The National Golf Club of Canada
George and Tom Fazio carved a brute of a course into the Humber River valley northwest of Toronto, and for half a century it has set the standard for Canadian golf. The National is a par 71, a fearsome test, and one of the most private and most admired clubs in the country.
Photo: The National Golf Club of Canada via Google, by Anthony Saith.
The verdict
If there is a single benchmark course in Canadian golf, this is it. Opened in 1975 to a design by George Fazio and his nephew Tom, The National was built without compromise on a tumbling site in the Humber River valley at Woodbridge, and it has spent the decades since at or near the top of every serious ranking of Canadian courses, rated the number one in the country by national panels at multiple points. It is a championship test in the truest sense, long, tight and uncompromising, with a course rating in the mid seventies and a slope near the maximum.
What sets it apart is the absence of weakness. There is no easy stretch, no place to relax, just eighteen demanding holes that ask for accuracy off the tee, nerve on the approach and a steady hand on greens that give nothing away. It is also one of the most private clubs in Canada, a members sanctuary that does not chase publicity or visitor revenue, which only adds to the mystique. For the traveling golfer it is a course to dream about and, with the right connection, a round you will remember for the rest of your playing life.
The National at a glance
- Opened
- 1975
- Designer
- George & Tom Fazio
- Type
- Parkland valley
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- 7,235 yds
- Access
- Private, members
The 1975 opening, the George and Tom Fazio design, par 71 and a championship length of about 7,235 yards verified June 2026 from course databases and the club record. The National is a highly private members club; there is no public green fee, and play is as a guest of a member. Always confirm access directly before planning a visit.
The holes worth the trip
The National is defined by the valley it occupies. The Fazios used the natural folds of the Humber River land to create dramatic changes in elevation, holes that climb and plunge through mature hardwood forest, with the river and its tributaries threaded into the strategy. Fairways are framed tightly by trees, so the tee shot is the first and often the hardest decision on every hole, and the rough is no place to be left with a long approach.
The greens are the second line of defense, firm, sloping and quick, demanding that the approach finish below the hole and punishing anything careless. There is no single signature hole that overshadows the rest, and that is the course's calling card: every hole holds its own, the difficulty is relentless and evenly spread, and the round examines the entire bag. Experienced players talk about The National the way they talk about the great championship courses, with a respect bordering on wariness.
The closing stretch is among the strongest in the country, a run of demanding par 4s and a finish that has decided more than one club championship and high level amateur event. Played in autumn, when the valley turns gold and red, it is as beautiful as it is hard, the rare course where the scenery and the challenge are matched stroke for stroke.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A highly private members club with no public tee sheet and no general visitor play; rounds are as a guest of a member |
| Green fee | No published public green fee; guest play is hosted by a member, so there is no rate to book in the open market |
| Realistic route | A personal connection to a member is the only dependable way on; corporate and charity invitations occasionally appear but are rare |
| On the day | Caddies available, a serious championship setup, and a clubhouse and practice ground in keeping with the course's standing |
| Getting there | In Woodbridge, part of Vaughan, just northwest of Toronto and close to Pearson International Airport |
| Best months | May to October, with September and early October the most beautiful as the valley turns; the course closes for the Canadian winter |
Access verified June 2026; private club arrangements change without notice, so always confirm directly before planning. If a round here is out of reach, we can build a Canadian golf trip around the country's best bookable courses. Ask about Canada tee times.
Where to stay nearby
The National sits in the northwest suburbs of greater Toronto, so the natural base is the city itself or one of the hotels clustered near Pearson airport, both within easy reach of Woodbridge. Toronto puts world class dining, the waterfront and a major international gateway at your disposal between rounds.
For a wider Canadian golf trip, the city pairs well with the best of Ontario before a flight east to the Cabot resort in Nova Scotia, where the links of Cabot Cliffs and Cabot Links make the obvious counterpoint to The National's inland drama, a parkland and links double bill that shows off the range of Canadian golf.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels around Toronto.
Plan a Canadian golf trip
The National is a members club, so we are honest about access, but we build memorable Canadian weeks around Ontario's best bookable courses and the Cabot links in Nova Scotia, with the transfers and stays handled. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
The National questions
Who designed The National Golf Club of Canada?
The National was designed by George Fazio with his nephew Tom Fazio. Construction began in 1973 and the course opened in 1975 on a dramatic site in the Humber River valley at Woodbridge, northwest of Toronto.
What is the par and length of The National?
The National is a par 71 of about 7,235 yards from the championship tees, with multiple shorter tee options. With a course rating around 76 and a slope around 152 it is widely considered one of the toughest tests in Canada.
Is The National Golf Club of Canada open to visitors?
No. The National is a highly private members club with no public green fee and no general visitor tee sheet. Play is as a guest of a member. There is no way to simply book a round in the open market.
Is The National the best golf course in Canada?
The National has been rated the number one course in Canada by national panels at several points and consistently sits at or near the top, alongside courses such as Hamilton, St George's and the Cabot links in Nova Scotia. Rankings move year to year, but its reputation as a benchmark is settled.
Where is The National and what can you play nearby?
The National sits in Woodbridge, part of Vaughan, just northwest of Toronto and close to Pearson airport. Bookable and notable Ontario golf nearby includes Glen Abbey in Oakville, with the Cabot resort in Nova Scotia the natural pairing for a wider Canadian trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Opening year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; access and ranking verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.