Toronto, ON

Toronto Island

3.915(based on 27 reviews)
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14 0
EspressoPatronum
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 18.6 years 232 played 223 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A Unique Experience With Average Disc Golf

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 22, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

- unique experience to play disc golf on an island
- incredible views of Lake Ontario and downtown Toronto skyline
- long, respectable length well incorporated around other park activities
- water hazards along lakefront incorporated on several holes
- amenities in various places on island: seating, restrooms, garbage cans
- asphalt tees are unusual but serviceable
- dual tees and dual baskets on every hole
- high quality baskets (Prodigy and DGA) catch well
- high quality tee signs with full color maps
- beautifully maintained park with various other activities for the whole family

Cons:

- entirely flat
- tons of safety hazards in a fairly crowded park
- some holes have fairly limited obstacles/challenges
- fairly long walks from ferry to course
- time consuming process if you want to play (ferry + walking)
- some areas of rough can cause time-consuming searches for discs

Other Thoughts:

Toronto Island is a cool and unique experience if you are visiting Toronto. There aren't many places you can play disc golf on a small island, and the views of the Toronto skyline are incredible here, especially as the sun starts to set. At present, Toronto Island is the #1 rated course in Canada amongst courses with enough reviews to be in the "top rated" section...

This is NOT the top course in Canada. It is not even the top course amongst the 7 I have played in Southern Ontario. This is a neat course, but is rather overrated by other reviewers. The course is entirely flat, moderately wooded at best, and is open enough to appeal to inexperienced players and families - although the lengths certainly cater to more experienced players.

The equipment is very nice, and the course is enjoyable enough, but I can't imagine rating a course as a 4-5 with so many safety hazards. There are people everywhere on walking paths and even on the fairways, and many of them are fairly clueless about the hazards of disc golf. The course is amongst all kinds of other park activities. This was the 2nd time on my Canadian trip that someone picked up my disc on the ground as I was calling to them to leave it in place. In this case, a well-intentioned guy I was trying to get to clear the fairway so I could throw said to me "oh, sorry, I thought you were throwing it to me." What? No. You're in the middle of a disc golf course, what did you think those funny chain sculptures were, abstract art?

If you want to play the course, you will have to take the ferry to Centre Island or Ward's Island (well, or you can take a water taxi or kayak, though I don't really recommend the latter). Ward's Island is a bit closer, but the ferries sometimes run to Centre Island more, so that was the route I took. Taking the ferry and walking to the course does take some time - ferry probably about 15 minutes + wait time, and then another 10-15 minutes of walking each way. The ferry is around $9-10 CAD round trip now. The park is in great shape and I wish I had more time to explore more of it - there are fountains, green spaces, food, etc. If you come from Centre Island, you can save some time by starting at hole 11 and playing the course on a loop from there rather than hiking to hole 1.

Holes 4, 5, and 9 have the coolest water hazards/views of Toronto Harbor. Otherwise most holes don't play too close to the water. You will want a variety of discs here, including your drivers as some of the holes are quite long - just maintain your control or you might whack some kind little old lady innocently feeding pigeons in the side of the head.

I played the short tees to the short baskets, as I had already played 3 courses and visited the Hockey Hall of Fame before coming to Toronto Island. This still was a decent length, and all the challenge I needed at that point in the day. Most of the long tees just add a bit of distance, but the 2nd set of baskets makes for some varied shot requirements.

Overall, despite being wiped out I had a fun round here. The terrain is easy even if the course is a bit longer, and it's a neat course - just not a 4.0 course. The only major con here is the number of safety hazards. I always have a bit of trouble feeling comfortable with this many people at risk around me. Some of the holes are more shelted and this isn't an issue, but a good half of them probably play along walking paths.

This is one of the more unique disc golf experiences I've had, so despite the safety issues I still encourage anyone to come out to play the course and ideally, make an afternoon of it and enjoy all the island has to offer.
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7 0
david W
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.8 years 493 played 28 reviews
4.50 star(s)

What an experience! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 17, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

I have heard about this course from several golfers back home who told stories of playing it at worlds years ago and taking the ferry over. When I found out I was going to be traveling through Toronto, I had to make the stop to play.

This course is absolutely beautiful! Mature trees, water (on a few holes), perfectly mowed grass, beautiful baskets, nice tee signs and signage, and well textured tee pads. What else could you want?

