Don Valley Golf Course — Local services in Toronto

Today was one of those perfect days to sit on a patio, savoring a golden beer that gleamed in the sunlight. It was also, apparently, a great day to meet a fox. On the final par 4 hole at Don Valley Club, I’d stuck the ball a solid meter from the hole. In my mind, I boldly declared, 'Birdie or death!' Yet somehow, I finished with a par—classic. Just as I was about to leave the green, I spotted a fox loitering nearby. Later, photos revealed it was actually a coyote, but in that moment, I was convinced it was a fox. It sauntered across the green, giving me a casual glance, like we were old pals. Naturally, I thought of the Little Prince and his fox friend.

With a light breeze and a perfect 22°C gracing Toronto, this cute 'fox' wrapped up a five-hour marathon of a game. And for that, I’m thankful.

Now, about that drunkard the Little Prince met. The planet of the drunkard was a brief stop for him, but it left a lasting impression. “What are you doing?” the Little Prince asked the man, who sat among empty and full bottles alike. “I’m drinking,” replied the drunkard with a gloomy expression. “Why are you drinking?” asked the Little Prince. “To forget,” said the drunkard. “Forget what?” asked the Little Prince, feeling pity. “Forget that I’m ashamed,” the drunkard replied, lowering his head. “Ashamed of what?” asked the Little Prince, trying to help. “Ashamed of drinking!” said the drunkard, who then fell into silence. Confused, the Little Prince left, muttering to himself, 'Grown-ups really are strange.'

Ah, the evolution. Once, I was the Little Prince, marveling at the mysteries of the world. Now, I’m just the guy in the clubhouse, polishing off a beer and convincing myself a coyote was a fox. At this point, I’m one questionable rain jacket away from becoming the golf course drunkard. But hey, if you can finish a five-hour game with a friendly "fox" sighting, you can chalk it up as a win—even if that birdie remains as elusive as the Little...

Amazing!

Pretty much lived my entire life in Toronto and have driven over this valley golf course countless times on the 401, while glancing at the trees on north and south sides. Never played it until 2024 because it seemed pricey. Don't miss out like me, play this course now if you haven't yet!

Easy access by TTC with a short walk from York Mills subway station. Right off the 401 with free parking if you drive.

A genuinely beautiful forested valley setting. Other than occasional views of tall condos and always the mighty (busy, haha) 401 overhead, you can easily forget you're in the city. Shots over and around the Don River and ponds add challenges and views. There's a surprising amount of elevation changes. Ridiculously challenging if you dare blue tees (you'll see what I mean whatever tee you hit from). The greens are fair sized and for the number of golfers that pass through were in fantastic condition in July 2024 (hats off to the grounds crew). I suggest carting unless you want to make the physical challenge of the hike part of your round. I can't imagine how fabulous the course must look with fall colours, but I hope to find out. Enjoy!

Update late August 2024: Still a fab course to play but the greens were more bumpy this time. It takes just a few moments for golfers to fix at least the worst ball marks that their shots...

The only reason this is two stars is for course conditions. The Marshall was exceptionally unprofessional and aggressive in our first and only interaction. The halfway house was closed so we had to go to the clubhouse at the turn for refreshments. The staff in the clubhouse were quite slow so to not impact the pace of play we let the group behind us go ahead. When we were on the 11th tee the marshall pulled up and started yelling at us that "you don't eat lunch on the course. You are here to play golf." He then threatened to move us forward multiple holes. There was no group on the entire hole and tee behind us at this or for the remainder of the round. moving us forward would most likely have impacted pace of play for other golfers by moving a group. This Marshall clearly needs to undergo proper customer service training to understand how to not unnecessarily escalate a situation to an confrontation. This kind of behavior opens the door to a potentially unsafe situation for golfers and staff as the intensity created a potential fight or flight situation.

This is unacceptable for a city run course with the goals to promote and grow the game for residents. For this reason our group along with many of our peers will not be returning and are looking for the necessary process to file a formal complaint against this...