A cool autumn breeze may signal the coming fall, but for golfers, it's a siren song calling them to take a brisk walk into nature, savour the last smell of fresh mown grass and marvel at a long drive arching over a fairway lined with maples tinged copper and gold.

Mature forests, meandering creeks and panoramic views are the hallmarks of golf courses throughout York and Durham regions. Mill Run Golf and Country Club, Royal Ashburn Golf Club and Ballantrae Golf and Country Club offer spectacular natural experiences and ample opportunity to spot wildlife, whether it's a fox scampering into the rough or a blue heron wading into the wetlands.

Renowned golf course architect, Doug Carrick, has designed some of the region's most sumptuous and challenging courses, from Angus Glen Golf Club, host site to the 2007 Canadian Open and boasting the two longest courses in the GTA, to Eagles Nest Golf Club, rated the no.1 public course in the GTA by Toronto Golf magazine. Carrick's latest addition, Copper Creek Golf Club, has snatched up numerous awards since opening in 2002 and has gained a reputation for its attentive service and impressive clubhouse.

Equally challenging is Wooden Sticks, best known for its 12 tribute holes modeled after famous PGA courses from St. Andrews to Sawgrass. The remaining course holes are no less noteworthy and Wooden Sticks consistently ranks as a critic and fan favourite. "Stay and Play" packages include accommodation at on-site luxury cabins.

Practice facilities and lessons to put the polish on the swings of golfers young and old range from the Junior Clinic at the 27-hole Kleinburg Golf Club to the acclaimed Golf Academy at Deer Creek with its laser-measured target greens and 9-hole executive course. Beginners will feel right at home at Foxbridge Golf and Country Club, with its minimal hazards and economical green fees.

As the shadows grow long on the greens, it's off to the clubhouse to enjoy a well-earned meal, watch migrating birds take to the sky, and recount the highlights of the day.