I played long pads to long baskets and felt that the layout was extremely fair but also extremely challenging. The rough is certainly very rough but with very "fair" fairways you shouldn't find the rough much and when you do its usually because you threw a poor shot and deserve to be penalized.

I really like the difference in the two sets of tee pads. They offer a completely different feel and don't follow the commonality of a long pad thats 20-50 feet behind the short pad on every hole. I also really liked that the course has two different kinds of baskets for the A and B positions. This offers great diversity and is aesthetically very sound and not confusing like some courses can be.

The combination of two sets of pads and baskets makes for several different layouts that if you were a local would keep you coming back solely based on the fact that you can switch it up every round if you like.

The vibe on the Island is very friendly and family oriented. The ferry ride is very short and waiting on a boat is not an issue (i missed it by minutes both ways and maybe waited 30-40 minutes tops). With restaurants and bars nearby, this is really not an issue at all. In fact, I quite enjoyed the 30 minute break after the round to relax and enjoy the scenery.

As far as the course goes, I would say that the longs to longs are a serious pro course even though it is very flat. I shot a -1 which I was content with considering I missed 5-10 makable putts. Bring your accuracy and distance for this one boys and girls... she's a beast!

I did read some complaints about poor signage and I will say that I had 0 issues and found the signage to be pretty good. Im a huge stickler for directional signs and most of the signs on this course were solid.

Cons:

My biggest con for this course is parking. I travel in a truck and 33ft camper most of the summer and accessing parking in Toronto for my rig was nearly impossible. I ended up parking 25 minutes away and grabbing an uber to the fairy landing. It would be nice to have more parking for island goers but with the sheer number of people I saw getting on to boats, this would be almost impossible to accommodate considering the lack of available space in downtown Toronto.

The course is extremely flat which was to be expected. The designer did install some elevated baskets but they were cheesy at best as almost all of them sat on extended poles with no aesthetic additions like a 6x6 tiered base or stone/brick steps. Could have done a little better there.

From the perspective on the long to long layout, I will say that I would have liked to have seen a couple of shorter holes mixed in. I don't think there are any holes on that layout under 300 that I can remember. Not necessarily a con but it would have been nice to have had a better mix of distances. That being said, I did very much enjoy the plethora of long par 3's and big par 4's. You don't get to see that every day.

Pedestrians are no doubt an issue. There were A LOT of people on the island when I played (Sunday afternoon in June with perfect weather). That being said, I only had one or two holes where I either had to wait on someone taking a picture or maybe be extra careful to not hit a sun bather. I did hit a guys bike wheel with a roller but it bounced me back in bounds and he wasn't mad so win win there!

Other Thoughts:

Im a huge fan of this course and hope to go back in the future. While its probably not in my top 20, whoever designed this course should give themselves a pat on the back. I feel confident in saying that they couldn't have done a better job with the space and availability they were given. Truly outstanding!
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5 0
MikeTorre
Experience: 11.8 years 80 played 23 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The crowned jewel of Toronto courses 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 22, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Legendary course in a truly unique location -> if you visit Toronto and have the time, visit the island & throw this course.

- Toronto Island is a remarkable venue -> nice hippie vibe, great restaurant and cafe, truly beautiful park and beaches, no less!

- Course is a study in design refinement: White and blue pads with proper signs and multiple baskets -> lots of variety.

- One of the few courses in the GTA that offers players with big arms the opportunity to use them -> pro-level options.

- The short pads with blue baskets option is great for everyday amateurs. Still challenging, but short and fun.

- Very passionate/committed community of players.

Cons:

- You have to take the ferry to Ward's Island, making this course hard to access and a throw there a half-day adventure.

- In the height of summer, a huge number of people visit the island, which translates into long waits at the ticket line.

- The length and difficulty of some of these holes may not work for beginners/inexperienced players.

