Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club, new par 5, Belleville, Ontario (photo by author)
You Have to Play Here. It’s That Simple
I have said many times that the Bay of Quinte/Prince Edward County region, located in southeastern Ontario, is quickly becoming a formidable golf destination.
This golf region received its first shot in the arm when Timber Ridge Golf Resort opened its fairways for play in 2004. Golfers from the GTA could access Timber Ridge within reasonable driving distance. Golfers came in droves, happy to save considerably on green fees and still play a top-quality golf course.
The next shot in the arm came one year later when the highly anticipated Black Bear Ridge Golf Course opened to the public in 2005. Recognized by Golf Digest as one of the top golf course designs in North America, this course quickly became the crown jewel of this golf region and remains so to this day.
Wait Until You See What’s Coming at the Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club
If you think golfers in this region have it good now, wait until you see what the Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club has in store for you.
I did a walking tour of the Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club with owner/CEO Roger Lichty in mid-February and Roger shared his plans to further expand this property.
Future Golf Hole at Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club, Belleville, Ontario (photo by author)
This Place is Looking Better Every Year
Since purchasing the property in 2009, Roger and his team have been busily making changes and improvements and investing in the future with new infrastructure.
Summer of 2016: A new building for X1X (Nineteen) Restaurant was completed. Besides being a restaurant, this building also acted as the temporary Pro Shop while the new Pro Shop was being built.
Fall of 2016: The former Pro Shop was fully renovated and transformed into a luxurious 6 bedroom/3 bathroom Stay & Play short-term accommodation that sleeps 12, called Dormie House.
Spring of 2017: The newly built Pro Shop was completed.
Spring of 2020: Additional lands adjacent to the property were purchased and work began on creating new golf holes to the north and east of the existing 18 holes.
Spring of 2021: A second Stay & Play short-term accommodation next to the Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club property was ready for guests. Named The Big House, this fully renovated 4,600 square foot building has 11 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms and can accommodate 22 guests.
Spring of 2023: A new fleet of electric power carts, complete with GPS, was put into use.
Spring of 2023: Three of the new holes were opened for play. They were routed in as holes №6 (par 5), №7 (par 3), and №8 (par 5).
September of 2023: Five additional new golf holes were previewed to golfers for the last week of September and the first week of October. They were routed in as holes №8 (par 5), №9 (par 4), №10 (par 3), №11 (par 5) and №12 (par 3).
I remember the first day I played the five new holes. My buddies who played one day prior raved about how nice they were. Even with their advanced notice, when I first saw the new holes, I thought that I had died and gone to golf heaven. Simply put, they were amazing and tons of fun to play.
Course architect Graham Cooke and his team at Northern Golf Design did an amazing job utilizing the predominant ridge that runs east-west at the north end of the property.
Golfers will be treated to numerous elevation changes, oversized tee blocks and greens, and wide fairways. Lots of water on the new holes too. A wetland area that was originally less than 1/2 acre in size is being enlarged to almost 11 acres once all of the new holes are complete.
What Bay of Quinte Golfers Can Expect in the 2024 Golf Season
27 golf holes (3 x nine holes) will be in play.
With a full 27 holes available, golfers can choose to take on the more challenging Black Course. Other golfers who prefer less challenging holes can play on the Blue or Red Course.
Other Improvements in the Hopper for 2024-25 at Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club
Construction will begin on a new luxury 8 bedroom/4 bathroom Stay & Play Accommodation located west of the main entrance along Hwy 2.
Three Pickleball Courts will be built south of the pro shop parking lot on the west side of the main entrance. (pending site plan and zoning approval)
A 40’ x 80' roofed pavilion will be built over the pickleball courts. (pending site plan and zoning approval)
A large net will be installed allowing a portion of the pickleball court area to be used as a practice area for a maximum of five golfers to warm-up prior to their rounds.
Time to Plan a Golf Getaway for the 2024 Season
The Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club has always been one of my favourite golf courses to play in this region. With the new holes coming in 2024, I can’t wait to get back out there on the links.
If you are visiting the Bay of Quinte/Prince Edward County region for a golf getaway in 2024, make sure that you add the Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club to your itinerary. It is a MUST PLAY for sure.
Want to Stay Right at the Golf Course?
The Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club has two very nice accommodations right on site.
Dormie House, which used to be the Pro Shop way back when, is a fantastic 6 bedroom/3 bathroom stand-alone home right at the course. Just imagine waking up and being able walk to the pro shop to start your round.
And after your round, you are also a very short walk to the XIX (Nineteen) Restaurant to enjoy some liquid refreshments and a bite to eat after your round. How cool is that?
For larger groups, check out The Big House that sits on the property next to the golf course. This newly renovated 11 bedroom/6 bathroom stand-alone house is also within a short walk to the Pro Shop and XIX Restaurant.
If you need assistance planning your stay at either Dormie House or The Big House, call the good folks at the Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club at 613–968–7404 or send an email to contact@bayofquintegolf.com.
Other Nice Places to Stay
If you are visiting the Bay of Quinte/Prince Edward County Region for a golf getaway, here are some very useful links to find a place to stay.
For the Bay of Quinte Region visit: https://bayofquinte.ca/visit/boq-accommodation/
For Prince Edward County visit: https://www.staypec.com/members
Stay at The Hungry Golfer's Cottage in the heart of the Prince Edward County Wine Region