Fully Recovered From Hurricane Fiona, Prince Edward Island Shines Again as an Underrated Golf Hotbed
“You know how you see on the news some hydro company might say there were ‘150,000 people without power,’” Terry Hamilton, the long-time head pro at The Links of Crowbush Cove, asks me.
“Well, that’s 95 percent of our province.”
We’re walking up to the 8th tee at Crowbush, long ranked as Prince Edward Island’s best layout, and Hamilton—who recently retired after three decades—is explaining the holy-s— moments that unfolded last year as Hurricane Fiona made landfall.
A view from behind the 8th green at Crowbush.
Evan Schiller
In September, winds that measured upwards of 105 mph ripped across the province—Canada’s smallest. Power wasn’t fully restored on P.E.I. for three weeks after the storm and it was the costliest weather event in Atlantic Canada history.
Crowbush Cove, which has holes that bump against oceanside sand dunes, was hit hard. But the cleanup effort turned into a proud moment for those in golf on P.E.I.
“Islanders, and especially those who work in the golf industry are resilient. They’re proud of their product and [are] just going to keep showing up until the work is done,” says Sam MacPhail, the executive director of Golf P.E.I.
“It wasn’t going to clean itself.”
What’s left at Crowbush is now a more open layout. The first five holes at Crowbush (away from the ocean) featured rows of trees. They’re all gone now, and it’s become more linksy. Depending on who you ask, that’s what the course should have been in the first place. You don’t want to hit into the fescue that’s replaced all the trees, but it’s an open space. Mentally, it’ll look more player-friendly.
Inland, trees and debris were cleaned up. But along the ocean at Crowbush Cove there were their own challenges. The 16th hole— which side-saddles the beach—needed 4,000 tons of armor stone trucked in to rebuild the shoreline protective wall.
“In a way, it’s good that it happened because they could build for the future,” MacPhail explains. “There is a lot of sustainability in mind when they did these repairs and that will only benefit the golf course in the long run.”
While the Canadian summertime season has concluded, 2023 was business-as-usual for the clubs that make up the group of Golf P.E.I.—20 in total. Luckily the storm hit last year when many clubs were planning their year-end closing. A herculean effort in the fall meant they were ready to go again come spring.
With a full year now in the rearview, things should be even better in 2024 on the island that boasts great golf at great value, plus lots more.
And you may think, well, wait, 20 golf courses? Everything’s close. Like, very close. P.E.I. measures 2,100 square miles (which is only about 200 square miles bigger than the Grand Canyon National Park), MacPhail and a colleague played 63 holes in one day in July—nine-hole turns at seven(!) different golf courses.
The Links at Crowbush Cove is likely the most well-known of the island’s layouts and is often ranked as its best. It opened in 1993 to much acclaim and has undulating fairways, challenging greens, and a handful of where-is-my-phone views. None of which are more impressive than the back tee of the par-5 11th—a 51-step climb dubbed by Hamilton the island’s “Stairway to Heaven.” Once at the summit, it’s a 360-degree look-around towards the ocean, most of the course, and the tricky tee shot below. A stunner. A moment.
Crowbush Cove is part of a triumvirate of courses dubbed “P.E.I.s Finest Golf” with Brudenell River and Dundarave being the others. Those two tracks are part of a 36-hole complex at the Rodd Brudenell River Resort and boast picturesque settings, thoughtful and solid use-of-the-land layouts, and impressive designer credentials—the former was designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, with the latter designed by iconic Canadian architect Robbie Robinson. At Dundarave, the par-4 8th hole is now missing it’s iconic aiming-point tree, a victim of Hurricane Fiona. Still, however, the bunkered beauty is as fine a hole as you’ll find on P.E.I.
The stunning 8th hole at Dundarave.
Evan Schiller
Oh—and all that red sand? It’s part of the charm of golf on the island. P.E.I.’s dirt is tinged red because of its high iron-oxide content (which makes it ideal for growing potatoes, P.E.I.’s top crop to the tune of 2.5 billion pounds per year) and you’ve never seen bunkers like that before.
Someone who has, however, is Lorie Kane.
The four-time LPGA Tour winner is a legend on the island (she’s a part of the P.E.I. Sports Hall of Fame along with Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame—and many others) and mostly calls P.E.I. home these days after the passing of her father and fellow Island icon, Jack Kane, last year. Kane, who played her record 30th and final CPKC Women’s Open last year in Ottawa, is involved with the Mill River Resort as an ambassador. Mill River is about 90 minutes from P.E.I.’s capital, Charlottetown, making it the furthest (well, “furthest,” as the island is 160 miles across) must-play on P.E.I.
Kane is starting to make some suggestions on the golf courses’ go-forward plan, but the parkland layout—which wasn’t immune to Hurricane Fiona’s wrath, with six logging trucks full of downed trees and debris helping with the clearing efforts—is plenty fun. The very solid back-to-back stretch of Nos. 13 and 14 is a personal favorite while the signature par-3 5th is a downhill beauty featuring a tee shot over a pond.
Back in Charlottetown—just nine minutes from the buzzy downtown, in fact—is a hidden-gem standout, Fox Meadow Golf Course. Not much is hidden on P.E.I., given the proximity of everything to, well, everything else, but this course should certainly be installed in any island itinerary for more than just its logistical efficiency.
Trevor Giggey is the director of golf—a second-generation pro on P.E.I.—and lives “about a 5-wood” away from the course. Giggey is quick to wax poetic about the course and the people. It’s a pleasant-surprise local track that’s tapped into some impressive topography for a forgiving, yet sneaky-challenging, 18 holes. The 19th hole, however, is a true standout. A local craft brewery, Lone Oak, has taken over the food and beverage operations in a 10-year agreement and so, yes, there is a craft brewpub with a patio that overlooks the course right there on site.
“I would argue that when you come to Prince Edward Island,” MacPhail says, “it’s not just a golf destination. It’s really a full travel destination.”
A full travel destination full of resilient people who have all pitched in to help get one of Canada’s finest golf destinations back on its feet.
If You Go
Stay: The Holman Grand Hotel is in the heart of Charlottetown’s downtown core. With premium views from its upper rooms and walking distance to everything else you need, it’s the best-of-the-best for downtown accommodations.
The Mill River Resort just underwent a fabulous modernization renovation with the pool, spa, and on-site restaurant featuring some glossy-magazine type touches.
How to get there: Multiple flights, daily, from Toronto and Montreal. Seasonal flights from Calgary. Nine-hour drive from Boston. Five-hour drive from Cabot Cape Breton (if you’re thinking of doing a double dip).
Eat: “It’s known as Canada’s food island,” Sam MacPhail says. An abundance of tastes and tipples available. Some personal favorites: Receiver Coffee (breakfast, sandwiches, elite coffee beverages), Sims Steakhouse and Oyster Bar (get what’s in the name), The Gahan House, Brickhouse Kitchen & Bar, Northport Pier Restaurant (about 15 minutes from Mill River. Do not miss the blueberry bread pudding), and, of course, Cows famous ice cream.
Do: P.E.I.’s beaches make for fabulous day trips… Early July marks the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, a massive multi-day outdoor country music festival … Chef Michael Smith’s “FireWorks Feast” at the Inn at Bay Fortune is a culinary delight that was just featured in Vogue … Hiking, biking, or forest bathing is super popular and easy to do … Visit Green Gables to see where L.M. Montgomery’s inspiration became reality (as in, Anne of Green Gables).