East Park Golf Gardens

Par-60 layouts often get written off as warm-up rounds, but East Park Golf Gardens in London, Ontario has built a genuine following as a place where working golfers — those short on time, not ambition — can get a proper 18 holes in without surrendering half a day. The format leans heavily on par 3s and short par 4s, which puts a premium on iron play, short-game creativity, and scoring precision rather than raw power.

London sits in the heart of southwestern Ontario, a mid-sized city with a surprisingly active recreational golf culture fed by a mix of university students, families, and working adults. The region's climate — humid continental, with a proper summer season — makes for lush, playable conditions through the warm months, and the area supports a wide range of public layouts catering to every level.

As a golf garden-style facility, East Park fits into a tradition of accessible, community-minded courses where the point is enjoyment and repetition. It's the kind of place regulars return to weekly, learning its subtleties hole by hole.