Mill River Golf Course – Hole by Hole
This was my first post on travel in the time of a pandemic. Alison and I had last travelled in late February 2020 when we ended our trip through Central America at Ambergris Caye in Belize. The next day we flew back to Canada and within a week the entire world changed as first international and then provincial borders became shuttered and every Canadian became a prisoner, willing or not, in their own province. In the original post from Mill River I described playing golf during Covid, but in July 2026 I am updating the post and removing the parts that were different then because of Covid. Everything is back to normal so those previous musings are irrelevant.
Mill River is located a few miles north of the small town of O’Leary in the westernmost part of the island. The reason I call it an ‘almost hidden gem’ is that while the quality of this course is well known, its location is well away from the cluster of courses around Cavendish, Charlottetown or the east end of PEI. Thus it is often overlooked when golfers plan an itinerary for a golf vacation on this island known for its great golf.
It was opened in 1971 from a design by prolific Canadian golf architect Robbie Robinson who learned his trade from Canada’s most famous golf architect, Stanley Thompson. In the 1990’s Graham Cooke made changes to six holes. It has played host to the Golf Channel’s Big Break PEI and is closely associated with PEI native Lori Kane who won four times on the LPGA. Prior to today’s game I had only played the course once and that was before the Graham Cooke alterations. My memories of the course were still vivid after forty years and I had been planning to return for many a year.
Mill River has five sets of tee boxes and plays 6840 yards from the tips and as short as 5282 from the women’s tees. I opted to play the seniors at just under 6,000 yards. Unfortunately the weather was not very cooperative with periods of drizzle interspersed with gray skies during the 2020 visit. Not a great day for taking photos, but 2026 was much nicer and I am replacing most of the 2020 photos with new ones.
.So without further ado let’s play Mill River.
Mill River No. 1 – Shady Lady – 366 Yard Par Four
This is a really great starting hole if you are a left hander like me. The natural tendency of the ball to go left took it perfectly around the almost 90° dogleg. The photo also shows that although it’s been a very dry summer so far the fairways are in good shape. As Mill River is a parkland course the fairways are lined by mature trees, both hardwoods and softwoods, that give it a very pleasant easy on the eyes appearance.
The second shot here plays quite downhill to the first of eighteen very interesting bentgrass greens. What makes Mill River so memorable are a number of things including the undulations in the greens which are in excellent condition. You really need to know how to read breaks well and figure out the right pace to score on them. That being said the greens are not punishingly fast. If they were, given their design they would be a nightmare, so not cutting them as short as possible makes for a very fair challenge – if you get the read and the pace right.
No. 2 – Old Mill – 525 yard Par Five
The water is not really in play from the tee box, but the traps on the right definitely are. This is an uphill dogleg right with a fairway that pushes everything to the left if you avoid the traps. For the ordinary golfer this is a very tough hole playing as long as it does uphill. Definitely a three shotter to the well trapped green.
Mill River No. 3 – The Challenge – 150 yard Par Three
You don’t really understand why this hole is named The Challenge standing on the tee. It looks like a fairly simple par three with a huge green. However, once you get up there you realize that the green is very tricky with a huge ridge in the middle that almost makes it two separate greens. If you are on the wrong side of the ridge from the flag a three putt is very much a possibility.
No. 4 – The Namesake – 290 Yard Par Four
This is a very deceptive hole. Although it’s very short, the severe dogleg right makes it a very difficult drive for a lefty. The traps on either side are in play which makes the landing area very small. Choosing the right club to tee off with is the hardest chore on this hole. Who the namesake is, I have no idea.
Mill River No. 5 – The Lookout – 119 Yard Par Three
This is the first of a number of holes that could be the ‘signature’ of the course. A simply delightful par three with a very narrow green and an elevation change rarely seen on PEI.
No. 6 – Duncan Brothers – 502 Yard Par Five
The hardest hole on the course can play as long as 602 yards, but 502 is plenty. The two trees (the Duncan Brothers?) are the target with a sharp drop just after them into a narrower fairway that gets positively tiny as you approach the small green. There is plenty of room on either side of the trees for the tee shot. Left is better than right, but not by much.
Once you past the trees this is the view. There’s not a lot of room and the best strategy is to stay right and take the trap out of play on the third shot.
