Nobody is perfect. But some are much, much closer than others. We feel the same about golf resorts. And the more we visit golf destinations around the world, the more we see just how rare it is to put together the perfect package of fun and memorable and playable golf combined with a resort operation that not only meets the individual needs of golf travelers but also anticipates the desires they might not even know they have.
In Episode 105 of the “Talking GolfGetaways” podcast (sponsored by 2UNDR Apparel — use the GNN20 promo code for 20% off your next purchase), co-hosts Darin Bunch and Mitch Laurance head back to Nova Scotia … more specifically Cape Breton Island … and even more specifically the Resort at Cabot. It’s no secret Darin and Mitch count this Canadian town of Inverness as one of their favorite golfing hotspots on the globe, and now with the monumentally successful opening of the second golf course — Cabot Cliffs, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw — the Resort at Cabot is making its case to be considered among the top destinations (if not No. 1) on golfers’ bucket lists.
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And it’s all because of Ben Cowan-Dewar’s vision to weave his experience as a golf traveler into a Canadian links-golf resort unlike any other. And, in turn, he’s created an experience that after two visits (and hopefully more to come) Darin and Mitch will never forget. In fact, they’ve made so many memories at the resort in such a short time that they put together their own list of “9 Things We Love about Cabot” for this podcast episode.
Whether it’s “rediscovering” the original Rod Whitman-designed Cabot Links course or raving about the beauty (both inland and coastal) of Cabot Cliffs, the co-hosts go beyond the golf holes (although they recount more than a few of their favorites) to also discuss everything from the joys of chocolate-chip cookies and “the best seafood chowder anywhere in the world” to buying drinks for buddies at the Cabot Public House and nighttime putting with friends on the magical (lighted) 18th green while sipping a glass of the resort’s extensive whiskey offerings (we prefer the Highland Park, obviously). And then there are the rooms with perfect attention to detail, right down to the inlaid carpet putting strip and brass cup (buy one as a souvenir — they are available in the golf shop).
It’s a fun, supersized conversation between two traveling golfers who not only love the game, but also love resorts that cater to those of us who love the game. And Cabot is certainly among the world’s best in that respect.
Plus, in a veer from the “Talking GolfGetaways” norm, Darin and Mitch also cast a bit of a critical eye onto the highly acclaimed (and rightfully so) Cabot Cliffs, daring to highlight five things they encountered over multiple rounds last summer that the hosts believe could be remedied to make an already amazing experience even better, especially for the average golfer. Everything from daily pin sheets to grassing in a gravel road on a beautifully short 3-par is discussed, plus a few playability issues on the par-4 No. 5 and par-5 No. 7 holes. And they conclude the discussion with a suggestion that would help eliminate possible frustration on the blind-yet-drivable par-4 17th, which both agree has the potential to be “the most fun golf hole we’ve ever played.”
If you’ve been to Cabot and you love it, this is the episode for you to relive your own memories. And if you’ve yet to get there, this “Essential Cabot” podcast just might motivate you to start checking the calendar for your next ultimate golf getaway.
