Summary:  Value Rating = B

Deerhurst Highlands is a great course to play – well maintained and manicured (private club quality), excellent condition, challenging layout, and located in a beautiful setting.  The course flows very nicely through the landscape which include granite outcrops, valleys and dense / mature forests.  You should take the opportunity to play this course if you are in the Muskoka / Huntsville area of Ontario.  Deerhurst Highlands typically gets high ratings from a number of major golf publications.

Every hole is nice to look at from the tee and each hole offers a challenge.  The more you play this course the more you will appreciate it.  You do need to keep your ball in play or you will suffer a high score.

As a resort course, the fees are up there so best to take advantage of twilight rates for the best value.  Green fees are in the $100 range.  The higher cost influences my value rating……but I still like to play Deerhurst Highlands whenever I get the chance.

This is one of many resort style courses available to golfers in the Muskoka region of Ontario.  Best to use a cart because it is a long walk, with some very long walks between holes.

Check out their website for more details – www.deerhurstresort.com – go to the golf menu selection on the webpage to access more info about the courses.

Play and Value Evaluation Rating Table

Refer to my evaluation criteria to see how I judge and rate the courses I’ve played.

Some Details:

Deerhurst is located in the Muskoka region of Ontario, near Huntsville.  There are two courses at Deerhurst – the Highlands course and the Lakeside course.  Deerhurst is also very close to Ontario’s Algonquin Park – a great and scenic provincial park in Ontario – a great, scenic spot to visit.

There are tee blocks for all skill levels and abilities but I definitely would recommend that beginners not play here as you will find it to be a frustrating experience.  This is a challenging course to play requiring good accuracy on all your shots so select the tee that best suits your abilities.  You will use all the clubs in your bag.

Sometimes the pace of play can be slow as golfers hunt for balls in the woods.

My favourite hole is 16 – visually you play left but your 2nd shot from that location gives you less green to work with with a creek in close proximity to the green.  If you play straight towards the hole with a shorter tee shot, you have a longer 2nd shot but more green to work with.  One of the many challenges of playing Deerhurst.

You open up your round with a great view from an elevated tee overlooking the Muskoka region.  A great way to start your round.  Some golfers comment that this is one of the weaker holes on the course but you do need two accurate shots to get par.  The 2nd hole is par 4 where the challenge begins with an uphill tee shot towards a green that you can’t see from the tees.  The 3rd hole is a par 3 with a sloped green requiring an accurate tee shot.  You then head off into a valley, grassland area which gives you a links style feel for 4, 5 and 6.  After that you are back into the forest for the rest of your round.  Hole 10 is often the most talked about hole on the course – a par 4 with an elevated tee, dog leg right to an elevated, multi-tiered and sloped green.

My first round at Deerhurst was a struggle – unfamiliarity with the course cost me strokes.  My subsequent visits were far better…..with my average score sitting at 91 from the white tees.  It does make a difference having played this course before.

My Evaluation Details:

Scenery – great scenery – the course is peaceful and quiet as well.

Mix of holes – an enjoyable and challenging mix of long and short holes with left and right dog legs.

Consistency and condition – private course quality.

Character – a great layout with plenty of challenge.

Golf Challenge – a memorable course

• tee shots – You have a good view of all the fairways from the tees. Some landing spots can be narrow.
• fairway shots – The fairways are in great shape across the whole course.
• pin placements – greens offer many pin placement options, some can be difficult when pins are close to the edges of the greens.
• putting – Putting was fast and consistent across all 18 holes.
• greens – The greens are typically in great shape and number of undulations and slopes to deal with.
• a chance to recover – hitting the ball into the woods or deep grass means trouble and you probably won’t have a shot back to the fairway.  The rough along the fairways is playable and fair.

Other Observations:

The practice facilities are good. Staff is very friendly and service is excellent as would be expected at a resort course.  A nice area to spend some time and enjoy the 19th hole.

Play this course more than once to really enjoy it.

Some photo’s to enjoy.

Comments appreciated – reach me at Lane@lifepast50.ca