GRAVENHURST, ONTARIO – Peter Freed leans back in a chair in his office atop Toronto’s trendy Thompson Hotel, folds his arms behind his head, and ponders a question relating to the proficiency of his golf game.

Behind Freed, downtown Toronto spreads out until it drops off into Lake Ontario and many of the buildings that dot the concrete landscape in this up-and-coming area known as West King West were built by Freed Development, the company he started in 1995.

The Thompson Hotel is the newest and most talked about addition to Freed’s growing real estate empire.

Seconds pass before the pensive Freed responds to the question.

“I’m not really a good golfer,” says the humble developer, “but I really love the game.”

Freed loves the game so much that in 2006 he hired Doug Carrick, arguably Canada’s best golf architect, to carve out a course in the granite wilderness surrounding a dramatic piece of property Freed owns in Muskoka’s charming cottage country, just outside Gravenhurst.

As usual, Carrick, the architect of renowned courses like Ontario’s Bigwin Island, Copper Creek, Eagles Nest, King Valley, and my personal favourite, The Carrick in Loch Lomond, Scotland (site of my first and only hole-in-one) did a masterful job and the Muskoka Bay Club quickly jumped onto the Top 10 list of great Canadian courses.

Freed’s face beams when he’s reminded that a national golf magazine ranks the Muskoka Bay Club 9th among its “Canada’s Top 100 Courses” poll and breaks into a hearty laugh when the interviewer suggests it deserves a better ranking.

“I’m very proud of the job Doug did and I’m glad so many people now think so highly of Muskoka Bay Club,” says Freed in soft tones that complement his thoughtful demeanour.

Above: The Thompson Hotel is an oasis amidst the beautiful Muskoka country.

Since opening the Muskoka Bay golf course, Freed has surrounded it with beautiful holiday homes, villas and lofts that have made this the most sought-after vacation property in Ontario.

Soon, Freed hopes to add a low-rise condo on the site along with more homes and lofts so many other vacationers can enjoy the affordable luxury his company is famous for providing.

“This is a 20-year project and we have a lot of things planned for the future,” says Freed, who does not rule out adding another nine holes to this spectacular setting. “We have the room — we could even have holes looking out on Lake Muskoka (the calm lake borders the property),” he says.

The golf course is obviously the cornerstone of this distinct development. Its appropriately-namedClifftop Clubhouse sits strategically placed on a giant granite outcrop so at sunrise and sunset the glass-enclosed structure sparkles like a precious jewel.

The 17,000-square-foot Clifftop serves as a social gathering spot for golfers and residents and its unique infinity pool offers breathtaking views of several holes and the natural brilliance that fans out below.

There’s no doubt people are first drawn to Freed’s property by the golf course and some end up buying a home when they see what a tranquil setting the developer has created here.

But this will soon become an exclusive club whose membership will be restricted to those who own a piece of Freed’s holiday vision — the golf course will be made a members-only facility once most of the properties are sold.

So, if you’re not planning to buy a property, you’d better make your tee time now. “We have 300 members and will cap that soon,” says Freed, who smiles when it’s suggested those members would be the luckiest 300 golfers in Canada.

The course, despite being exposed to the harsh Muskoka winters six months of the year, is in pristine condition all the time (it’s hard to tell where the fairways end and the greens begin).

“Right now, we’re doing about 16,000 rounds annually, but I’d like to see that reduced to between 13,000 and 14,000 a year,” says Freed.

Carrick was given a spectacular natural canvas on which to work his genius.

“There was some blasting but, for the most part, Doug followed the contour of the land; the topography in Muskoka is quite spectacular,” says Freed, whose appreciation for “cottage country” began in his youth when his family vacationed in Ontario’s wilderness.

It’s usually love at first sight when golfers reach the first tee at Muskoka Bay Golf Club.

Above: The golfing in Muskoka is some of the best in Ontario.

The hole, christened Table Rock, gives you a good indication what the rest of the course looks like — dramatic drop-offs, narrow rock ridge openings to fairways lined with lots of natural hazards like wetlands and Carrick’s strategically placed bunkers.

This may be the best opening shot in Canadian golf, and Muskoka Bay only gets better from here.

With the clubhouse perched high above the first tee and the pink granite rock of the Canadian Shield serving as a backdrop on most holes, Muskoka Bay earns my vote as the prettiest golf course in North America.

Freed’s favourite hole is the par-4 fourth known as “Shorty” because, at 354 yards, it’s the shortest par-4 on the course.

Reminding us that good things come in small packages, though, Shorty can play long if you don’t pick the right club and shot off the tee.

This is a very deceptive hole that requires accurate shots. Carrick tempts big hitters who think they can drive the green but the hole usually wins out.

With a 100-foot drop to the fairway, six bunkers and a large contoured green that falls off sharply, Shorty is a muscle hole that will wrestle you to your knees if you don’t show it respect.

The front nine at Muskoka Bay is precious and funnels down to one of the most intriguing holes in North American golf.

You’re going to love or hate the Narrows. There’s no third option because you’ll either agree with me that this is one of the most spectacular holes you’ve ever played or it’s a “trick” hole that doesn’t deserve to be included in this fabulous collection.

The dramatic par-4, 414-yard 9th drops off 100 feet from the tee to a generous landing spot that sets you up for a nice approach shot.

Just a few obstacles stand between you and a birdie: two giant rock walls that make it impossible to see a green that drops off at the back … and your quivering hands and knees.

There’s no more challenging second shot in Canadian golf and this hole alone makes Muskoka Bay a must play.

The back nine, with hole names like Bunker Hill (No. 13), Himalayas (No. 14), Gibraltar (No. 16) and Waterloo (No. 17) pretty much tells you the terrain going home does not change and more uphill and downhill challenges lie ahead.

Afterwards, you can always retreat to the clubhouse infinity pool or head back to your stately weekend home and enjoy the modern luxury that Freed has built in Muskoka.

The owners of these massive, well-appointed homes and lofts rent their units out to weekenders like me so we can all enjoy the splendours of cottage life.

Muskoka Bay is a place that will only get better with age.