Golfers looking for a historic and challenging round in North Durham do not have to travel far beyond Beaverton.
Cedarhurst Golf Club, located near the shores of Lake Simcoe at 825 Thorah Concession Road 4, combines more than a century of golf history with narrow fairways, small greens and a collection of holes designed to reward accurate shotmaking.
The public course traces its beginnings to 1922, when Cedarhurst opened with just three holes.
Canadian golf course architect Stanley Thompson later designed an expansion to nine holes in 1926. Bert Turcotte added the back nine in 1964, creating the 18-hole layout played today.
Stanley Thompson design shapes Cedarhurst Golf Club
Thompson’s influence is most evident on the front nine.
The club describes that section as featuring narrow, rolling fairways that place a premium on accurate tee shots, followed by approaches to relatively small greens.
The back nine offers wider fairways and larger greens, but water and changes in direction continue to challenge golfers.
Cedarhurst plays to a par of 70 and extends beyond 6,000 yards from its longest tees.
That combination means length alone is not enough to produce a good score.
Players must choose clubs carefully and control both direction and distance.
Third hole provides an early challenge
One of Cedarhurst’s best-known holes comes early in the round.
The third is a long par 3 that requires a highly accurate tee shot into a small target protected by trouble around the green.
The club itself describes No. 3 as one of its most demanding par-3 holes and a notable example of Thompson’s design style.
Longtime Cedarhurst professional Doug White told DurhamRegion.com that the hole can be difficult, but the course as a whole remains approachable for golfers with different levels of experience.
Beaver Creek also comes into play throughout the property, forcing players to consider position rather than simply trying to hit the ball as far as possible.
Different challenges on the back nine
The character of the course changes somewhat after the turn.
The 10th is a lengthy par 4 where Beaver Creek crosses the playing route, forcing golfers to decide how aggressively they want to approach the hole.
The following holes continue a demanding stretch through the middle of the back nine.
Cedarhurst says the back nine is generally more forgiving off the tee than the Thompson-designed front nine, although its water features and larger scale create a different type of challenge.
Public golf remains available in Beaverton
Cedarhurst continues to welcome public players in addition to members.
For 2026, an 18-hole walking round is listed at $61 on weekdays and $66 on weekends and holidays before HST.
The club also offers lower afternoon and twilight rates, including $48 after 1 p.m. and $45 after 3 p.m.
Facilities include a driving range, chipping and putting areas, a pro shop, restaurant and clubhouse deck.
More than 100 years after its beginnings as a three-hole course, Cedarhurst remains part of Brock Township’s sporting landscape and offers Durham golfers a chance to experience a historic Canadian golf design without leaving the region.