Other Thoughts:

- When the weather permits, I suggest taking a bike to the island -> this will allow you to get around quickly

- The course is next to the fire house and they have public bathrooms and lockers ($2 coin required) -> very handy

- The island cafe and rectory restaurant near the course offer excellent food and delicious pints of beer!
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3 1
Detective Punch
Experience: 12.6 years 22 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Long Tight Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 4, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is my home course where I started playing so I'll get that bias out there first. I'm super glad I learned here though because it's made most other courses I play at a breeze comparatively. I've been playing for four years now and have been to a bunch of other courses and I still don't think I've found one that's better (but definitely some others that I would rank as good in their own right)

PROS
- The island is beautiful. It's a really great course to walk through, gorgeous views of the Toronto skyline.
- The fairways are incredibly maintained for such a long course. They've even cut down the rough a bit in some areas.
- Really nice large cement teepads
- 2 teepads and 2 baskets on every hole.
- They just installed new clear signage as well, and they look great
- Really great challenging course - quite long with a lot of technical shots as well. There are a couple of open holes but most holes ask you to throw long and low with a good mix of hyzer annhyzer shots.
- 2 water holes.

Cons:

- 7.50 for the ferry to get there (you can buy a pack of 10 tix though)
- Fire ants and stinging nettles, it's not the worst but they are there if you go into the rough
- No elevation - the island is super flat.
- Can be busy on the weekends/summer with tourists, (never really had to wait on the course for other golfers) but the course is located away from the main tourist area so it's generally fine.

Other Thoughts:

Just another note, I know some people view it as a bit of a hassle to get there but I can go play a round in 3 hours from getting on the ferry to getting back to the city. Maybe still too long for some peeps but there it is!
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5 0
luckless_pedestrian
Experience: 11 years 40 played 14 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great course let down by little things 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 7, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Beautiful course set in an amazing public park.

Two baskets and two tee pads on every hole let you play lots of different ways. Most of the time the two tees are not that far apart but they're situated to make the drive different.

Fairways are really well-maintained. Your disc will land in grass, bushes, water, or trees.

But just because you're not in the woods don't think trees won't ruin your round. Most holes have overhanging trees somewhere that don't let you throw a big dumb hyzer.

Unlocked lost discs box behind the bulletin board before hole 1. And it gets used; I saw two discs added within an hour (just not mine).

As mentioned above, the short baskets are a great blue color -- super easy to spot.

Did I mention how pretty it is?

Cons:

The signs at the tees only show the long basket location.

On a weekend day with the sun shining the park is crowded, mostly with people who have no clue about disc golf. They have signs that say, "Disc Golf Zone" but they should be more explicit -- "Don't park your baby here if you don't want her to get hit by a sharp-edged frisbee."

I really didn't like the baskets. Weird, I know, but it seemed like more chanouts than there should have been.

Stinging nettles? Some low weed got me a couple times on the hand while looking for discs.

Other Thoughts:

Yeah, there's no elevation but they make up for it with design. You really have to hit the gaps and keep it in the grass.

If you're a disc golfer visiting Toronto you have to play here. Surprisingly, there are not many places to buy discs nearby. Europe Bound on King St has a good selection of Innova and Discraft. The sporting goods store in the lower level of Eaton Centre has a Vibram starter pack for $50.

Pro tip: if it's a busy weekend, take a water taxi to Wards Island for $10 and then ride the ferry back for free. The ferry is $7 but the ticket line can take a long time on a Saturday morning.
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10 0
JohtoVillage
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24 years 160 played 73 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 17, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

I had a tough time rating this course (see below in other thoughts) but Toronto Island had a lot of good things going for it. That's why I am giving this course a "Very Good" rating.

1) Most of the holes now officially have two baskets: blue baskets and silver baskets. With two sets of tees most holes this allows you to play the course in a lot of different variations. The long tees to the long baskets offer a very challenging course so its great to have the short baskets in place for those wanting an easier course. I also LOVE the fact that the baskets are different colors so you always know what layout you are playing.

2) This course had great signs. Even though the numbering was currently off on the signs, the signs were full color and very detailed.

3) This course had great concrete tee pads. Natural teepads are no fun and rubber is second best compared to concrete so its always good to point out that a course has great pads.

4) The locals were super friendly. Friendly enough to try to buy us food after the round at a wonderful restaurant just near the docks. I highly recommend having some ice cream or some food at this restaurant after playing your round (ferry time permitting). The restaurant is a wonderful outdoor restaurant that is located right next to the docks where you enter the island on.

5) Toronto Island Park is AMAZING. There is so much to do outside of disc golf on the Island that it would be a great place for a family to enjoy a day. If you are a guy and travel with your wife or significant other often, she will enjoy coming here. The park has a lot of great things to do and offers spectacular views of Toronto. I can't stress that enough - the views are out of this world. Also, the ferry ride over to the park also offers spectacular views and is well worth the $6.50 fee.

