At Bellmere Winds Golf Resort in Keene, an 18-hole course and Rice Lake waterfront mean you don’t have to choose between a morning on the green and an afternoon with a fishing rod in hand.
Bellmere Winds Golf Resort sits on the north shore of Rice Lake in Keene, in the Kawarthas. Its defining feature is right in the name: this resort has its own 18-hole championship golf course. But the lake is equally central to the experience, which makes the resort a good fit for people who would rather build a weekend around a few different activities than choose between golf and time on the water.
A morning round can be followed by an afternoon paddle, a swim at the beach or some quiet time by the dock. Guests have access to kayaks, canoes and paddle boards, and motorboat rentals are also available. Rice Lake is known among anglers for its walleye, bass and muskie, so fishing can easily become part of the plan too.
That combination gives Bellmere Winds a different feel from a typical golf getaway. There is no need for one person to spend the day on the course while everyone else tries to fill the time. One group can head out for a tee time while others make use of the pool, splash pad, playground or multi-sports court. Families can meet up again for dinner, then settle in around their own cottage firepit. And for those vacationers looking to combine, a fishing retreat with time on the green, Bellmere Winds has you covered.
The resort’s setting also makes it easy to keep the schedule loose. Some days might call for an early tee time and a long afternoon at the water. Others might start with coffee on the deck, move into a walk on the property’s hiking trails and end with a simple barbecue. There is an on-site restaurant for a meal out, but cottages also come with barbecues for the nights when staying in makes more sense.
Bellmere Winds works particularly well for multigenerational cottage weekends and friend groups with mixed interests. A golfer can make the course the focus of the trip without requiring everyone else to do the same, while people who come for Rice Lake still have access to boating, swimming, fishing and a beach day.
For those looking at the Kawarthas, Bellmere Winds offers a straightforward answer to a common cottage-country question: what does everyone want to do today? At this resort, there are several good options within the same property, and none of them require much planning beyond deciding who is bringing the snacks to the boat.