The Lakes Golf Club at Ben Eoin ☆ Follow

Located in Ben Eoin, Nova Scotia, The Lakes Golf Club at Ben Eoin is an 18-hole course designed by Graham Cooke. Situated just 15 minutes west of Sydney on Route 4, the layout is constructed across three plateaus with a maximum elevation of 150 feet above sea level. This terrain provides dramatic elevation changes and panoramic views of the Bras d’Or Lakes and surrounding hills. The course features a slope rating of 147 and a rating of 74.1. The front nine begins with a modest Par 5 that meanders uphill to a narrow green, followed by a dogleg right Par 4 where a brook guards the left side of the approach. The fourth hole offers a steep climb to the tee, rewarding players with a view of the lakes before they face a short Par 3 that demands quality shots to avoid a steep embankment. The fifth and sixth holes are noted as signature challenges; the fifth is a difficult Par 4 with a sloping fairway and a green guarded by a deep brook and bunkers, while the sixth is a drivable Par 4 from an elevated tee that offers some of the best views in Cape Breton. The back nine presents a mix of strategic decisions and elevation changes. The tenth hole is a long Par 5 where players must decide whether to carry a brook or lay up short. The eleventh hole features a large kidney-shaped green guarded by a bunker, while the twelfth plays uphill into the prevailing winds to a small, narrow green. The thirteenth and fourteenth holes offer birdie chances for those who find the fairway, with the latter requiring a shot over a zigzagging brook to a raised green. The finish of the round is described as exciting, featuring a Par 3, Par 5, Par 3, Par 5 sequence. The fifteenth hole is the longest Par 3 on the course, protected by a massive bunker. The sixteenth is an uphill Par 5 reachable for long hitters, requiring a drive between two brooks. The seventeenth is a short Par 3 with five different tee positions that offer varying angles and views of the MacPhee Islands. The eighteenth hole is a 525-yard downhill Par 5 that can be pivotal to the outcome of the round, with eagles available for those who avoid mistakes to the left.