Prince Edward Island Golf Trail: A Golfer's Guide

Prince Edward Island packs a remarkable range of golf into Canada's smallest province, anchored by the historic Green Gables Golf Course — a Stanley Thompson masterpiece set within PEI National Park — and complemented by a cluster of coastal and parkland layouts that make the island a natural destination for a self-guided golf road trip.

• Green Gables Golf Course: A 1939 Stanley Thompson design routed through PEI National Park, featuring a celebrated downhill par-3 fifth over a creek to a kidney-shaped green.
• Glasgow Hills Resort: A Cavendish-area resort course offering sweeping inland scenery and a full resort experience.
• Andersons Creek Golf Club: A Cavendish and North Rustico layout woven through the Island's signature red-soil countryside.
• Stanhope Golf & Country Club: A Stanhope classic that pairs well with the nearby national park beaches and the broader north shore corridor.
• Lobster suppers after the round: PEI's post-golf tradition is the lobster supper — New Glasgow Lobster Suppers and Fisherman's Wharf Lobster Suppers are the definitive spots.

The natural starting point for any PEI golf itinerary is Green Gables Golf Course, the 18-hole, par-72 championship layout that Stanley Thompson carved into Prince Edward Island National Park in 1939. Stretching to 6,874 yards through mature trees and park landscapes, it carries all the hallmarks of Thompson's best work: natural contours respected, greens of unusual character, and a clear sense that the land itself dictated the routing. The signature fifth hole crystallizes what makes the course special — a downhill par 3 where the tee shot must carry a creek to find a kidney-shaped green perched on the far bank. Playing Green Gables Golf Course is as much a heritage experience as it is a round of golf.

The Cavendish corridor holds several more options for golfers who want to extend their stay on the north shore. Green Gables Golf Club and Andersons Creek Golf Club both operate in the Cavendish and North Rustico area, offering parkland rounds that draw on the red-soil character of the Island's interior. Glasgow Hills Resort adds a resort-style experience to the Cavendish mix, making it easy to structure a multi-day north shore itinerary without moving accommodation between rounds.

Venturing slightly further afield fills out the trail nicely. Stanhope Golf & Country Club in Stanhope sits close to the national park's eastern beaches, pairing well with an afternoon on the dunes after the round. Countryview Golf Club in Fairview provides another option for golfers working their way toward or from Charlottetown, giving the trail a logical geographic arc from the national park's west end through the heart of the north shore and back toward the capital.

Day 1 — Arrival and the Thompson Classic: Settle into Fairways Cottages or Kindred Spirits Inn & Cottages in Cavendish, then head straight to Green Gables Golf Course for an afternoon round on the Stanley Thompson layout. Pay particular attention to the fifth hole's creek crossing on the way to that kidney-shaped green. After the round, drive into North Rustico for dinner at Fisherman's Wharf Lobster Suppers, where the 60-foot all-you-can-eat salad bar and harbour views make for a fitting end to the first day.

Day 2 — The Cavendish Corridor: Spend the morning at Andersons Creek Golf Club or Green Gables Golf Club, both set in the red-soil countryside between Cavendish and North Rustico. In the afternoon, tee it up at Glasgow Hills Resort for a different perspective on the Cavendish landscape. Post-round, La Rose Bistro inside Avonlea Village offers a more refined Island dining experience, drawing on fresh local ingredients for a quieter evening.

Day 3 — East Along the North Shore: Check in to Shaw's Hotel & Cottages in Brackley Beach and spend the day at Stanhope Golf & Country Club. The national park beaches are within easy reach for a walk between the morning and afternoon. For dinner, make the short drive to New Glasgow Lobster Suppers, PEI's original lobster supper since 1958, where the lobster comes straight from on-site saltwater tanks.

Day 4 — Fairview and the Drive Home: Loop through Countryview Golf Club in Fairview as a final morning round before heading toward Charlottetown. The geographic arc of the trail — from the national park through the north shore corridor to the capital — means the drive out covers much of the same red-soil scenery that defines the Island's interior. A late lunch at The Lost Anchor in Cavendish, steps from the national park, makes a satisfying last stop before departure.

Cavendish is the natural base for the north shore courses, and the accommodation options there are well-suited to a golf-focused trip. Fairways Cottages is a 4-star cottage resort positioned steps from Green Gables Golf and offers dedicated golf vacation packages that simplify the planning. Kindred Spirits Inn & Cottages is a family-run 4-star inn and cottage property next to Green Gables House, within easy reach of the area's main layouts. For a B&B experience, Cavendish Breeze Inn comes highly rated, with a hot breakfast and heated pool to bookend long days on the course.

Those who prefer a self-catering villa setup should consider The Gables of PEI in Stanley Bridge, a collection of contemporary villas and vacation homes beside Andersons Creek Golf. On the eastern end of the north shore corridor, Shaw's Hotel & Cottages in Brackley Beach — Canada's oldest continually family-operated inn, set on a 75-acre peninsula — offers a historic and charming alternative for golfers playing Stanhope and the parks-area courses.

Prince Edward Island rewards the golfer who takes time to explore its full breadth — from a Stanley Thompson classic inside a national park to coastal parkland layouts overlooking red-soil farmland and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Book a few nights in Cavendish, line up the tee times, and let the Island's compact geography do the rest.