Bigwin Island Golf Club

An out standing golf course on an Island with amazing layout and excellent course condition. The most scenic course I have ever played, amazing natural habitat on the course. Saw deer in a bunch. The club house is there since early 1930s and renovated recently. Ride to the island was amazing. I would play this course anyday. Many holes are challenging but rewarding as long as you hit the fairways.

This was my second time this year playing at Bigwin. I played with a group of 12 friends. After the round my clubs mysteriously disappeared between the dock and the parking lot. It took them 5 days to look at the surveillance video in the secured parking lot. Then I was lied to about when they would be returned after they discovered their employee had stuck them in the wrong vehicle. The final insult was the CEO telling me that they would graciously look after the shipping costs of my clubs. He then offered a free round to my wife and I the next time we were in the area. We live 4.5 hours away and I said we don’t get up that way very often. Let’s understand giving me a free round of golf would not cost them anything as the course is already open and paid for. Squeezing in another 2 would amount to nothing.

I have played at Bigwin at least 5 times with corporate partners and I will promise this will be the last.

Ps- finally got my clubs back, only missing a sleeve of balls. Not a note or anything from Bigwin apologizing for the issue.

This was the first and only time I've ever had the experience of arriving at a golf course via shuttle boat. The boat ride experience in itself is enough to visit Bigwin Island. Arriving at a private island golf community via boat is unlike anything I've experienced.

I played here early in the season, but the course was already in decent shape. The course layout was enjoyable, although I was quite surprised, considering it's an island golf course, that we could only see the water from a couple holes. That said, the views on those holes were epic, and I did enjoy the course layout through the heavily treed terrain.

Although I likely won't be playing this course on a weekly basis (nor could I since it's only open to the public in spring and fall) I would highly recommend adding Bigwin to your bucket list as a very cool and unique golf experience.

I recent played in a GTA AM Tour event at bigwin and I was blown away. The boat ride over was amazing, while docking you are looking at the mansion of a clubhouse to the right. On the left you are looking up at the giant 18th hole that is absolutely breathtaking.

The tour provided us with a glimpse of what is to expect when playing all summer with Mark Young and his team as they coordinate with courses like this all over ontario to provide the best experience for their athletes.

Finally, thr course maintenance was fantastic and the staff were very friendly and accommodating. I will 100% be playing there next year in the annual event.

Thumbs up Bigwin, see you soon!

Visiting Bigwin Island was my biggest 'Oh wow' surprise of my golf-writing career.

I knew virtually nothing about the course when I pulled into the parking lot in the fall of 2012. I thought I was lost. There was no clubhouse or golf course in sight, just a giant water hazard, the beautiful Lake of Bays. A five-minute boat ride to the 700-acre island felt like a magical adventure.

In 2001, architect Doug Carrick transformed an abandoned Stanley Thompson course into a stunningly scenic private playground that is only open to the public in spring and fall. All 7,166 yards weave their way seamlessly through undisturbed forest. Carrick's bunkers, lined with a local golden silica sand, are as big and bold as the fairways are wide. The layout is infinitely playable for all golfers.

The vistas from the elevated tee boxes of the par-4 sixth and par-5 18th holes are among the best in North America. The wonderfully restored clubhouse is on par with the best clubs in Canada. The old Bigwin Island Inn, a haven for celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s, collapsed a long time ago, but the island's good life vibe continues on at the club. I'd go back in a heartbeat.