Bigwin Island
A par 72 on a private island in the heart of Muskoka, reached only by boat across Lake of Bays. Doug Carrick reinvented the course in 2001 on the site of a 1920s Stanley Thompson layout, routing about 7,166 yards through rock, pine and water. Pure cottage country golf, and one of the most memorable arrivals in Canada.
Photo: Bigwin Island Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Bigwin Island is one of the great theatrical rounds in Canadian golf, and it starts before the first tee: you reach the course by boat, crossing Lake of Bays to a 520 acre private island where about 200 acres of interior land hold the golf. The setting is classic Muskoka, granite outcrops, dense pine and birch, and water glinting between the trees, and it gives the course a sense of escape that few inland clubs can match.
The golf lives up to the journey. Doug Carrick rebuilt the course in 2001 on ground that first held a Stanley Thompson layout in the 1920s, and his routing makes full use of the rock and elevation, a par 72 of about 7,166 yards that swings from open, rolling holes to tight corridors framed by stone. It is private and access is limited, so most travelers play it on a stay and play package, but for those who get on it is a bucket list day.
Bigwin Island at a glance
- Opened
- 2001
- Designer
- Doug Carrick
- Type
- Island parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,166 yds
- Green fee
- Members and guests
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Bigwin Island Golf Club and leading course databases. The modern course was designed by Doug Carrick and opened in 2001, on the site of a 1920s Stanley Thompson layout, a par 72 of about 7,166 yards from the back tees. Bigwin Island is a private club; there is no published public green fee, and most visitor play comes through stay and play packages with partner lodges. Package rates are seasonal and indicative for 2026, so always confirm access and current pricing directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Carrick let the island dictate the design. Several holes play across and around exposed granite, and the elevation changes give you downhill drives that hang in the Muskoka air and uphill approaches that demand an extra club. The fairways are generous enough to keep the round enjoyable, but the green complexes are firm and contoured, so position off the tee still matters when you want to attack a pin.
The water and the forest do the rest. Holes thread between stands of pine and birch, and the lake views open at the high points to remind you exactly where you are. Carrick mixes muscular par 5s with a clever set of shorter holes where the temptation to take on the rock or the carry is part of the fun.
The closing holes bring the round back toward the clubhouse and the dock, and the whole experience is rounded out by a return boat ride and the island's lodge and dining. Bigwin Island is not the longest or the most penal course you will ever play, but for sheer sense of place and the quality of the journey it is hard to beat in Ontario.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private club; generally reserved for members and Club Cabin guests through July and August, with more visitor access in spring and fall |
| Green fee | No published public fee; most visitors play via a stay and play package, with partner lodge packages from around 300 Canadian dollars per person per night (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Arrange through the club or a partner lodge well ahead; tee times on the island are limited and the shoulder seasons book up fast |
| On the day | Reach the course by boat across Lake of Bays; carts are standard given the terrain, and the clubhouse and dining are part of the day |
| Getting there | Near Baysville on Lake of Bays in Muskoka, about two and a half to three hours north of Toronto by road, then a short crossing to the island |
| Best months | Late May to early October for the Muskoka season; June and September offer the best mix of conditions, color and access |
Access and package guidance verified June 2026; Bigwin Island is private and policies and rates change, so always confirm directly with the club or your trip planner before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Most golfers who play Bigwin Island do so on a package with one of the Lake of Bays and Muskoka lodges, several of which bundle accommodation, dinner, the boat transfer and a round on the island. It is the simplest way to secure access and it turns the trip into a proper cottage country getaway around Baysville, Dwight and Huntsville.
Muskoka is one of Ontario's great summer regions, full of lakeside resorts, fine dining and the wider draw of cottage country, so a Bigwin Island round slots neatly into a longer Ontario golf tour. It pairs well with the marquee courses around Toronto for a trip that mixes city and wilderness golf.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Bigwin Island.
Build a Muskoka golf trip
We arrange the Bigwin Island access and boat transfer where availability allows, pair it with the best of Ontario golf and book the lodging around it. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Bigwin Island questions
Who designed Bigwin Island and when did it open?
The modern Bigwin Island course was designed by Doug Carrick and opened in 2001. It sits on the site of an earlier Stanley Thompson layout that dated to the 1920s, so the island has a golf history stretching back a century.
What is the par and length of Bigwin Island?
Bigwin Island is a par 72 measuring about 7,166 yards from the back tees, with forward tees down to roughly 5,346 yards, so it gives golfers of every level a playable round.
Can visitors play Bigwin Island?
Bigwin Island is a private club. It is generally reserved for members and Club Cabin guests through the peak of July and August, with more visitor access in spring and fall. Stay and play packages with partner lodges are the usual route for travelers, and you reach the course by boat across Lake of Bays.
How do you get to Bigwin Island?
The course is on a private island on Lake of Bays near Baysville in Muskoka, about two and a half to three hours north of Toronto. Players cross to the island by boat from the mainland marina, which is part of the appeal of a round there.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative package rates verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.