Devil's Paintbrush
High in the Caledon Hills, Devil's Paintbrush is one of the most convincing links style courses in North America. A Hurdzan and Fry design opened in 1992, par 72 over about 6,772 yards, with stone walls, sod walled bunkers and wind blown fescue, it is the rugged sibling to Devil's Pulpit.
Photo: H ZH via Google.
The verdict
Devil's Paintbrush is the closest thing to a true links you will find within an hour of Toronto, and it is a triumph of imagination over geography. Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry built it on high, exposed ground in the Caledon Hills, moving little earth and letting the wind, the fescue and the firm turf do the work. Opened in 1992, it was conceived alongside its parkland sibling Devil's Pulpit by the inventors of Trivial Pursuit, two very different courses sharing one extraordinary property.
Where the Pulpit is lush and manicured, the Paintbrush is wild and windswept, dotted with dry stone walls and deep sod walled bunkers that would not look out of place on an Ayrshire coast. At par 72 over about 6,772 yards it is not long on the card, but the exposure changes everything. A calm day flatters you; a breeze turns it into one of the sternest, most thrilling tests in the country. For a links lover, this is a must play.
Devil's Paintbrush at a glance
- Opened
- 1992
- Designers
- Hurdzan and Fry
- Type
- Links style
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,772 yds
- Access
- Private members club
Designers, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from leading course databases. Devil's Paintbrush opened in 1992 to a Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry design and plays to par 72 over about 6,772 yards, rated around 71.9 with a slope near 139. It forms part of the private Pulpit Club with Devil's Pulpit and does not publish public green fees; access is normally by invitation, so always confirm any arrangement directly before traveling.
The holes worth the trip
The first thing you notice is how little looks man made. Hurdzan and Fry routed the holes across rumpled, open ground where the fairways tumble and the rough is a sea of golden fescue. Old stone walls cross several holes, a nod to the farm that was here before, and the sod walled bunkers are genuinely penal, the kind you play out sideways from. It feels found rather than built.
The double greens and the firm, fast surfaces invite the ground game, and the smart play is often a running approach rather than a high pitch the wind can grab. The exposure on the higher holes is total, so club selection becomes guesswork and feel, the heart of links golf. Holes that play as a flick of a wedge one day need a long iron the next.
It is a course that rewards creativity and humbles the inflexible. Bring your imagination, accept that the wind will win some holes, and enjoy a layout that captures the spirit of the old country better than almost anything else on this side of the Atlantic.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private; part of the Pulpit Club, play normally limited to members and their accompanied guests |
| Green fee | Not publicly published; guest play arranged through a member host (indicative, confirm directly) |
| Best route in | An invitation from a member, or a reciprocal arrangement if your home club has one |
| Walking | A walking links by design; caddies suit the firm, rolling ground |
| On the day | Traditional golf attire expected; pack for wind, the high ground is exposed |
| Getting there | The Caledon Hills, about an hour northwest of downtown Toronto and Pearson Airport |
Access details verified June 2026 from public sources. The Pulpit Club is private and arrangements change, so always confirm access and any guest policy directly before traveling.
Where to stay nearby
The Caledon Hills are rural and scenic, with country inns and spa retreats dotted through the area, but most visiting golfers base themselves in Toronto and drive out for the round. The city gives you the full range of hotels and dining, and the Caledon courses are an easy day trip to the northwest.
Devil's Paintbrush is best enjoyed as half of a thirty six hole day with its sibling, the parkland Devil's Pulpit, a few kilometers away. Add the modern links of Eagles Nest Golf Club on the way back into the city for one of the best golf days the Toronto area can offer.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Devil's Paintbrush.
Build a Caledon Hills golf trip
Devil's Paintbrush is private, but we plan a full Toronto and Caledon golf trip around the courses you can play, and arrange tee times, stays and transfers from Pearson. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Devil's Paintbrush questions
Who designed Devil's Paintbrush and when did it open?
Devil's Paintbrush was designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry and opened in 1992 in the Caledon Hills of Ontario. It was built as a links style course with minimal earth movement, the rugged sibling to the parkland Devil's Pulpit.
What is the par and length of Devil's Paintbrush?
Devil's Paintbrush plays to par 72 over about 6,772 yards from the back tees, with a course rating near 71.9 and a slope of about 139. The defense is the wind, the fescue and the firm links turf rather than sheer length.
Can visitors play Devil's Paintbrush?
No. Devil's Paintbrush is part of the private Pulpit Club and play is normally limited to members and their accompanied guests. Always confirm any access arrangement directly before traveling.
What makes Devil's Paintbrush unusual?
It is one of the most convincing links style courses in North America, built on high ground in the Caledon Hills with stone walls, sod walled bunkers, double greens and wild fescue, a deliberate contrast to its lush parkland sibling Devil's Pulpit.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designers, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; access details verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.