6) Contrary to what a few reviewers wrote, this course does have water that definitely comes into play. This always makes a course more appealing to me. Two holes have legitimate water hazards (both on the right side of the fairway) and one of the holes has the basket tucked pretty tight on the river. The water was deep and we did have a disc go in the hazard so this added a lot of value to these two holes.

7) This course was extremely challenging for the long tees and one of the harder courses that my buddy and I played on a 16 course disc golf trip. I appreciate a challenge and so that's a pro for me. Half of the holes were between 300 and 400 feet and half were over 400 feet so it definitely favors a longer arm but there were some opportunities for deuces which I know people will appreciate.

Cons:

This course was really solid but I do have a few cons:

1) The logistics of actually getting to this course were simply a nightmare. If you do get the chance to play this course (which I recommend) then its advisable to set aside at least 4 hours for the experience. It was very difficult to actually find a place to park near the docks and when we finally did that cost us $20 (there is very bad construction going on in downtown Toronto right now that is expected to last a while). Once we were able to park it was a 15 minute walk to the docks. Fortunately we caught the right boat as it was literally leaving or we would have been stuck for a while. After a 15 minute boat ride (see above for this was also a good thing) we got off the boat and had a 2000 foot walk to the first hole. We of course had to take this walk after the round back to the dock and then waited 45 minutes for the boat to come back. Just be prepared to take some time to get to this course!

2) The rough was extremely brutal when we played the course. We played with a local who lives on the island and he admitted that the rough was brutal and borderline unfair. Some of the rough was above 6 feet tall in some wild grass areas and we did lose a disc. The local did say that it usually gets trimmed down for the September A Tier but that didn't make our experience any easier. Some of the fairways were also a little tight because of the overgrown rough and the local once again mentioned that issue is usually taken care of by September.

3) This isn't a huge con for me but the course has no elevation to speak of. The course is essentially flat on every level. This doesn't take away from the fact that the course has interesting holes but none of that is due to elevation.

4) Navigation was pretty challenging - we walked to what was supposed to be hole 1's basket and the tee sign said hole 17. Fortunately a local guided us the rest of the way but the signs on a lot of the holes were incorrect. Hopefully this gets taken care of soon. PLEASE NOTE: The directions on this site to get to the actual course are spot on. Once you get past the Firehall that is hole 1 even though it currently says 17. Follow the directions on this site and you will be fine but just ignore the signs.

5) Some of the long baskets were tucked into places that seemed to be difficult for the sake of being difficult. Even the local, who was a pro, said some of these newer locations were a bit much. Its not a huge con because we were playing the long tees to the long baskets but it is worth nothing.

Other Thoughts:

I honestly found this course pretty tough to rate. I would actually rate the course a solid 3.5 and if some of the cons above were addressed this would definitely be an easy 4.0 for me.

Taking it a step further, I would actually rate the experience of playing the course and the surrounding area a 4.5 or a 5.0. I would then normally bump my rating up a little bit to account for that but the issue was actually getting to the course and leaving the course. Logistically I would rate this course a 1 on a scale of 1 to 5. Putting all of those things together helped me confirm in my mind that it was a 3.5 for me, which is considered Very Good on this site. Just make sure to set aside a lot of time for this experience!
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1 1
Seabrook
Experience: 28.6 years 32 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Island Paradise 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 2, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Concrete tee pads and great signage. The course design is excellent with both right and left shots to challenge all. Manicured and absolutely beautiful with the Toronto skyline in the background.

Cons:

Not much to complain about. No elevation change but not a big deal. This is a day excursion and not a jump out of the car and start playing. Time your visit to the ferry crossing then 10 min walk to the course. Plan your day accordingly

Other Thoughts:

This is one of the prettiest courses I've played. Well maintained lawns and relatively easy to navigate, The course is long but not difficult for the newer player. Advanced will find lowering your score very challenging with the long tree lined fairways.
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1 1
EssPea
Experience: 6 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun with some challenge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 12, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Practice baskets!
Two tee boxes, both with pads.
Good mix of short holes and long ones.

