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Golf Feast: The Spicy Courses of British Columbia

by Andrew Penner

They say variety is the spice of life. Monotony, uniformity, same old, same old…not so good. In golf, too, the saying certainly holds true. Play the same course over and over again, and you’ll soon start to crave a course with a different flavour, a different feel, a different look. And that’s one of the biggest reasons why links lovers go on golf vacations: to do something a little different, to put a little spice in their life.

Of course, for discerning golfers on a swingfest, the courses need to be good. “World class” definitely wouldn’t hurt. Voted by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) as the 2007 North American “Golf Destination of the Year,” British Columbia, Canada is a golf region aficionados often have on their radar. It’s a place of amazing natural beauty…and some of the spiciest golf on the planet.

With five distinct golf areas – Vancouver Island; the Thompson Okanagan; the Kootenay Rockies; Whistler; and Vancouver – Canada’s westernmost province covers some territory. 944,735 square kilometres (364,764 square miles), to be exact. That’s big. And with a diverse landscape which features soaring, glacier-capped peaks, orchard-filled valleys, and shimmering, boat-specked lakes, courses are bound to be anything but monotonous. Far from it, actually.

Over on the Island, for example, the Vancouver Island Golf Trail is quickly becoming one of the highest rated golf trails in North America. Condé Nast Traveler’s “#1 Island Destination in North America” for seven consecutive years, Vancouver Island affords the golf adventurer a savoury experience. Indeed, there are several courses here that certainly played a big role in BC winning the prestigious IAGTO award. Hidden gems such as Storey Creek, which is routed through a dense forest, and Morningstar, a beautiful Les Furber design with a similarly “lush” feel, immediately come to mind.

One of the largest golf-centred developments in Canadian history is well underway just north of Victoria, the province’s capital. Featuring a stunning Jack and Steve Nicklaus design (and a second Nicklaus-designed Valley Course on the way), The Westin Bear Mountain is a sight to behold. The Mountain course is peppered with rolling, tumbling golf holes and wild risk-reward options. One of the most exciting and unique aspects of this course – because every course needs a little spice – is the infamous gambling hole. Positioned on a rocky ledge between the 14^th and 15^th holes, this tiny little par 3 with a green hanging into the ravine is one of the zestiest par 3s in Canadian golf. Place a bet with a foursome and have a side game that’ll be hard to forget, especially if you win. Just like a good steak spice, rub it in.

While Vancouver Island – and the fabulous Vancouver Island Golf Trail – is laced with lush, tree-lined courses that parade along rocky shores and cruise through tranquil forests, other regions have decidedly different types of courses. In the southern reaches of the Thompson Okanagan, for example, you’ll find a unique brand of desert-style golf. Here, twisting through sun-baked hills - this is the northernmost region of the Sonoran desert – golfers will discover vineyards and soft-sand beaches among some of Canada’s best courses. For example, Predator Ridge and The Harvest Golf Club are both world-class facilities that consistently appear on SCOREGolf’s prestigious Top-100 list. The Okanagan Golf Club, which features two championship courses (the Bear and the Quail) that parade through pine-flecked hills, is well worth a round…or two. Further north, in Vernon, a new development called The Rise, boasting a Fred Couples Signature Course, is quickly taking shape and will open for limited play later in the year. With glorious lake views from 12 holes, and its own winery (not many golf resorts can claim that), the Rise promises to be a great addition to the Okanagan golf scene. Not to be outdone, Tobiano, near the golf-rich area around Kamloops, is a new Thomas McBroom-designed course that will feature fabulous lake views from every single hole.

In the Kootenay Rockies, the southeast region of the province, the saw-tooth peaks and stunning spires of the Canadian Rockies provide plenty of seasoning for your golf adventure. And here, you’ll find a few of the world’s pre-eminent mountain golf experiences. Routed through a high-alpine environment, the Greywolf Golf Course at Panorama Mountain Village is about as sweet as mountain golf gets. Here fairways plunge down the fall lines and greens sit precariously near sheer drop-offs. The famous “Cliffhanger” hole, the par-3 6^th, is one of the most photographed holes in North America. And, yes, stepping over the edge is a bad idea. This is, simply, one of the most savoury par 3s in the world.

If your idea of the tangiest golf vacation ever is really getting away from it all, the Kootenay Rockies is likely your answer. City life is non-existent here. Wildlife is everywhere. And there are plenty of challenging courses. The Kokanee Springs Golf Resort, which features isolated holes cut through the forest and quaint lodge-style accommodations, is far from anywhere. It’s definitely the type of place that stressed-out types could warm up to. And, you’ll be happy to know, this region is chock-full of similar off-the-beaten-path places that boast world-class golf. Trickle Creek Golf Resort, St. Eugene Mission, Copper Point, Eagle Ranch; just a few other places you can hunker down for the long haul…and give your taste buds some exercise.

More in the limelight, perhaps, is the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region, which also includes the mountain utopia known as Whistler. With preparation well underway for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler is certainly on its way to worldwide glory. Of course, with luxurious hotels including the Four Seasons Resort Whistler, two Pan Pacific properties and The Fairmont Chateau Whistler (among others) – as well as four of the most sought after golf courses in the province – Whistler proves an ideal setting for a saucy summer golf getaway. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer (perhaps you’ve heard of them?) have designed courses in this mountain-framed region. Indeed, while the Nicklaus North Golf Course and Whistler Golf Club provide a draw, enthusiasts also flock to the fairways at Big Sky Golf & Country Club and The Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club.

Cosmopolitan Vancouver offers a completely different type of golf vacation. (Although if you zip up north of the city and play the stunning Furry Creek Golf & Country Club, you might think you’re in some far-flung, mountain-rimmed waterworld, which you are). Other courses not to miss in Vancouver – in between experiencing some of the finest cuisine in the western world - are Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club (ranked 5th for best customer service in North America by Golf Digest in 2004) and Northview Golf & Country Club (site of Mike Weir’s first victory on the PGA Tour).

But know this: regardless if you play like Mike Weir or not – and, be honest, that would be “not” – you’ll find the golf throughout BC to be somewhat flavourful. After all, you can’t win an international award for “Golf Destination of the Year” without having the ability to give the palate a memorable little workout. Bon appétit.

For more information on golf in BC, visit www.HelloBC.com/golf. For more information on other British Columbia destinations and travel information, call 1-800 HELLO BC^® (North America) or visit www.HelloBC.com

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