A purposeful loop intended to fit comfortably into about two hours.
Copetown WoodsGolf ClubBook a tee time →A proposed expansion
More ways to play.
More life in the landscape.
An opportunity to create accessible outdoor recreation for more people through a sustainable, lower-impact golf experience that gives more back to the land.
The opportunity
Accessible by design.
Sustainable by nature.
This proposal would expand our existing public golf business by creating a safe, welcoming outdoor recreation option for juniors, families, seniors, new golfers and anyone who wants a shorter way to spend meaningful time outside.
The land is the starting point. The 92-acre property would be shaped to become more diverse, resilient and ecologically valuable over time, with less than 25 acres maintained as playing turf and the balance dedicated to fescue, native meadow, seed orchards, new trees and an existing 21-acre woodlot.
Who it is for
Golfers.
Future golfers.
01
Juniors, families and seniorsA walkable experience that gives more generations a comfortable place to play together.
02
People short on timeA meaningful round that can fit into an evening, a busy weekend or a more active lifestyle.
03
New and returning playersA welcoming place to learn, rebuild confidence and enjoy the game without intimidation.
Care for the land
Less maintained turf.
More living landscape.
Fescue is the foundation of the proposed course. All maintained playing turf would be fescue, set within a larger landscape of indigenous habitat fescue, native pollinator meadow, seed orchards, newly planted trees and the existing woodlot.
Nearly three quarters of the expansion property would remain outside the maintained playing footprint. The goal is not simply to build more golf. It is to use the expansion of our current business to enhance habitat, increase biodiversity and create a net benefit for the environment.
92total acres in the expansion property
<25acres of maintained playing turf
34acres of indigenous habitat fescue
9acres of native pollinator meadow
Watch the vision
Why this.
Why now.
Hear the thinking behind the proposal and what a shorter, welcoming public golf experience could make possible.
The current concept
Ten holes.
Built around real life.
The conceptual routing is designed as a complete golf experience, not simply a shortened version of an 18-hole round.
Approachable distances with variety, strategy and plenty of personality.
Enough length and decision-making to keep the round interesting.
A compact routing designed to make the course easier to move through and enjoy.
The architect
Christine Fraser.
Christine is a Canadian golf course architect whose work uses traditional design principles to help redefine golf culture through socially responsible form and function, environmental consideration, strategy and decision-making.
She grew up on her family’s public golf course, played NCAA Division I golf, earned a Master of Landscape Architecture and spent five years in England working under Dr. Martin Hawtree.
A Canadian firstIf approved and built, the expansion would become Canada’s first new golf course designed by a woman.
Where things stand
A proposal.
Built through care.
We are working through the review process with the City of Hamilton and the Grand River Conservation Authority to establish a safe, accessible outdoor recreation option that enhances ecology and biodiversity and delivers a clear net benefit for the environment.
The concept remains subject to review and approval and may continue to evolve as planning work, technical review and public input move forward. We will share meaningful updates here as the process continues.
Questions people ask
The short
answers.
Why are you doing this?
Golf doesn't always need to take four or five hours. We see an opportunity to create a shorter, more accessible way to play that works for juniors, families, seniors, new golfers and experienced players who simply want a quicker round.
Why 10 holes?
Ten holes gives us enough room to create a complete golf experience while keeping the round to roughly two hours. It's intentionally different from a traditional 18-hole course.
Who is it for?
Everyone. But we're especially excited about what it could mean for juniors, families, seniors and people who may find a traditional 18-hole round too long or intimidating. Experienced golfers should have plenty of fun too.
What will the course be like?
Short, walkable and fun. The current concept includes six par 3s and four par 4s, with no bunkers and a design that works with the existing landscape rather than trying to overpower it.
What happens to the rest of the property?
A significant portion of the property will remain or become naturalized, including native meadow, fescue areas and new tree planting. The goal is to create more golf while also improving the environmental value of the property.
Will there be a new clubhouse or parking lot?
No. The plan is to use the existing Copetown Woods clubhouse, parking and other facilities.
Will the existing 18-hole course change?
No. The existing course remains as it is. The new course would simply give people another way to play at Copetown Woods.
When will it open?
We're currently working through the planning and approval process with the City of Hamilton and other agencies. We hope to move forward as soon as approvals allow, but we don't want to promise an opening date until we know we can deliver it.