Cons:

Annoying to get to with the ferry.
Signs on each teebox are getting run down or missing, without them it is hard to find the next hole.
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2 2
klassikstile
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Wonderful springtime rounds 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 7, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Multiple pads and pin locations
Good signage
Beautiful setting

Cons:

The map that is linked doesn't seem to be the latest, I was misled a few times, but eventually found my way

Other Thoughts:

This was a really fun course to play while on a business trip! The ferry across to the island was pleasant
It was a gorgeous saturday and there were only a handful of other discers, so it was easy breezy
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2 0
Sandude
Experience: 13.7 years 8 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A great Metro Park DG course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 22, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Well laid out, seasoned and groomed (in a park).Nice variety of shots required. Weekend play was not crazy busy. Water holes provided no problems in retrieving wet discs (2 for me in 2 rounds) Easy navigation w/good signage. Picturesque view of downtown Toronto & the Space needle.

Cons:

Flat with no elevations, A hike from the ferry, which costs $6.50 to ride.,The walk to the first tee is a good couple of holes worth of steps. Same to return. Road traffic to get to the ferry is hectic every day. Especially around rush hour. but besides some elevations I would say as far as the course itself goes, there are not many Cons.

Other Thoughts:

If you are in or near Toronto, this is well worth the cost of the ferry. If you can avoid rush hour traffic or walk or ride a bike you will do better. 4 My hotel was only 4 miles away, but it took me 25 minutes in lakeshore traffic to get to the ferry
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7 0
HEATER
Experience: 63 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Home course love. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 14, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Beautiful, scenic course a short ferry ride from metro Toronto.

2 practice baskets about 70 feet from each other near 1 tee.

Friendly locals.

Course plays tough but fair from the white tees with most holes falling between 260 and 650 feet. difficult and demanding from the longs with lots of tight lines, tunnel shots and massive trees all over the course.

Locals play everything as a par 3 although there are 3 holes that are every bit a par 4 (6, 8 and 16 and 1 if you play the championship tee near the practice baskets)

2 sets of big asphalt tees on each pad

Grounds are maintained by the city and are always pristine.

People complain about the amount of non gofers on the course but if you can get over there any time that isn't a weekend in the summer the course is mostly deserted.

Great league that runs Wed night in the summer and Saturday morning all winter (yes ALL winter)

Be prepared to air out some big bombs and every shot in your bag will be needed.

Best view of the Toronto skyline anywhere.

Feels like a golf course with each hole being a separate entity.

Easy to spend a a whole day golfing and hanging out on the best parkland in the GTA.

Baskets are getting older but are still in great shape.

Cons:

The cost of the ferry is a con although I never feel it isn't worth my money. Also if you are a local or are planning on going a couple times with some friends you can buy a 10 pack of tickets at a discount.

The land is flat.

Course can get busy in the summer with both holders and tourists.

If you can bring a bike as it is a bit of a hike to and from the ferry

Multiple pins aren't utilized. Typically it plays all long pins in the summer and all short pins in the winter.

Island residents aren't big fans of the course and go out of their way to sabotage work on the course. We tried to add a new amazing hole and the locals took the basket out of the ground and threw it into the water.

Other Thoughts:

This is the first course I plays and it will always hold a special place in my heart. 4 years later and I am still honored to call it home.
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1 5
timbo
Experience: 15 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Disc golf paradise on a sunny day. Long, challenging holes in beautifully maintained park on Ward's Island looking across the lake at the city of Toronto. Good course for power players, lots of placement shots required too. Power and accuracy is what it takes on the island.

Cons:

No elevation changes, though a couple of the baskets are elevated.
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7 0
The Miniac
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 47.8 years 383 played 35 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A true gem 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I haven't played enough Canadian courses to call the Toronto (Ward) Island disc golf course, the best in Canada, or even in Ontario. But it is certainly among the most unique. No one will dispute that this course is a very special place to play disc golf.

A 10 minute ferry-ride from the mainland, the Ward Island course is separated from the big city, which gives the island(s) a genuinely placid ambiance. The view of Toronto's skyline is unparalleled, particularly at night.

The only vehicles allowed on the islands belong to the park system or Emergency services. Even those who live on the islands must get around on foot, bike, boat or skateboard, if they so choose.

The course I played in September of 2012 bears little resemblance to the 1987 PDGAW courses that put me in the disc golf spotlight for years to come. It is better. Far better. Admittedly, this place holds incredible sentimental value for me. But the quality of this venue transcends this sort of bias.

