Fox Harb'r Golf Resort & Spa

Fox Harb'r Golf Resort & Spa: This luxury Stay&Play golf resort on the Northumberland Strait in Nova Scotia, is home to an excellent big-dimension Graham Cooke design. The relatively open gently undulating terrain combines a mix of challenging parkland and links-style holes. The layout embraces quiet pine forests, as well as open linksy stretches directly along the seashore.

The front-nine of this well maintained modern layout takes you around an "inland loop" of holes. Predominantly parkland in character, the holes are lined by woodland, wetland and some notably threatening water hazards. The generally good-width fairways are often flanked by large sprawling bunkers, while plenty of small pot bunkering also lies in wait around the greens.

As you set out on the back-nine loop, you'll immediately enjoy views onto Northumberland Strait and across to Prince Edward Island. These views continue throughout the back-nine, the panoramas expanding the closer you get to the seashore itself. The holes also become more open, undulating and linksy on this second nine.

Fox Harb'r's closing stretch, from the par-3 15th to the par-4 17th, hugs the boulder strewn shoreline. A real touch of auld Scottish links in Nova Scotia. The attractive par-3 15th plays over a reed-lined pond. From the tips of the par-4 16th you'll need to drive across a rocky cove onto the fairway beyond.

This trio of seaside holes provides a great climax to a great course, with stunning views out to sea and along the rugged coast. And you'll still need to play the doglegging and dangerously water-defended par-5 18th, which heads inland, gently climbing back to the clubhouse.