Montreal PQ Golf Weekend

Golf Magazine, 9/07

Play Where the Pros Play: Montreal, Canada
Published: September 01, 2007

Montreal is renowned for its sophisticated French-fusion cuisine and summer jazz festival. The golf? Not so much. All that will change after the September 2007 Presidents Cup visits

Unfortunately, those of us not named Ernie Els don't have a shot of playing the ultra-private Royal Montreal Country Club. But if you've got a Presidents Cup ticket, or plan on visiting North America's most European city to parlez vous your Francais, you've got about 100 other options.

Start just across the street from Royal Montreal at the 36-hole St. Raphael Golf Club (514-696-4653, golfstraphael.ca; $70-$170). Its No. 1 course is a pleasant warm-up — and half the price of No. 2. But with lakes, wetlands, tight corridors and small greens, No. 2 is worth the extra coin. Across town away from the chaos, Montreal Island Golf Club (514-448-6000, www.cgimgolf.com; $35-$80) dispenses two Pat Ruddy courses, the North, a 6,600-yard, par-70 parkland layout, and the South, its 7,180-yard, par-70, faux links sibling, which evokes Ruddy's Irish homeland, right down to its 50-foot dunes and six dozen pot bunkers.

And it's not just Celine Dion who gets to belt out the big ones in these parts. The 7,103-yard, par-72 Des Seigneurs Course at Le Versant Golf Center (450-964-2251, www.golfleversant.com/en/, $69) is such a brawny brute you'll almost never get to pull anything but driver off the tee. For more information on Montreal festivals and accommodations, visit www.montreal.com, s'il vous plait.

Best Bar Nearby:  Fat Guy Research:  Jardin Tiki (5300 Sherbrooke E), a mainstay near Montreal's Olympic Village since the 1970's, is a huge tribute to Tiki. They have a wonderful atrium overflowing with tropical plants and a turtle pond complete with, of course, turtles. Not to mention tikis, lots and lots of tikis, some are so huge and all are fun to check out. Very visually appealing, and the drinks are good. It's a great place to meet up with friends [Squidoo.com]