Edward Island.

Green Gables, recently updated by Thomas McBroom and on the North Shore is "a scenic, ocean-side course with rolling greens guarded by deep bunkers, six water holes, an ever changing breeze".

Crowbush Aerial View

Crowbush Golf and Beach Resort has a five-star, four diamond rating. The Links at Crowbush Cove on the eastern side of PEI have received numerous accolades from Golfers Choice awards to Best Scenery and Best Condition. Although beautiful, she is also known to be challenging, laden with pot bunkers and water hazards.


When visiting New Brunswick, you won't know whether to spend your time walking the sandy beaches, discovering the reversing falls or enjoying spectacular golf courses. Why not do it all?

Fairmont Algonquin

From the Algonquin, redesigned and one of the oldest and most challenging golf courses in Canada to Kingswood Golf Course (seven water hazards in the first six holes), the choice of which golf club to pull from your bag will depend on the topography and direction of the wind.


Nova Scotia (Canada's Ocean Playground) and Newfoundland (called 'The Rock'), round out the four provinces in Atlantic Canada.

Nova Scotia, the most populous province and also the second smallest in area next to PEI, is surrounded by the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic Ocean (and their salmon is deliciously famous!) The two golf courses selected as part of the contest winner's prize are the classic layout of Highland Links which received numerous accolades including a 4 1/2 star rating from Golf Digest in 2008 and The Lakes Golf Club.

The Lakes Golf Club

Overlooking Bras d'Or Lakes in the Cape Breton Region, the brand new Lakes Golf Club sits 150-feet above sea level. Designer Graham Cooke said of his new golf course, “Each golf hole at Ben Eoin will have an intriguing appearance and the course will have a balanced challenge so that all golfers will be able to have an unforgettable and entertaining experience,”

Newfoundland (and Labrador), the fourth of the Atlantic Canadian provinces, is nature at it's most grand, where I understand that there are whale and rare bird sightings!

The tranquil Humber Valley River and meandering lakes and streams set the pace at Humber Valley Resort's River Course.  Voted “Canada’s Best New Course 2007” by SCOREGolf Magazine, the River Course is an 18-hole, par 72 championship golf course measuring 7,199 yards. Gros Morne Resort (the second course featured in the contest) is centered in the middle of a National Park, a UNESCO Heritage Site and one of only 911 in the world considered as having "outstanding universal value."

Humber Valley Resort's River Course

As you can see, a visit to Coastal Canada's Atlantic Region is more than just a few rounds of golf, it's an adventure and should be part of any golfers "bucket list."

The Great Coastal Canada Golf Adventure is a nine-day vacation for four people covering all four Atlantic Canadian provinces!

Here is what the winner will receive if you win the contest:

•  9 day adventure
•  8 courses
•  4 diverse provinces
•  4 people total
•  3 helicopter tours
•  Endless dining and cultural opportunities
•  1 all-expense paid trip

Read more about the Contest and Enter today! 


No purchase necessary. See complete rules for details. Open to New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents only.