At well over 8,000 feet in length, whether or not it is listed as a "par 64", it plays like it. And due consideration should be given to par on this course. This course gives the smart player plenty to think about and puts the less-strategy-oriented players to work. Risk vs Reward is artfully engrained into the multi-shot holes. The most basic tenant in the game of golf is to reward well executed shots and punish poorly executed shots; which the Ward Island course accomplishes in spades.

The fairways are immaculately manicured. The rough areas are well-defined and often unforgiving, but I do not recall any thorns or vines.

Mach 5 baskets provide the player with a solid place to finish out each hole. There is talk of a 2nd set of permanent targets. Combined with 2 and even 3 tees per hole, that's 4 to 6 ways to play each fairway... without having to move equipment.

Benches adorn most tee areas, though mostly by the longer blue tees.

Cons:

The asphalt tee pads are usually long enough and grippy enough, but several aren't flat enough. The tees (not installed by players) go with the lay of the land, rather than lying uniformly flat, which I feel is the course's biggest short-coming. Others may barely take notice.

That said, the course topography is primarily flat. The only real elevation change of any substance is the drop-off beyond the sea-wall to the right of fairway #4 and the elevated baskets on #4 & 9. (Usually reserved only for tournaments)

A mandatory ferry ride or water taxi makes the course just inconvenient enough to keep the course from being overrun by players. The shortest walk is 10-12 minutes to tee #1. If you want something during the course of the round, you'll have to bring it on the ferry. Bikes and strollers come in handy here.

In playing the event, it seemed that some of the par 3 distances were longer than the tee signs indicated. If they are, in fact, correct, kudos may be in order for making fairly flat fairways play longer than they actually are.

There are a couple of holes that I might consider a "tweener" distance, but top-level Open Pros would likely not. The shorter tees bring many of these holes into range for a GM, like myself.

Other Thoughts:

All things considered, the Toronto-Ward Island disc golf course is a rare and beautiful gem. An "absolutely MUST PLAY" course if you love a fair challenge, a beautiful setting or if you are looking for a reason to get on a boat with a bag of discs.
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0 1
poorredz
Experience: 27 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Drivers Delight 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 28, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice long fairways, some narrow and some wide open. A good mix of challenges, water hazards and trees. Very quiet and uncrowded during the week. I'd play it again next time I'm in town.

Cons:

Signage has been damaged on some holes. Downloaded maps dont agree with the current course around 7,8,9&10. It looks like they change the holes.

Other Thoughts:

Awesome island to walk around with spectacular views of the city skyline. The course winds through a quaint community and harbor on the island. Worth the ferry ride out there. $6 r/t on the Ward Island Ferry
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10 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great views and some fun shots 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 7, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a nice park on Toronto Island. There are numerous great views over the lake and back across the harbor at the city, along with some nice stretches along the yacht club. The park is nicely kept, with all the grass recently mowed and the fairways cleared of dead branches. There are baskets in decent shape, and two tee pads on every hole. Two sets of adequate signage are a nice touch, with the distance and layout from both tees to both pin locations.

There is some nice variety here. A couple holes bring water into play for some fun risk/reward shots, including one where the best line is a wide hyzer out over the water and back on to the fairway. There is a good mix of lengths and hole shapes, and enough trees and brush to punish errant shots in many cases. The alternate pin locations often changed up the hole quite a bit, if they're moved reasonably often they're a great addition to the variety of the course.

Cons:

Unless you live on the island, it's a $6.50 trip on the ferry to play. If you're planning on spending the day enjoying the parks and sights on the islands, that's no big deal, but it's a little pricey just for disc golf (though the views from the ferry and from the island back at downtown made it worth it to me, so I didn't ding the rating at all for the cost).

There are some safety issues with the walking path and a couple picnic areas, and the pedestrians and picnickers didn't seem to be aware of disc golf. The course is very flat, and does feel a bit repetitive after a while. The dual pads are a good thought, but they are often directly in line, and only different by a little bit of distance so they don't really differentiate the course for various levels of players. The asphalt makes for a pretty slick surface even with just a little dew on it.

