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Have you decided where you’ll be golfing in 2025?
While the cold wind howls and snow buries our cherished fairways, there's a hint of comfort in knowing that by the end of January, it’ll be less than 90 sleeps until golfers in the Bay of Quinte and Prince Edward County are teeing it up again.
Many folks stick to their home course all season—nothing wrong with that. But some of us (myself included) enjoy “playing around” every chance we get. With so many fantastic courses in this region, who can blame us?
In the old days, most clubs charged a single membership fee that granted unlimited play. Hardcore golfers, mostly retired with plenty of time on their hands, were teeing it up four or more times a week. When you do the math at the end of the season, these lucky guys and gals were playing golf for about $20 per round.
Younger golf enthusiasts who were still working or had other things to do other than golf (can't imagine what), only found time to play ten or so rounds of golf each season. When you do the math for these younger golfers, their cost to play eighteen holes of golf was well north of $100 per round. When I was a young lad, my dad purchased a golf membership at Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club every year and I only remember him playing there once or twice a season.
Custom Membership Packages to Meet Your Needs
Nowadays, golf courses offer a buffet of membership packages. There are variations on the size and types of packages, but all have one common theme, the more you play, the less you pay. (I have just given you the perfect come-back when your better half complains about how much playing golf costs. Your response is simple, "Yes I know dear, but I am playing as much as I can to keep the cost per round as low as possible."
I’ve done the legwork on the cost to golf at what I consider to be our top five local golf courses in the Bay of Quinte and Prince Edward County region: Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club, Timber Ridge Golf Course, Trillium Wood Golf Club, Picton Golf & Country Club, and Black Bear Ridge Golf Resort.
Here is a chart showing the cost of playing 18 holes of golf at one of our top five local golf courses. For the cost to play one round, I am listing each course's prime-time rates. With all membership types, they are unrestricted regarding tee times or days of play. They are all non-transferable.
As you can see, the more you play, the less you pay. Trillium Wood Golf Club and Picton Golf & Country Club are the only two holdouts that still offer an "Unlimited Play" membership which can bring the cost to play golf down even more if you are an 80+ round per season golfer. The other courses have limits on their membership packages but offer additional rounds for very reasonable prices.
Tips to Save On Green Fees
Most courses have lower membership packages that incentivize you to play at off-prime times. If you are an early riser or enjoy afternoon golf, there are packages that will save you money. There are also weekday-only packages that are less expensive than unrestricted memberships.
You can also keep your eye out for golf specials on websites such as UnderPar.com or purchase the Rotary Club's Diners & Duffers annual coupon book.
Course Highlights
Before I wrap up, I want to share a few thoughts on each of the five golf courses in the chart. These comments aren’t about whether you should play them - as far as I'm concerned, I’d play them all. Each one is unique and special in its own way.
Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club
2025 will be the last golf season with the opportunity to play the Black Course for as low as $39/round (60-Round Package). When Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club becomes a 36-hole golf destination in 2026, green fees at the Black Course will increase. Not to fear though, green fees and membership packages for the Old Course will be priced lower.
Special Mention - Bay of Quinte Golf's Nine & Dine Golf Special is a great deal.
Timber Ridge Golf Course
Timber Ridge's 2025 pricing schedule was not available at the time of publication of this story.
Trillium Wood Golf Club
Trillium Wood still has an Unlimited Play membership for $2,899. Play 80 rounds and you will be batting the ball around the track for a mere $36.24 per round. What a deal!
To get the pricing for the 10 and 20-round packages, I factored in the purchase price of the Golf Plan Plus membership and did the math to get the average costs per round for the 10 and 20-round packages. SPECIAL NOTE: If you want the 10 or 20-round package at the prices listed in the chart, you have to purchase the $299 Golf Plan Plus membership by February 09 to take advantage of the two free rounds. (also note that these two free rounds must be used by June 12, 2025)
Picton Golf & Country Club
As mentioned earlier, Picton Golf & Country Club still offers an unlimited play membership. The 2025 rate for this membership is $1,789. This will allow those County golfaholics who play 80 rounds of golf per season to play for a paltry $22.36 for 18 holes of golf.
Black Bear Ridge Golf Resort
As the chart indicates, Black Bear Ridge Golf Resort has the highest green fees in the Bay of Quinte and Prince Edward County region. Having said that, remember, it is currently rated by Score Golf as the 75th top golf course in all of Canada. We are very fortunate to have this crown jewel in our backyard.
One of the great features of Black Bear Golf Resort is its Academy Membership. This unique membership allows golfers to spend more time honing their skills at a variety of practice areas, receiving golf lessons from their in-house PGA-certified professional golf instructors, unlimited play on the par three executive course, and limited access to the Magee Championship course.
A Great Golf Season Awaits—Where Will You Tee It Up?
We’re incredibly fortunate to have such high-quality golf courses right here in the Bay of Quinte and Prince Edward County. Whether you’re a loyal member of a single course or someone who loves to “play around,” choosing where to golf in 2025 is a pretty nice problem to have.
With various membership options, flexible packages, and great deals to be found, there’s something for every golfer—whether you play 80 rounds a season or just squeeze in a handful when life allows. The more you play, the less you pay, and with the right membership, your cost per round could be lower than ever.
As we count down to another fantastic golf season, I wish everyone a great 2025 on the fairways. If you haven’t already, subscribe to The Hungry Golfer for more tips, course insights, and a little dry humor to keep you entertained between rounds. See you on the first tee!
Stay Well, Stay Safe, and Have Fun
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