Highlands Links Golf Club on Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

Highlands Links Golf Club is as visually stunning as its surroundings. Noted Canadian architect Stanley Thompson used the natural terrain beautifully, and the layout climbs up and down the coast, and up and around the hilly interior, with mountains rising around you. The first six holes play along the ocean before turning inward.

Stanley called this his "mountains and ocean" golf course. It was originally supposed to be a nine-holer, but Thompson convinced the government to stretch it to 18. Wisely, they consented.

The fairways rock and roll and twist and turn, and the moguls and valleys make even lies as rare as condos in this part of the world. Many of the fairways are bordered by steep embankments and nearly all of them are bordered by thick woods made up mostly of hardwoods - play this course in the fall for a riot of color.

One gorgeous hole follows another. With the elevation changes, you'll be facing a number of blind shots, both off the tee and into the greens. There is some rough, but usually only fairways and woods; it can be a penal course if your driver is distracted.

Highlands Links Golf Club's greens are excellent as well. There are some multi-tiered greens, some elevated green complexes, and they have dramatic slope and undulation.