Cabot Links vs Cabot Cliffs
Two of the finest courses in the Americas sit five minutes apart on the west coast of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Cabot Links is Rod Whitman's pure seaside links along the Inverness harbour. Cabot Cliffs is Coore and Crenshaw's clifftop spectacular, built around one of the most photographed par 3s on earth. Here is the honest head to head, with our verdict up front.
Photograph: Cabot Cliffs, Cape Breton, via Google
The verdict
If you can play only one, play Cabot Cliffs. It is the more dramatic course, the higher ranked of the two, and the round that justifies the long journey, a roller coaster of dunes, cliffs and ocean that crests at the par 3 16th, played from one headland to another with a hundred foot drop to the Atlantic in between. It is pure theatre, and it has been ranked the number one course in Canada.
But Cabot Links is the connoisseur's pick and, for many, the better golf course. Whitman's links is firmer, more strategic and more subtle, a genuine seaside test that rewards the ground game and reveals more every time you play it. The truth is this is not really a contest. The two courses sit minutes apart at the same resort, they were always meant to be played together, and the right trip is both, ideally more than once each, with the par 3 Nest thrown in. Pick the Cliffs for the wow, the Links for the golf, and book the pair.
Head to head
| Cabot Links | Cabot Cliffs | |
|---|---|---|
| Designer | Rod Whitman | Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw |
| Opened | 2012; Canada's first authentic links | 2015, grand opening 2016 |
| Par and yardage | Par 70, around 6,800 yards | Par 72, around 6,835 yards |
| Setting | Seaside links along the harbour and old coal town of Inverness; six holes hard against the beach | Higher, wilder cliffside land of dunes and headlands above the Gulf of St Lawrence |
| Signature hole | The short par 4 14th and the closing stretch beside the sea | The par 3 16th, played clifftop to clifftop over the Atlantic; a world famous hole |
| Style of test | Firm, strategic, ground game links; rewards the repeat player | Dramatic, scenic, more elevation and variety; the bucket list round |
| Rankings | World top 100 and a fixture in Canada's top handful | Has been ranked number one in Canada and a world top 20 |
| Indicative 2026 green fee | From around 450 CAD, about 329 USD, resort guest peak | From around 450 CAD, about 329 USD, resort guest peak |
Course facts and indicative resort guest fees verified June 2026 from Cabot Cape Breton; fees move with season and demand and tee times are reserved primarily for resort guests, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Lead with Cabot Cliffs if
You want the postcard, the drama and the round you will talk about for years. The Cliffs is the more spectacular of the two and the one most visitors come for, all towering dunes and ocean cliffs, with the par 3 16th and the closing holes among the most thrilling in golf. It is the priority tee time and the photograph on the wall. First time at Cabot, this is the round you cannot miss.
Lean to Cabot Links if
You love links golf for its own sake and want the course that rewards a second and third look. Whitman's links is firmer, smarter and more about angles and the ground game, a true seaside test that many regulars rate as the better golf course. It is the round that gets under your skin. Pair it with the Cliffs, and if you can, play it again before you leave.
Plan a Cabot Cape Breton trip
Both courses, The Nest and a replay, with the stay on site that unlocks the best tee times. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge builds the trip and costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Cabot Links vs Cabot Cliffs questions
Which is better, Cabot Links or Cabot Cliffs?
Cabot Cliffs is the more spectacular and the higher ranked of the two, a Coore and Crenshaw clifftop course built around the famous par 3 16th over the Atlantic, and it is the bucket list round. Cabot Links, by Rod Whitman, is the purer, more strategic links and arguably the better repeat play, a true seaside links along the harbour at Inverness. The honest answer is to play both, since they sit minutes apart at the same resort and complement each other perfectly.
Who designed Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs?
Cabot Links was designed by Canadian architect Rod Whitman and opened in 2012, and is regarded as Canada's only authentic links course. Cabot Cliffs was designed by the celebrated American pairing of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw and opened in 2015, with its grand opening in 2016. Both sit at Cabot Cape Breton in Inverness, Nova Scotia, alongside the par 3 short course known as The Nest.
How much does it cost to play Cabot in 2026?
For the 2026 season both Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs carry the same resort guest green fee, starting from around 450 Canadian dollars, roughly 329 US dollars, in peak season from late June to mid September, with cheaper twilight and replay rates and lower fees in the shoulder months of May, late September and October. Tee times are reserved primarily for resort guests. These are indicative figures, so always confirm directly before booking.
Can you play Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs without staying there?
Access is built around resort guests, who get priority on both courses, and standalone public tee times are limited and best secured well in advance or through a planner. The simplest way to guarantee both rounds, plus The Nest and a replay, is to stay on site at Cabot Cape Breton. The season runs roughly May to late October. Always confirm access and rates directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and indicative fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.