Crimson Ridge
The brainchild of John Vanbiesbrouck, a retired New Jersey Devils goalie who lives in the area, Crimson Ridge has the two best finishing holes in the province. Designed by Kevin Holmes, the course sprawls across a 335-acre stretch of valleys, rocks and heavy forest. At the 17th, you’ll need to hit past a steep ravine to find the green; you’ll pass a stunning 60-foot waterfall on your way. From the 18th tee, players can see all the way to downtown Sault Ste. Marie and spot Great Lake tankers chugging through the North Channel. 418 Fourth Line W., Sault Ste. Marie, 1-866-667-4343.

Stone Ridge at Elliot Lake
Considered the north’s number one spot for baby boomers no longer tied to the nine-to-five life, Elliot Lake added its newest accoutrement in July 2005 with the opening of Stone Ridge. Ted Baker’s course bends around the edges of Ryan Lake and cuts through the hard rim of the Canadian Shield, running along a rocky escarpment. 71 Nordic Mine Rd., Elliot Lake, 1-866-376-4818.

Timberwolf
The toughest test in the north, from the back tees Timberwolf can play like a starving carnivore looking for its next meal. A former stop on the Canadian Tour, Tom McBroom’s course gave the pros all they could handle with holes that zigzag through chunks of rock and thick groves of hardwood. The $60 prime time green fee also makes it one of Ontario’s finest golfing values. 100 Carr St., Garson, 1-877-689-8853.

Whitewater Golf Club
Coureurs de bois once paddled past this stretch of former wilderness, wrapped by the Kaministiquia River and the Rosslyn Oxbow Wetland. Dipping down to the water and rising through the forest and cliffs, the Tom Mc­Broom–designed course is visited by deer, foxes and eagles. You may even see a moose. Plans are underway for a third nine-hole loop, to be built on top of a former sand quarry. 224 Hwy. 130, Thunder Bay, 807-475-4653.