Muskoka Bay Club in Gravenhurst, Ontario rises to become one of Canada's best

GRAVENHURST, Ontario, Canada -- Doug Carrick was thrown a curveball while designing the Muskoka Bay Club golf course.

He was told to route the 7,367-yard course through the more rugged, rockier piece of land near the back of the property, leaving the more gentle terrain for the planned real estate.

Carrick knocked that curve out of the park with a scenic layout that weaves through Muskoka rock without losing much in the way of playability. Muskoka Bay, which opened in 2007, ranks as one of the top 10 golf courses in Canada by ScoreGolf.

The Clifftop Clubhouse, perched on a rocky outcropping, overlooks the first tee and 18th green. The round flows seamlessly from start to finish thanks to pristine conditioning and slick greens. Avoiding the rocks on the par-4 third, the controversial par-4 ninth and the par-5 14th hole is paramount to scoring well. The elevated fourth tee shows off a short par 4 that can produce birdie or double bogey. Muskoka Bay Club's signature par 3 comes at No. 17, a lovely setting around a pond decorated with dead trees.

Exquisite villas are available for stay-and-play golf vacations.