Golfing Prince Edward Island: The Little Island with a Big Golf Personality

Prince Edward Island may be Canada’s smallest province, but it punches far above its weight in golf. Golf PEI says the Island has more golf courses per capita than anywhere else in Canada, and the province is packed with scenic fairways, ocean views, and welcoming small-town charm.

For golfers, PEI feels like one big scenic loop: a place where you can play a top-ranked course in the morning, eat fresh seafood at lunch, and still have time for a beach walk or a family outing before sunset.

A quick history of PEI

PEI’s story is tied closely to the roots of Canadian Confederation. Province House in Charlottetown is known as the birthplace of Confederation and has served as the seat of the provincial legislature since 1847.

The Island is also famous for Anne of Green Gables, which helped turn Cavendish into one of Canada’s best-known literary tourism destinations. Green Gables Heritage Place remains one of the Island’s signature landmarks and a major draw for visitors.

Today, PEI is known for its beaches, seafood, agriculture, lighthouses, and easygoing pace of life. That mix makes it especially appealing for golf trips that also need to work as family vacations.

The five most popular golf courses

These are the courses that consistently show up in PEI golf conversations, recommendation lists, and destination guides.

• The Links at Crowbush Cove. Frequently described as PEI’s top-ranked or must-play course, Crowbush is known for its dunes, rolling greens, and North Shore scenery.
• Brudenell River Golf Course. This one is repeatedly listed among the Island’s top choices and is part of the PEI golf experience many visitors plan around.
• Dundarave. Another signature PEI course that regularly appears in top-course discussions and “finest golf” packages.
• Green Gables Golf Club. A classic Cavendish stop with strong name recognition, tied to the Anne tourism corridor and the Island’s resort scene.
• Mill River Golf Course. A western PEI standout that Destination Canada highlights for its lakes, mature forest, and scenic setting near O’Leary.

If you want the classic PEI golf trip, these five are the safest starting point. They combine the Island’s most recognizable names with the most consistently recommended layouts.

Two hidden gems

Not every great PEI round comes with the biggest headline. A couple of quieter courses deserve a place on the radar.

• Glasgow Hills is a strong candidate for a hidden gem. Golf-related travel coverage has singled it out as a lesser-known favorite, and Golf PEI has also featured it in recent editorial.
• Strathgartney Highlands Golf Course in Bonshaw is another sleeper. Its own course description emphasizes rolling hills, scenic views, and a more tucked-away experience just a short drive from Charlottetown and the Confederation Bridge.

A third option worth noting is Belfast Highland Greens, which Tourism PEI has described as a scenic nine-hole gem with especially strong finishing holes.

Family fun beyond golf

PEI is easy to enjoy even for the non-golfers in the group. Tourism PEI highlights amusement parks, mini trains, mini putt, drive-in theatres, petting farms, and kid-friendly museums as part of the Island’s family-friendly mix.

In Cavendish, Shining Waters and Sandspit Amusement Park are reliable crowd-pleasers for families looking for water slides, rides, and classic summer vacation energy.

COWS Creamery in Charlottetown is a simple win for families, especially when you need a low-stress stop that still feels very PEI.

If your crew likes animals and hands-on stops, PEI has plenty of options too, including petting farms and alpaca experiences like Green Gable Alpacas.

For outdoor time that does not require a tee time, Prince Edward Island National Park offers beaches, trails, sandcastles, and easy family activities. Parks Canada describes it as a place where kids can hike, picnic, build sandcastles, and enjoy the coast.

Landmarks worth seeing

No PEI trip is complete without a few landmark stops. Confederation Bridge is one of the province’s most important modern symbols, connecting the Island to mainland Canada and making arrival by road part of the experience.

Province House in Charlottetown is the historic heart of the province and a cornerstone of the Confederation story.

Green Gables Heritage Place is another must-see, especially if you want the literary side of PEI to balance out the golf. It remains one of the Island’s signature cultural sites and one of the most recognizable names in Canadian tourism.

The Island’s lighthouses and beaches also deserve mention, because they are part of the same visual appeal that makes PEI golf so memorable. The scenery is a big part of the product here, not just the scorecard.

A trip that works for everyone

What makes PEI special is how naturally golf fits with everything else. You can build a trip around elite courses like Crowbush, Dundarave, and Brudenell, then balance it with beaches, seafood, Anne of Green Gables stops, and family attractions without ever feeling rushed.

That combination is the Island’s real strength: it is a serious golf destination, but it never loses its vacation energy. For golfers who want a scenic getaway that also keeps the rest of the family happy, PEI is one of the easiest recommendations in Canada.

Visit Golf PEI for more great information!