Fox Harb’r completes Ocean course construction and turns attention to Vineyard

Construction is now in progress on the new Vineyard course at Fox Harb’r Resort in Nova Scotia, Canada, where architects Doug Carrick and Tom McBroom have teamed up to create two distinct 18-hole courses. 

Construction of the resort’s Ocean course began in 2022, and included building nine new holes, four of which play alongside the Northumberland Strait, and reshaping nine of the existing eighteen holes at the resort. In total, seven holes play directly alongside the sea. 

Attention now turns to the Vineyard course, with the latest phase of construction, which began earlier than planned in September 2023, involving crafting another nine new holes and refining the remaining nine from the existing eighteen, to create an inland, heathland-style course. The project is expected to be completed in 2026. 

The close collaboration to transform the golf facilities at Fox Harb’r is a first for Carrick and McBroom. They designed the Ocean course to feature small pot bunkers and fairways that follow the natural undulation of the land. To counter the high winds from the strait, the architects have widened the fairways off the tee to aid players in keeping the ball in play. The Ocean course is expected to be ready for play in 2025. 

“We’re excited to turn our attention to the new Vineyard Course, which is now being advanced forward in the same timeframe as the Ocean Course,” said Carrick. “It’s a bold decision by Steven Joyce, owner of Fox Harb’r, and will firmly establish the resort as a pinnacle golf destination. Having both an oceanside links and a parkland course will create a unique golf experience not found at many other resorts.” 

In addition to the two new courses, the architects are creating a practice area, a nine-hole pitch-and-putt course and putting green.  

“We’re taking great care to build a comprehensive golf experience that best complements our dynamic community,” said Joyce, son of the late Ron Joyce, philanthropist and co-founder of Canadian restaurant chain Tim Hortons. “Nova Scotia is rich in culture and off-the-beaten-track experiences. It’s a place where people embrace the important things in life: family, friendships, health and connection to nature.”