Niagara Falls is one of the great natural wonders in the world, an extraordinary destination that annually attracts millions of visitors to Ontario, Canada from every corner of the globe. Since 1885, The Niagara Parks Commission has been the guardian of the falls and curators of the 56 km Niagara River Parkway where golfers will find three of Ontario`s best championship courses along a stretch of roadway that visiting Prime Minister Winston Churchill called “the prettiest Sunday drive in the world”.
The Whirlpool Golf Course owned and operated by The Niagara Parks Commission opened to fanfare in 1951. Located on the Niagara River Parkway 10 minutes north of the falls, this gently rolling parkland course is located on the precipice of the Niagara River Whirlpool and Gorge and borders the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens.
Designed by legendary Canadian architect Stanley Thompson and measuring over 7,000 yards from the back tees, Whirlpool is a local favourite and consistently ranks among the top public courses in Canada. With wonderful hole variety it’s a hallmark of Stanley’s Thompson’s very best work where the holes are uniquely memorable and a round of golf seems to pass by all too quickly. In the classic stone and timber clubhouse reminiscent of a bygone era, the airy dining room offers locally inspired fare along with panoramic views of the tree-lined Parkway and Whirlpool`s 18th hole.
Located 10 minutes south of the falls along the Niagara River Parkway, a one-kilometer driveway that provides glimpses of manicured fairways leads to the clubhouse of Legends on the Niagara, an architectural gem inspired by the image of a 19th century fort. Initially conceived by Niagara Parks as a means of preserving an historic battlefield from the War of 1812, the 1,000 acre golf complex at Legends opened in 2001 with two championship courses, a 9-hole short course and a 45-acre golf academy designed by Canada’s two leading contemporary architects Douglas Carrick and Thomas McBroom, both disciples of Whirlpool`s Stanley Thompson.
Douglas Carrick’s Battlefield course at Legends on the Niagara with its generous tree-lined fairways and strategically placed bunkers borders the hallowed grounds of the 1814 Battle of Chippawa and hosted the 2004 LPGA Canadian Women’s Open. On the south side of the property, Thomas McBroom`s Ussher`s Creek course meanders through the surrounding forest, with narrower fairways and the ever present Ussher’s Creek. Both courses mirror Stanley Thompson`s `make it memorable’ philosophy and combined with Whirlpool, they represent the only place in Canada where all three celebrated architects can be found within minutes of each other and under the same ownership.
Between them, the Niagara Parks architects Stanley Thompson, Thomas McBroom and Douglas Carrick have designed close to half of the top-100 ranked golf courses in Canada. Legends on the Niagara became a Certified Audubon Sanctuary in 2014 and Whirlpool is currently pursuing the same distinction.
Whirlpool Golf Course and Legends on the Niagara are located within 10 minutes of Niagara Falls, Ontario, major hotels, casinos and world-class wineries. International airports in Niagara Falls, NY and Buffalo, NY are less than 30 minutes away. Toronto International Airport is 90 minutes from Niagara Falls, Ontario.
For information about IAGTO member rates and benefits contact Richard Janes, Manager, Golf Business Development, The Niagara Parks Commission rjanes@niagaraparks.com or visit www.niagaraparksgolf.com
ENDS