Green Day

Friday Harbour

Where: Innisfil
Distance from Toronto: 100 km Number of holes: 18 Price: $$$

Friday Harbour, a 600-acre resort on Lake Simcoe, has become a year-round destination for Torontonians seeking a nearby escape. Top golf-course architect Doug Carrick designed the site’s 18-hole public course, the Nest, which features dramatic undulations that look natural to the formerly flat landscape.

Since it opened in 2017, the resort has steadily added new amenities. There’s a 1,000-slip marina and pier; a promenade along the water with boutiques, bars and restaurants; beach and lake clubs; bike rentals; kids’ camps; and fitness classes. There’s also a slate of year-round programming including Cars and Jazz, a festival that combines a love of high-end vehicles with live music, and an annual fashion show that transforms the pier into a catwalk.

Guests can book stays in a variety of townhouse and condo rental units. And a proposed 15-storey hotel, if approved, would add more than 1,000 new units.

The Pulpit Club

Where: Caledon
Distance from Toronto: 67 km Number of holes: 18 x two courses Price: $$$$

The two courses here—Pulpit and ­Paintbrush—are among the highest-ranked in Canada, and for the first time, they’re open to the public. Now, anyone staying at one of three affiliated rental properties can access them.

The most luxurious overnight option is Escarpment House, a 14,000-square-foot mansion on 88 acres in the Caledon countryside. It has stately architecture and sprawling grounds with hiking and walking trails nearby, along with modern interiors and luxe amenities like a hot tub, a steam room, a gym, a games room, a theatre and a pool with views of the Toronto skyline in the distance.

At five bedrooms, Escarpment House can accommodate up to 15 guests, who get chauffeured shuttle service to and from the courses. They can dine alfresco at the clubhouse restaurant, have meals delivered to the house or, if they’re feeling extra splurgey, take advantage of a private catering option.

Muskoka Bay

Where: Gravenhurst
Distance from Toronto: 170 km Number of holes: 18 Price: $$$

There are few views in Canadian golf more magnificent than the one from the clubhouse at Muskoka Bay. The 17,000-square-foot building is perched on a cliff overlooking the 18th green 100 metres below. The course winds through outcroppings of the Canadian Shield, with lush forest beyond.

As tempting as it would be to lounge in the clubhouse all day, there’s a lot more going on at this four-season, 850-acre Gravenhurst resort. It launched in 2007 with the opening of the golf course, and additional amenities have popped up in the years since. There’s a 62-suite hotel, a clifftop infinity pool, a full-service spa, a fitness centre and a restaurant, plus specialty experiences like a dining series and a wellness package.

Later this year, the resort is adding an upscale rooftop restaurant and a second boutique hotel. But staying over isn’t mandatory—Muskoka Bay also offers day passes for golfing and hiking.