Since opening in spring 2000, Rocky Crest has rocketed to the top of the national rankings. Delta Rocky Crest was voted the fifth-best golf resort in Canada for 2006 by ScoreGolf magazine. And it’s easy to see why it has become a critical darling. Located off the northern edge of Lake Joseph, near the pretty village of MacTier, the Tom McBroom layout is all about subtlety, not the all-too-prevalent sledgehammer-style architecture. While some new courses have tried to introduce razzle-dazzle by bulldozing the land and erecting artificial waterfalls or mini-mountains, McBroom has used the local talent to make Rocky Crest stand out, exposing the great hunks of granite that run beneath the course’s surface, and using them to frame the holes. The 16th is a prime example: the SUV-size chunk of rock poking up in the centre of the fairway gives golfers the target line and the key for going at the green. In order to play Rocky Crest, golfers must either be ClubLink members or guests at one of the Delta Muskoka properties.