Highlands Links Golf Course

Ingonish Beach, Nova Scotia

 A rugged, sublime journey along the coast, through forests and under mountains

📷 golfnovascotia.com
📷 golfnovascotia.com

There are a few courses around the world that go beyond offering great golf, and instead offer a transcendent experience. Think the Old Course, Augusta, Cypress Point, and a few others. Highlands Links is another one of those course. To get there is a spectacular (and long) drive from anywhere. And they journey isn’t over when you step onto the first tee, for the course takes you from the crashing Atlantic coast, into marshland, and then into deep forests under the mountains, before turning back to where you started. At one point you walk nearly a quarter mile between holes, but it’s totally fine because the path is besides a mountain stream and it’ll energize, rather than drain, you. Conditions at Highlands Links are often charitably described as rugged (this part of Nova Scotia is a harsh environment for a golf course to exist in), but it shouldn’t matter. The Highlands Links has everything you want in a golf course you’d have to travel so far to get too.

Expert Reviews

Rankings

World

#46

Planet Golf

 

#87

Golf Digest

Nova Scotia

#3

Top 100 Golf Courses

📷 golfnovascotia.com
📷 golfnovascotia.com

Course Photos

Course Layout

Course Flyover

What To Know

Yardage & Tees

When to Play

Highlands Links is open from late May through late October.

Temperatures should be pleasant most times Highlands Links is open. Ingonish Beach is relatively wet year round, but the drier months are May-August. Wind is relatively consistent and strong all year, but the tall trees should protect you on most holes. 

Weatherwise, anytime Highlands Links is open should be a good time to play. Be aware, however that earlier in the season the conditioning may be less impressive than usual due to damage from the previous winter. 

Temperature

Precipitation

Wind

 

Greens Fees

Take note: All prices are in Canadian Dollars 

Month

Greens Fees

January Closed
February Closed
March Closed
April Closed
Open to May 31  $110 before 1:30pm, $85 1:30-3:30pm, $60 after 3:30pm
June 1-24  $110 before 1:30pm, $85 1:30-3:30pm, $60 after 3:30pm
June 25-30  $110 before 1:30pm, $85 1:30-3:30pm, $60 after 3:30pm
July $130 before 1:30pm, $105 1:30-3:30pm, $70 after 3:30pm
August $130 before 1:30pm, $105 1:30-3:30pm, $70 after 3:30pm
September $130 before 1:30pm, $105 1:30-3:30pm, $70 after 3:30pm
October 1-4 $130 before 1:30pm, $105 1:30-3:30pm, $70 after 3:30pm
October 5 to close $110 before 1:30pm, $85 1:30-3:30pm, $60 after 3:30pm
November Closed
December Closed

 

Greens fees last verified January 2020. View them on kelticlodge.ca

Visitor Tee Times
Visitors may play Highlands Links seven days a week.

Book a tee time.

Rentals & Caddies

Clubs – Taylor Mades – are available to rent.

Golf carts are only available for $35 (Canadian Dollars).

Getting There

There’s no two ways about it – Highlands Links is not easy to get to. But if you make the journey, the effort you put into it will make it even more enjoyable. No, really.

Sydney is not a large airport – with a few exceptions, you’re not going to get a direct flight and flights and airlines will be limited. You can get a direct flight into Halifax from most major eastern US cities, but you’ll have a lengthy drive to Highlands Links. Realistically, you should plan on spending an entire day getting to Highlands Links.

Address:

Middle Head Peninsula, Ingonish Beach, NS B0C 1L0

Nearest Airport:

Sydney (93 miles / 2 hours)

Other Airports:

Halifax (258 miles / 4 hours 40 minutes)

Practice Facilities
Highlands Links has a practice green and a short game practice area.
Other Things To Know

Course Website

Year built: 1939

Architects: Stanley Thompson, later contributions from Graham Cooke & Ian Andrew

Packages: See if there are any package deals available here.

Lodging: Highlands Links is associated with Keltic Lodge. Learn more about rooms here