The Best Golf Courses in London, Ontario

London, Ontario has a genuinely strong golf scene for a city its size, ranging from a 90-year-old private club designed by one of Canada's most famous course architects to a budget-friendly 12-hole layout you can play in under three hours. Here's what's actually true about each of the area's notable courses.

Sunningdale Golf & Country Club

Sunningdale is London's most historic course. J. Gordon Thompson bought the 100-acre property in 1932; a 9-hole course designed by architect Stanley Thompson opened in 1934, with a full 18-hole layout following soon after. A second 18-hole course opened in 1971, making Sunningdale a 36-hole private facility today, located at 465 Sunningdale Road in north London — right in the Sunningdale neighbourhood, which grew up around it.

Tarandowah Golfers Club

Tarandowah opened in 2007, designed by English architect Martin Hawtree in a links style inspired by classic Scottish and Irish coastal courses — pot bunkers, fescue-lined fairways, and undulating greens on a course that measures 7,067 yards at a par of 70. It's ranked among Canada's top 100 courses by SCOREGolf and is one of the country's higher-ranked public-access courses. One honest note: Tarandowah is technically located in Springfield, Ontario, a short drive from London rather than within city limits — well worth the trip, but not a "London" course in the strict sense.

Firerock Golf Club

Firerock is a public, 18-hole, par-72 championship course designed by Thomas McBroom that opened in 2004. The front holes play along the Oxbow River Valley, with water hazards from the river itself and a constructed lake coming into play early in the round — a genuinely scenic layout for a publicly accessible course.

Echo Valley Golf Club

Echo Valley opened in 1971, designed by Rene Muylaert. It's an 18-hole, par-71 course (6,129 yards) that's semi-private but open to public play, with a full driving range and banquet facilities. It's a solid, welcoming option for beginners and higher-handicap golfers without the intensity of a championship layout.

Crumlin Creek Golf Club

Crumlin Creek bills itself as Southwestern Ontario's first 12-hole golf course — a flat, walkable, 3,300-yard, par-45 layout aimed at faster rounds (the club targets about 2.5 hours) without sacrificing a real course experience. It opened in 1985 as the former London Golfland before a full redesign, and it sits right in the Crumlin area of east London. It's the most budget-friendly, time-efficient option on this list.

Which Course Actually Suits You

• Want history and a true championship layout: Sunningdale (private) or Firerock (public).
• Want a genuinely different, links-style round and don't mind a short drive: Tarandowah.
• New to golf, or want a relaxed round: Echo Valley.
• Short on time or budget: Crumlin Creek's 12-hole layout.

Golf course proximity comes up often with buyers looking at Sunningdale and other north London areas — if that's part of what you're looking for in a neighbourhood, reach out to Justin directly.