Ottawa golfers are spoiled for choice: the region has dozens of courses within a short drive of downtown, and the majority of them are open to the public rather than members-only. This list pulls together ten courses that show up consistently in Ottawa golf coverage and public reviews, spanning championship layouts, executive courses, and everything in between. It was built from each club's own website, Golf Canada facility listings, and review platforms like GolfPass and Tripadvisor.
1. The Marshes Golf Club
Area: Kanata, west end · Specialty: Robert Trent Jones Jr. championship design
The Marshes markets itself as Ottawa's number one public golf course, and its layout backs that up: five sets of tees weave through wetlands and hardwood forest about 20 minutes from downtown. Reviewers and the club itself point to the variety of tee decks as the reason it works for both high handicappers and low ones, and it's a regular stop for visiting golf media covering the region.
2. The Meadows Golf & Country Club
Area: Gloucester, east end
The Meadows is built as four separate nine-hole courses that can be combined into different 18-hole rounds, which its own materials describe as the largest public golf and country club setup in Eastern Ontario. That flexibility is what regulars mention most: no two rounds play quite the same, and it suits groups with mixed skill levels who want to pick a combination that fits their pace.
3. Stittsville Golf Course
Area: Stittsville, west end · Since: 1979
Stittsville Golf Course is a public, 18-hole parkland course that's been open to golfers since 1979, with a par-72 layout and a clubhouse built around a wrap-around balcony and patio. It's known locally as a straightforward, walkable parkland round with an on-site PGA of Canada professional for lessons, which makes it a common choice for golfers building up their game rather than chasing a resort experience.
4. Cedarhill Golf & Country Club
Area: South Ottawa, near the Rideau River · Since: mid-1960s
Cedarhill is an established par-70 course with five sets of tees ranging from 5,135 to 6,316 yards, giving it one of the widest playability ranges on this list. Sources differ slightly on the exact opening year, placing it in the mid-1960s, but it's consistently described as delivering a country-club feel without a membership requirement, which is the main draw for public players.
5. Loch March Golf and Country Club
Area: Kanata · Rating: 4.6 on GolfPass (223 reviews)
Loch March carries one of the strongest review averages of any course in the Ottawa area on GolfPass, alongside a course rating of 73.4 and a slope of 130, indicating a layout with real teeth for stronger players. It's frequently grouped with the top public tracks in the west end, and reviewers point to conditioning and challenge as the standout factors.
6. White Sands Golf Course & Practice Centre
Area: Orleans, east end · Rating: 4.5 on GolfPass (756 reviews)
White Sands sits in Orleans and is set up as much for practice as for a full round, with a dedicated practice centre alongside the course itself. Review volume here is unusually high for the region, and reviewers consistently mention well-groomed fairways and greens along with views that stand out for an executive-style layout, making it a favourite for golfers who want a shorter, high-quality round in the east end.
7. Pine View Municipal Golf Course
Area: Blair Road, Gloucester
Pine View is a 36-hole municipal facility with a championship course running 5,100 to 6,600 yards at par 72, plus a separate 4,025-yard, par-64 short course designed by Canadian architect Graham Cooke. The two-course setup makes it one of the more accessible municipal options in the city, suited both to golfers looking for a full championship test and those who want a faster, shorter round.
8. Anderson Links Golf & Country Club
Area: Carlsbad Springs, rural east end · Since: 2007
Anderson Links opened in 2007 and spreads 27 holes across three distinct nine-hole layouts: North, South, and West. That three-course rotation is the club's main selling point, giving members and public players a genuinely different 18-hole combination depending on which nines they choose, and it's positioned as a challenging, newer build compared with some of the city's older courses.
9. Bearbrook Golf Club
Area: Navan, rural east end · Since: 1974
Bearbrook is an 18-hole public course that's operated in Navan since 1974, making it one of the longer-standing rural options outside the city core. It's typically grouped with Anderson Links as one of the east end's rural public courses, offering a quieter, less crowded alternative to the busier in-city clubs.
10. eQuinelle Golf Club
Area: Kemptville, just south of Ottawa · Specialty: par-72 championship layout, 7,065 yards
eQuinelle is a semi-private, 18-hole course a short drive south of Ottawa that has been recognized by Flagstick Magazine as a top public course in the region. At 7,065 yards, it's the longest layout on this list, and it holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. It's the pick for golfers willing to drive a bit further for a full championship-length test.
