Golf in Sylvan Lake: five courses compared

Published September 28, 2026. Updated September 29, 2026. Every fact links to its source.

At a glance

Sylvan Lake Golf & Country Club

The in-town course, at 5331 Lakeshore Drive across from the marina and a short walk from the beach, has served members and the public since 1996. The clubhouse restaurant's patio overlooks the first and tenth tees and the ninth green, the banquet space seats up to 220, and the Tournament House along the 15th hole at 50th Street and 60th Avenue holds 200 with a stone fireplace, dance floor and covered outdoor area; an RV campground sits beside it. Memberships are limited and first come, first served. Phone 403-505-7773 in season (May 1 to September 30) or 403-887-3030 in winter (Sylvan Lake Golf & Country Club).

Meadowlands Golf Club

Meadowlands opened in 1992 with nine holes and now plays 18 at 6,500 yards, par 72, with open fairways, sand, water hazards, small greens and resident deer. Tee times book online at the site's best rates; there is a driving range, practice green and beverage cart. The lounge seats 60, the event facility added in 2008 seats 250 with a full bar, the CPGA pro shop takes special orders, and Meadowlands R.V. Park has 94 powered sites, which makes it the obvious pick for a golf-and-camp weekend (Meadowlands Golf Club). Raccoon Lodge Motel is a short walk away if you would rather have a room.

Lakewood Golf Resort

Family-owned and part of the community since 1982, Lakewood is a par-72, 18-hole course on the east side of the lake in Red Deer County, open to the public and members and pitched at recreational and scratch golfers alike. It has the fullest practice setup of the five (range, bunker and greens), a CPGA professional for one-on-one and group lessons and short-game clinics, a junior program it calls one of the largest in Central Alberta, leagues and memberships, plus RV sites and a licensed restaurant with a patio that opens for golf season only (Lakewood Golf Resort).

Top O' The Hill

Three kilometres north of town on Highway 20, Top O' The Hill opened in 1984 as an executive par-3 course with holes from 105 to 245 yards, at least one par 4, and views of the lake. It specializes in groups of 12 to 75, with shotgun starts on set days, a clubhouse patio and tournament tent, and catered packages: nine holes plus a fully catered steak supper is listed at roughly $40–$45 per person, or groups can rent the facilities and run their own barbecue. Phone 403-887-2766 (Visit Central Alberta — Top O' The Hill).

Alberta Springs

Six kilometres west of Red Deer on the way to the lake, Alberta Springs is an 18-hole course with four tee boxes that opened in 1996 and says it has collected numerous awards since. Distinctive touches are the aquatic driving range, a GPS-equipped power-cart fleet, a fully stocked pro shop, a licensed clubhouse and patio and tournament and banquet facilities. Tee times: 403-340-2885 (Alberta Springs Golf Course).

After the round

Both lakeside courses have their own restaurants, but if you are heading back downtown, Snake Lake Brewing Co. at 26 Industrial Drive pours its Sidewinder IPA and Marina Red seven days a week (Snake Lake Brewing), 2nd Wind Brewery & Eatery has 12 rotating taps on Lakeshore Drive (2nd Wind Brewery & Eatery), and Rusty Kage Smokehouse & Grill smokes its meat in-house at 4513 Lakeshore Drive. All five courses are listed with addresses in golf courses.