Other Thoughts:

This is a fun course, and the scenery on the island makes it worth the ferry trip. Beginners will find the course approachable, though the rough can get a little punishing, and errant throws on a couple holes could end up lost in the water. More experienced players will find some nice challenges, but not a whole lot of variety.
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8 0
cubby96
Experience: 28.2 years 60 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Worth a visit 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 1, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Going to this course is a pleasant escape from the city, on a picturesque island a short ferry ride from the harborfront.

Wooded, tight holes and a variety of shots (left/right, short/long holes) make the course challenging. Short/long asphalt teepads and multiple pin locations per hole mean it is approachable for amateurs.

The City of Toronto maintains the course, but volunteers generally do trimming of the bushes/trees.

Wednesday night club rounds in summer (generally), Saturdays in winter

Annual Maple Leaf tournament in September is well-run and worth attending

Course is rumored to be receiving 18 additional baskets for a permanent double-tee/double-basket layout for every hole.

Cons:

The volunteer-run trimming of bushes/trees is not done as regularly as necessary and the course can occasionally get a bit overgrown.

Alcohol is officially not permitted in the park, though many people ignore the rule.

Ferry ride costs $6.50 per person, round-trip, but discounts can be had if purchasing in groups of 10. Lineups for ferry tickets on weekends (generally late morning/afternoon) can be up to an hour, so come in the morning and stay all day.

Water (OB) is indeed in play on holes 4 and 9, though it is pretty easily avoidable as the canal just lines the right side of both holes. I have even seen an errant drive or two end up wet on holes 17 and 18, though that would be a spectacularly poor shot.

Other park guests occasionally find our well-mowed course to be a great spot for a private picnic. Most people are happy to move to a safer spot if you politely explain the dangers of laying in the fairway. There are many other areas in the park that are better suited for picnics. This is generally a non-issue, but can occasionally be a nuisance in the summer on weekend afternoons.

Other Thoughts:

This is my home course for the past 3 years, so I am a little biased.

Take the ferry to Ward's Island and you'll have a 10 minute walk to the course. Bring a bike instead, and it is a shorter trip, plus you can spend some extra time exploring the rest of the park.

Also, there is a forum available if you have questions: http://www.discgolfontario.co...php?BoardID=2
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5 0
maniak
Experience: 15.8 years 15 played 13 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good, not Great 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

There are a number of positive things to say about this course. To start, it's very well signed. There are two concrete tee pads and two baskets for each hole, each tee pad on each hole has its own sign indicating how far it is to both baskets.

As a result of the course having both short and long tees plus two basket positions for nearly all the holes, it gives the course a great replay factor. The front tees are short enough to allow the beginners to have fun but well placed enough to challenge intermediate players. The back tees are quite long on some holes, good for the big arms out there.

What the course lacks in elevational variety, it makes up for in obstacle variety. There are some short tight holes, some open holes with a narrow section to shoot through, tunnel shots etc... There are even yellow fire hydrants all over the place that you could hit if you're not careful. Another factor to consider is the wind. When I played the wind was quite calm, but I imagine it could pick up since this course is somewhat exposed in the middle of the great lakes.

Cons:

As others have brought up, the course is very flat, leading to a slight repetitive feel. If this course could employ some elevation, it could really take advantage of the beautiful scenery and incorporate it more into the course layout.

I don't know if it's just me, but it seems as though the holes tend to curve off to the right more than they do to the left, making it easier for a natural LHBH thrower or RHFH thrower to play through the course. I'm all for some challenge but I believe in balanced course design and this course could benefit from it.

For such a highly rated and talked about course, I honestly expected the course maintenance to be better. Not that it's bad or really even much of an issue per se, but I expected more.

I liked the fact that there are two pin locations on each hole but it wasn't consistent and I often couldn't tell which hole location was being used. As a result, I had to walk halfway down the fairway just to see where I was shooting. This caused my round to take a little longer than expected which was ok, but it got annoying after a while.

Other Thoughts:

The ferry ride over to the course offers great views of the city!

Even if you're with people who aren't into disc golf, there's a variety of other ways for them to amuse themselves on Toronto Island while you get a round in.

Other people have mentioned the price of the ferry as being a con to this course. The course is but a small part of the Toronto Islands and there is so much else to do that if you play disc golf, maybe go for a bike ride or check out the amusement park, you'll get your money's worth no problem. As of summer 2010, the price of the ferry round trip is $6.50 CAD, a bargain if you ask me.

