As the PGA Tour prepares for a fun week at Congaree Golf Club with the new Palmetto Championship at Congaree, it reminds us that the reason that this new event was added to the calendar was because, unfortunately, the 2021 RBC Canadian Open had to be cancelled due to issues with the pandemic.
Every year we look forward to this event not just because of the great golf, but because it gives us a chance to think about and highlight one of our favorite golf destinations: Canada.
Where things stand as of today
As it stands currently, the current restrictions have been extended until June 21, 2021, with the borders being closed to all non-essential travel. Talks between Canada and the United States continue to improve and there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel on the border reopening, with hopes that travel could open up sometime this summer, but there is still no certainty on exactly when that could be.
The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, has previously suggested that the border will remain closed until at least 75% of Canadian citizens have at least one dose of the vaccine in their system, and with plans to ramp up the roll out of vaccines it gives us reasons to be optimistic about the potential for travel to Canada for Americans once again, and vice versa for Canadians to be able to frequent the states.
For now, it’s a “wait-and-see” game, but as you can imagine the demand is at an all-time high as golfers are chomping at the bit to travel to their favorite Canadian destinations. We’ve reached out to a few of the top golf destinations in the market to see how they are handling these challenges, and how and when you can book your perfect golf trip to Canada.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is one of our favorite destinations to recommend to golfers in the U.S., as it’s incredible how much value you get for the quality of ocean-view golf at great prices in this beautiful destination. Check out a few of the following course pages and you’ll immediately understand what we’re talking about: The Links at Crowbush Cove, Dundarave, and Brudenell River.
The team at Golf PEI is working around the clock to ensure that golfers are taken care of, and to ease the minds of any golfers booking a late summer getaway they have offered 100% refunds as long as you cancel with 7-day notice.
Per usual, this is the kind of service and expertise that PEI provides on a consistent basis and if you’re considering booking a late-year getaway here, be sure to reach out now as we expect the flood gates to open once the restrictions are lifted.
Cabot Cape Breton
Cabot Cape Breton is one of the truly great golf destinations in not just Canada, but the entire world. The team here has knocked it out of the park with the original design of Cabot Links, and then they turned around and had the dynamic duo of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw come in to mold the incredible piece of land that is Cabot Cliffs into an iconic design that ends with some of the best cliffside views in the game of golf including the famed 16th hole, a par 3 that features a green that sits atop a cliff over the ocean and a view that you will simply never forget.
During the pandemic, the team at Cabot hasn’t been resting on their laurels, as they have continued to improve the property with the addition of The Nest, a fun par-3 short course that sits above Cabot Cliffs and provides spectacular views of the property down to the ocean.
The team at Cabot is asking that golfers who are interested in booking an epic getaway to continue to monitor the border closures closely as they are anxiously awaiting word on the reopening like the rest of us all are. We can tell you from our travels here that the resort routinely fills up when things are operating at full capacity, so we suggest you get your plans done soon if you’ve got this on your list of upcoming trips in the years ahead.
Whistler
When most people hear the word Whistler, they are often reminded of the great winter sports, as this host destination of the 2010 Winter Olympics offers first-class experiences to any and all looking for a snow-covered getaway in a phenomenal location.
As much as we concur with these sentiments, we’re here to discuss great golf destinations and that is one area where Whistler somehow flies under the radar to many golfers and hopefully, we can help remedy that as the golf here is simply fantastic!
Whistler is highlighted by four fantastic golf designs with Big Sky Golf Club, Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, Nicklaus North Golf Course, and Whistler Golf Club. As a golfer, you need to go and play all four of these courses as they each offer their own unique take on this landscape, with each in pristine condition, complete with mountain backdrops that are breathtaking for anyone who gets to enjoy these incredible courses.
As uncertainty remains as to when golfers from the states can return to Canada, the team at Whistler suggests that you start planning your golf trip now as the demand is already starting to pile up for bookings so that when the restrictions are lifted. This will allow you and your crew the ability to take advantage of all of the incredible golf, lodging, and activities that this one-of-a-kind destination can offer.
Recommendation
As you can tell, our team is a huge fan of the golf and experience from these top Canada destinations. The consensus from these partners is to at least start the planning process so that when the restrictions are lifted, that you and your group are ready to go as the demand is likely to be through the roof.
If you are planning to go to Whistler be sure to play all four golf courses here as they are quite phenomenal, and we suggest staying at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler for a first-class experience.
For golfers interested in traveling to eastern Canada, both Prince Edward Island and Cabot Cape Breton can provide you with incredible trips in and of themselves, but we suggest trying to combine both of these destinations into one trip. It’s fairly easy to take the ferry over from Cape Breton to Prince Edward Island and vice versa, and you can create an incredible 5-day or more itinerary out of a trip that includes both of these fantastic golf destinations.
Here’s to the restrictions being lifted soon as we can’t wait to get back and see our friendly neighbors to the North!