7 Golf Courses Near Barrie: Best Golf Courses in the Barrie Area

The southern Ontario city of Barrie has some fantastic golf courses within easy driving distance. That's just one of the perks of living in this beautiful waterfront community on the shores of Lake Simcoe. Many of the courses are maintained meticulously—as expected at a full-fledged country club—while remaining open to the public. Golfers considering living in Barrie who are interested in the full, private country club experience can find that near Barrie, too. These are some of the best golf courses near Barrie, ON.

Tangle Creek

Tangle Creek is just to the southwest of Barrie, in the town of Thornton. This 18-hole semi-private course has immaculate greens. It's a par 72 with a slope of 149 and measuring 7,194 yards from the black tees. Advanced golfers will enjoy the challenge of the undulating greens at Tangle Creek, and it's consistently rated as the #1 golf course in the Barrie area.

The public is allowed to golf at Tangle Creek, but membership does include some nice perks. These include discounts in the Pro Shop, preferred greens fee rates, full clubhouse access, and the ability to book tee times up to 30 days in advance.

The views from Tangle Creek's 19th hole are spectacular, and the clubhouse offers a full menu prepared by an executive chef. Tangle Creek even has electric power carts with touchscreen GPS.

Innisbrook Golf Course

Innisbrook Golf Course is considered the best public course in the Barrie area. Located in Innisfil, the course is just minutes away from Highway 400. This is a short and fast 18-hole course, with nine par 3s, eight par 4s, and a single par 5, for a total par of 64. The course sells packages for 10, 20, or 40 rounds of golf, or people can sign up for individual tee times.

Rain checks are provided, so if someone gets rained out, they can still finish their round of golf at a later date. Innisbrook uses a flexible pricing model, so the rates for green fees can vary based on the time of day and how busy the course is at any given time. This clean and well-maintained course is ideal for a quick 18 holes at a reasonable price.

Barrie Country Club

The Barrie Country Club is a private course in the Little Lake neighbourhood, just north of the Barrie city limits. This par-72 course measures 7,004 yards from the black tees. In addition to the championship 18-hole course, the Barrie Country Club has a 3-hole short course for members to practice on. It also has a practice driving range that opens 15 minutes before the first tee time each day. There are indoor golf simulators available during the winter when the outdoor course is closed.

This is a coveted golf club in the area—extremely accessible from many of Barrie's golf course homes—so there is a waitlist of approximately one year (sometimes longer) to become a member. Membership includes access to a fitness centre with personal training programs, patio and upstairs dining at the clubhouse, tee times up to five days in advance, and invitations to an active social and golfing events calendar.

Heritage Hills Golf Club

The Heritage Hills Golf Club is located in the Shanty Bay area of Oro-Medonte township. This is a semi-private, 18-hole championship course that's very walkable (though cart rentals are available). It's a par 72 that measures 6,808 yards from the black tees. The main thing that stands out about this course is its significant elevation challenges. A ravine that dissects holes six and seven and a crevasse at the end of the 17th hole make golfers stop and think about the next shot. If they miss, they can be in trouble!

Anyone can golf at Heritage Hills, although they sell a limited number of annual memberships that provide extra perks. The memberships go on sale every year, and they tend to sell out fast.

National Pines Golf Club

The National Pines Golf Club in Innisfil is a very intelligently-designed private course. It's located right next to the Innisbrook Golf Course mentioned above but is more than twice the size of its smaller neighbour. The front nine holes at National Pines have a traditional meadowlands layout with open fairways and straightforward shots. On the back nine, the course heads into the pines—with occasional views of beautiful Innisfil golf course homes—accuracy becomes more important than distance. This par-72 course measures 7,016 yards from the black tees.

National Pines is part of the ClubLink network of private golf courses. Membership at this club provides access to more than 50 courses in the same group, located in Ontario, Quebec, and Florida, for year-round golfing.

The Wilds at Cedar Valley Golf Course

The Wilds at Cedar Valley is a semi-private, family-owned course in Thornton. This is a fun little 18-hole course with many par 3s, including a couple that require shots across a creek running through the grounds. The Wilds is a mid-length, par-62 course that still packs some fun challenges into every round. Even though it's a semi-private club, it is one of the most affordable rounds of golf in the Barrie area, priced at $30 for 18 holes on the weekend.

Memberships are sold for weekday play or the entire week. The Wilds at Cedar Valley also has a Men's League, a Ladies League and a Wednesday Night League that people can join for competitive match play.

Landings of Willow Creek

The Landings of Willow Creek 9-hole, par-36 course is just northeast of Barrie, in the village of Crown Hill. It has 14 bunkers and four water hazards, making for a quick but challenging round of golf. They accept walk-ins from the public when available, but most players call ahead to book a tee time.

The course boasts one of the best practice driving ranges in the Barrie area, at 250 yards with 22 spaces for players. Memberships provide unlimited use of golf carts, access to the driving range, and access to the private members' lounge in the clubhouse.

Incredible Golf Adventures in Barrie

The Barrie, ON, area features incredible, professionally designed golf courses that present challenges for all skill levels. And with the cost of living in Barrie falling considerably lower than in Toronto and other major Canadian cities, homebuyers can treat themselves to quite a few rounds of golf! The serene settings of many of these courses also mean there's a chance for wildlife viewing during play. It's not uncommon to see deer, geese, and the occasional porcupine while playing some of these courses. Whether a golfer wants the exclusive country club experience or simply loves the game of golf, Barrie has great options to check out during the April through October golf season.