Emerald Hills (Parkland & Forest)

Opened in 1982, Emerald Hills Golf Club is now a 27-hole facility, following the addition of another 9-hole circuit (Valley) by Tom McBroom in 2005. The original Parkland & Forest layout (designed by Rene Muylaert) hosted two LPGA events in 1999 and 2000.

Located less than an hour’s drive to the north of downtown Toronto, Emerald Hills was one of four founder clubs which established the ClubLink partnership back in 1993. Today, that association of golf facilities offers members access to more than fifty courses in Ontario, Quebec and Florida.

The Parkland nine plays to 3,857 yards from the rear tees, with the long par three 3rd in the southwest corner of the property rated stroke index 2. The 454-yard 9th returns the loop to the clubhouse, doglegging right past a pond on the left to a sand-protected green.

The Forest nine stretches to 3,626 yards from the back markers and its name obviously suggests that arboreal specimens are the main attraction here – not so, however, as significant water hazards at holes 2, 3, 4 and 9 provide the real par-busting obstacles on this 9-hole circuit.

First-time golfers here shouldn’t think the Forest nine is all about the trees – far from it as there are also formidable water obstacles to negotiate on these tree-lined holes to the left of the par three 2nd and par four 3rd, along with little lakes in front of the green at both the 4th and 9th.

On the more open Parkland nine, feature holes include the long par three 4th in the southwest corner of the property (rated stroke index 2), the tough par four 8th, and the right doglegging 9th, where a pond has to be avoided to the front left of the green.

The club was one of four founding members that established ClubLink in the early 1990s and it remains a leading light in that firm of golf club operators in North America.