Taboo Golf Club in Gravenhurst, Ontario will rock you

GRAVENHURST, Ontario, Canada -- Taboo Golf Club delivers all of the beauty of the Muskoka region: The forest, wetlands and, yes, those imposing granite outcroppings.

In 2002, architect Ron Garl used the natural topography to sculpt wide rolling fairways for playability. Mother Nature, however, makes sure golfers never get too comfortable. Environmentally sensitive areas litter the 7,340-yard course, creating forced carries from numerous tees and some scary approach shots on tough par 4s.

There aren't signature holes, only signature stretches where the golf overwhelms the senses. Unless you're a true stick, the white tees (at 6,135 yards and a slope of 136) will be everything most players can handle.

The par-5 fourth hole introduces a granite outcropping that acts as a wall guarding the green. The fifth and sixth, two scenic par 4s, demand second shots over wetlands. Rocks frame the path to the par-3 seventh green. The par-3 11th is a more dramatic version of the second hole with a large waste area dominating the line of sight. All this mayhem reaches a climax at the par-5 18th green, which sits behind a massive rock shelf. It's the grand finale on a course filled with hyperbole.