One last thing, it seems as though if you play early, you'll have the course to yourself, if you play later on, it seems to get quite busy from what I hear. I played around 11am and had the entire course to myself, with just the odd bicycle cruising by.

Overall, this course is good but not fantastic. I had heard all kinds of hype about this course before I played it. I didn't look at the pictures on DGCR before I played and I just expected a bit more. I expected this course to be in my top 3 but sadly its not.
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3 3
Gator
Experience: 14.8 years 19 played 19 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The Island 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 17, 2008 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Like everyone else said its a fun challenging course on a bueatiful island. I drive up from Rochester, NY (5 hours) to play this once a year for a tourney. Camping is available on the island. After the first tourney we tossed discs back at the island as we pulled away on the ferry (a local tradition we were told) it was really cool.

Cons:

The cost of the ferry ride.

Other Thoughts:

I think the fact that the course is really flat isn't so bad sense the course is fairly technical. Look for the Team Discraft player on the island.
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9 3
DaKineSurfer32
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.9 years 577 played 57 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Disappointing Actually 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 12, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

- it's on an island. In Toronto. 'nuff said.
- many tough pin locations
- 2-3 pin locations per hole
- good balance of long and short holes gives a 'disc golf country club' atmosphere as you're playing
- nice signs at both sets of tees on each hole (36 signs). Very descriptive and accurate.
- large asphalt tees provide for decent grip, your only issue coming if it's raining really hard
- many people (mainly tourists) walking on the paths as you're playing will ask you what you're doing, giving you a chance to tell them about disc golf and promote the sport
- the view of the Toronto skyline is pretty cool

Cons:

- the short tees are pretty much pointless. Almost all of them are 30-50 feet directly in front of the longs, which doesn't provide a much different experience for Amateurs, or make the course any easier for them.
- the course is extremely flat, almost zero elevation change through 18 holes
- it's an 'out and back' course, meaning that once you start playing there isn't a good place to cut the round short because the course is one big loop
- it's a pretty long walk (600m or 10 mins) from where the ferry lets you off to the start of the course
- the ferry to the island costs C$6.50, so it's not a course you're going to want to play every day just because of cost.
- the description says there are water hazards, and this is not at all true. Water doesn't even come close to being in play.

Other Thoughts:

Toronto Island is a pretty quality course, and definitely a challenge for any skill level.

I'm only giving it 3 discs however, because after the first few holes it honestly got to be really boring. After about 6 holes all of them start to look pretty much the same. The obstacles change slightly, but it's still a flat course and the basket is pretty much straight ahead of you off the tee (except for 8).

The walk to the course from the ferry and the cost of the ferry to the Island are also reasons that I'm knocking off some points too.

In the end I was actually disappointed with Toronto Island and I don't think it lived up to it's hype. It's worth a trip to place once, but not a course I think I'll go back to unless it's for the Toronto Maple Leaf, which is a really legit tournament there.
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9 0
AdamE
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.5 years 264 played 143 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 13, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Picturesque course with lots of large mature trees, views of Lake Ontario, the channels between the islands and lush green fairways in the summer. The fairways are sufficiently wide with some nasty rough in places. The mature trees really increase the difficulty of the course by lowering the ceiling on many holes.

There are nice tee signs at both the short and long pads that show both pin positions and the distances to each. Attached to the bottom of each basket is a small arrow pointing you towards the next hole.

There's a good variety of distances on this course ranging from roughly 250ft to around 600ft. There are dual pad and pin positions on every hole making the course good for beginners and pros alike. This is the kind of course that will challenge players of all skill levels and keep them coming back for more.

Cons:

I printed out a map posted by aaronarndt (thanks a bunch!) in his review before I played here and it greatly helped me navigate the course. I'm sure I could have got got by without one because of the signs attached to the bottom of the basket, but it definitely helped me.

The island is heavily populated with people walking around however I feel the designed did an excellent job keeping the course as far away from walking paths as possible. I played here on a week day but I understand people sometimes sit down or have picnics on the fairways on the weekends.

There were a lot of mosquitoes when I was there so I recommend bug spray in the summer.

Other Thoughts:

Having a course on an island is very unique requiring a ferry trip across the bay to get there. The cost of the ferry trip is definitely out weighed by the trip across providing best view of the Toronto skyline and of course the quality of the course.

This course is truly a gem and well worth going out of your way to play!
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