The Dundarave golf course has received a nearly perfect rating from prestigious Golf Digest Magazine's Places to Play. Every year, golfers who read the magazine are asked to fill out cards, rating golf courses across North America. Twenty thousand golfers responded to the survey, which asks them to rate courses for value, service, conditioning, normal pace of play and the over all golf experience.
The results are tabulated and reviewed by eight editors. The courses are then contacted to make sure the opinions accurately reflect what the course offers.
The results are then published in a book called Places to Play. The book describes a five star rating as "golf at its absolute best, pay any price to play" and a four star rating as " outstanding - plan your next vacation around it."
Because it is a new course, the four and a half star rating is the first ever established for Dundarave. Places to Play is widely considered to be the voice of authority in golf course ratings.
"This is an important landmark for Dundarave because the course was rated by golfers themselves," said the Honourable Greg Deighan, Minister responsible for Golf Links PEI. "These are the people who have made the effort to come here and have found they can enjoy one of the best golf products in the country."
The Links at Crowbush Cove also received a four and a half star rating, Mill River and Brudenell both received four stars.
"When people look at Golf Digest's Places to Play they'll see that they can enjoy a large number of excellent golf courses on Prince Edward Island, including the four and a half star rated Links at Crowbush Cove and Dundarave, without having to travel great distances, " said Minister Deighan. "This places PEI at an excellent competitive advantage."
Only 27 courses in Canada received four and a half star ratings; two of them are in Prince Edward Island.
The courses also received special recognition for value and conditioning.
The Links at Crowbush Cove was rated in the top 50 in North America for great value and one of only four in Canada to receive top marks for great conditioning. Dundarave and Brudenell placed in the top 16 courses in Canada for good value.