Mill River No. 7 – Hunter’s Spring – 358 Yard Par Four
My favourite hole at Mill River is this truly unique par four that has a creek running right down the middle of its entire length making for two fairways on each side. The left one is tiny and does not have a good angle to the severely elevated green. The best drive will be as far down the right side as possible without going into the woods. From there one needs at least one extra club to the green which shoots everything sharply down and to the right. Getting close to the flag on this hole is nigh impossible. This hole is a true round wrecker, but it’s not one you’ll soon forget.
No. 8 – Hidden Nook – 357 Yard Par Four
Right after my favourite hole comes one I detest. This mid-long dogleg right has a fairway that slants right to left which routinely delivers well struck left handed drives into the woods on the left. Then, if you find your ball it’s a long way to the small green tucked i.e. hidden, among the trees. Right handers probably think this is a great hole.
Mill River No. 9 – The Homestead – 344 Yard Par Four
As straightforward a hole as you will find at Mill River. Keep you drive in play and this is a great birdie opportunity or an easy par. Nice respite after 8.
There is no return to the clubhouse after nine at Mill River. The homestead is a house just back of No. 10 tee which serves as the halfway house. They have great breakfast sandwiches.
No. 10 – Hernewood – 461 Yard Par Five
Another relatively easy hole, this short par five that doglegs left after the lone tree is almost reachable in two. With two goods shots there should be a very short approach making for another birdie chance. BTW I noticed that the local junior high is called Hernewood so I assume the name has local significance.
Mill River No. 11 – Easy Pickins – 155 Yard Par Three
The name is a total misnomer – this is by far the hardest par three at Mill River. There is a severely sloping green which does require you to pound an uphill putt, because it’s virtually impossible to stay on the right side of the green.
No. 12 – Mighty Limes – 363 Yard Par Four
What the hell is a mighty lime? This is yet another severe dogleg right that won’t let most lefties use a driver for fear of going through the fairway. If you do manage your drive expect one of the most severe greens on the course with three very different tiers. Depending on where the flag is you could have a very difficult putt.
Mill River No. 13 – Aqua Bound – 529 Yard Par Five
Aqua means water right? So my ball is bound for the water on this hole? What water? Actually this is a great par five and another candidate for signature hole – notice that they all involve water. This hole doglegs left and then downhill. You don’t need a long drive – just avoid that damn bunker on the left.
You can’t reach this in two so you just layup and have this view for the third shot. It’s a bit daunting, but it’s also a beautiful setting for a golf green. If you avoid the water and traps on both sides you still have to deal with this two-tiered green. Just a great par five.
No. 14 – The Orchard – 338 Yard Par Four
This is a risk reward hole if I ever saw one. You might clear the pond with a driver, but why take a chance? I hit five wood to the flat just before the water and had an easy uphill mid-iron to a receptive green. Another nice hole at Mill River.
Mill River No. 15 – Twin Birches – 408 Yard Par Four
Birches, what birches? Saw nary a one on this hole. This is a very tough par four requiring a good drive to get to the dogleg left. By now, you get the idea that Mill River has a lot of doglegs, right? The green slopes severely front to back and the fact that it’s a long way in, makes staying on it difficult. A tough hole, but not unfair.
No. 16 – The Spinney – 355 Yard Par Four
A spinney is defined as a small area of trees and bushes. Well there’s lots of both on this hole including many of the twin birches missing in action on #15. And guess what? It’s another dogleg, this time to the right in an almost mirror image of the previous hole. This is one of the few holes that an average driver might think of cutting off some of the dogleg by going over the trees. Alternatively, you can hit a wood straight out and be prepared for a much longer approach. Decisions, decisions.
Mill River No. 17 – Bob’s Way – 142 Yard Par Three
The easiest hole on the course, Bob’s Way doesn’t require a lot of skill, just a straight uphill mid-iron landing short of the pin for a birdie opportunity. That being said, almost everyone comes up short with their tee shot. I don’t know why, but it just happens. maybe that was Bob’s way.
No. 18 – Robbie & Graham – 374 Yard Par Four
Named for the two architects responsible for Mill River, this is one of the best finishing holes you will find anywhere. This view from the tee box isn’t much. You have tons of space between the two bunkers to land and have your ball roll downhill.
But once you broach the hill you get this look for your approach shot. Wow! What a way to end your round and head for the club house terrace and a well deserved quaff from one of PEI’s many great craft breweries. But first you need to clear the pond and avoid the six traps that guard the green. Many a round has come to a sinking ending by failing to take enough club.
I hope you enjoyed this trip around Mill River Golf Course and will join me for a tour of the North Cape of PEI in the next post.