|
Source:
Moon Handbooks
Canadian Rockies,
4th Edition
"These golf courses do not pay for inclusion in this
book, nor they are listed on this page in exchange for links to this website."
—Andrew
Hempstead
About this
Guidebook
Purchase
information
Summary and reviews
Chapter and map list
About the author
Highlights of the
Canadian Rockies
Introduction
Slide show
Geology
Wildlife
Hiking
Golfing
Accommodation
Banff
Dining
Tips for Travel to Canada
Getting to Canada
Getting around Canada
Where to Stay
Visas and Officialdom
The Seasons
Information and Services
Money
|
|
Golfing in the Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies hold special appeal for golfers, as some of the
world's most scenic c ourses
lie in their midst. And all the best courses are public, lying in national
parks or on provincial land, so anyone can play at any time. The scenery
alone stands the courses of the Canadian Rockies apart from others, but
there are many other reasons that the region is a golf destination in
itself. Stanley Thompson, generally regarded as one of the preeminent golf
course architects of the early 1900s (but as most of his work was in
Canada, he is little known in the United States), designed three courses
in the mountains, typified by holes aligned with distant mountains,
elevated tee boxes, and fairways following natural contours of the land.
The golfing
season is fairly short, from mid-May to early October, depending on snow
cover. (The golf courses at Radium Hot Springs and Golden are the first to
open each spring.) But with the long days of summer, there's plenty of
time for golfing. The sport's popularity in the mountains is such that tee
times need to booked well in advance--up to a month for preferred times at
some courses.
Banff
National Park
Banff Springs Golf Course
Tee Times: 403/762-6801
One of the world's most scenic golf courses, the Banff
Springs Golf Course, spreads out along the Bow River between Mt. Rundle and
Tunnel Mountain. The first course was laid out here in 1911, but in 1928
Stanley Thompson was brought in by the C.P.R. to redesign it into 18 holes
and to build what was at the time North America's most expensive course. In
1989 the Tunnel Nine opened (along with a new clubhouse), creating today's
27-hole course.
Between 1997 and 1999 no expense was spared in rebuilding
the entire original 18 holes and adding longer tees, while also reverting to
Thompson's planned sequence of play, known now as the Stanley Thompson
18. The course is typically Thompson, taking advantage of natural
contours, and featuring elevated tees, wide fairways, and holes aligned to
distant mountains. From the back markers it is 6,938 yards and plays to a
par of 71. The course is not only breathtakingly beautiful, it's also
challenging for every level of golfer. Pick up a copy of the book The
World's Greatest Golf Holes, and you'll see a picture of the fourth hole
on the Rundle Nine. It's a par three, over Devil's Cauldron 70 meters below,
to a small green backed by the sheer face of Mt. Rundle rising vertically
more than 1,000 meters above the putting surface. Another unique feature of
the course is the abundance of wildlife: there's always the chance of seeing
elk feeding on the fairways, or coyotes, deer, or black bears scurrying
across.
Green fees are $180 for 18
holes including a cart (through the first and last months of operation, May
and early October, greens fees are reduced to $115).
Free shuttle buses run from the Banff Springs Hotel to the clubhouse. (The
original 1911 clubhouse still stands, but has been replaced by a modern,
circular building in the heart of the course.) There you'll find club
rentals ($30), three putting greens, a driving
range, pro shop, two chipping greens with surrounding bunkers, and a
restaurant. Booking tee times well in advance is essential.
Canmore has three golf courses, including two that have
opened in the last few years. As with golfing elsewhere in the Canadian
Rockies, book all tee times well in advance.
Canmore Golf Course
Tee times: tel.
403/678-4784.
Canmore Golf Course, built in 1929 as a nine-hole course,
has developed into an 18-hole course with a modern clubhouse and a practice
facility that includes a driving range and chipping greens. It is an
interesting layout, with one hole running along the Bow River and water on
many holes. Greens fees are $50, a cart is $32
Silvertip Resort
Tee times: tel. 403/678-1600 or 877/877-5444
This world-class layout opened in the summer of
1998 on a wide bench between the valley floor and the lower slopes of Mt.
Lady Macdonald. It was quickly recognized as one of Canada's finest resort
courses, but more tellingly, it boasts a Slope Rating of 153, the highest of
any course in North America. Needless to say, the layout is very
challenging, with the most distinct feature being elevation changes of up to
40 meters on any one hole, and a total 200-meter elevation difference
between the lowest and highest points on the course. Adding to this
challenge are narrow, sloping, tree-lined fairways, numerous water hazards,
74 bunkers, and a course length of a frightening 7,300 yards from the back
markers. Greens fees are $120 Mon.-Wed., $140 Thurs.-Sun.,
dropping to $90 four hour before sunset. Rates include a
mandatory cart (each cart has GPS to help golfers judge distances)
and use of the driving range.
Stewart Creek Golf Club
Tee times: tel.
403/609-6360 or 877/993-4653
Another
new
layout, Stewart Creek lies across the valley in
the Three Sisters development. It is shorter than Silvertip, but still
measures over 7,000 yards from the back tees. The fairways are relatively
wide, but positioning of tee shots is important, and the course is made more
interesting by hanging greens, greenside exposed rock, and historic mine
shafts. Greens fees are $135, including a
power cart; twilight rates start at $85.
These rates include use of a practice facility. Two more 18-hole courses are
planned for the Three Sisters development.
Golden Golf and Country Club
Tee times: tel.
250/344-2700
Golden Golf and Country Club is a challenging 18-hole
course set in a forested section of the valley through town and to the
north. This course is generally in excellent condition, with water coming
into play on many holes, and numerous streams and lakes to catch wayward
shots. Greens fees are $52, or there's a $32
twilight rate.
Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course
Tee times: tel. 780/852-6090.
The world-famous Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course was
designed by renowned golf-course architect Stanley Thompson. The 18-hole
championship course takes in the contours of the Athabasca River Valley as
it hugs the banks of turquoise-colored Lac Beauvert. The 6,670-yard course
is a true test of accuracy, and with holes named "The Maze," "The Bad Baby,"
and "The Bay," you'll need lots of balls, literally. Greens fee for 18 holes
varies with the season; $125 in summer, $105
mid-May through June and mid-Sept. to mid-October. Golfing after 5 p.m. is $90,
which includes a cart--a great deal during the long days of June and July.
Club rentals are $28-42, and an electric cart is $32.
Kananaskis Country Golf Course
Tee times: tel. 403/591-7272
or 877/591-2525.
Regularly voted "Best Value in North America" by Golf
Digest, this 36-hole layout comprises two 18-hole courses: Mt. Kidd,
featuring undulating terrain and an island
 green on the 197-yard fourth
hole, and the shorter (which is a relative term--both courses measure over
7,000 from the back markers) Mt. Lorette, where water comes into play
on 13 holes. The course opened in 1983 at a cost of almost $1 million per
hole. No expense was spared in course construction. The bunkers
alone--filled with pure-white silica from British Columbia-cost $350,000.
Renowned golf-course architect Robert Trent Jones, who designed the layout,
described the Kananaskis River Valley as "....the
best spot I have ever seen for a golf course."
After marvelling at the surrounding mountains, few will
disagree with his statement. Just don't let the 142 sand traps, water that
comes into play on over half the holes, or the large rolling greens distract
you. Greens fees are $50-75 and a cart is an additional $25. Golfers enjoy
complimentary valet parking and use of the driving range, as well as a
restaurant and bar with awesome mountain views, and a well-stocked golf
shop.
Radium Hot Springs
The Columbia River Valley supports many golf courses and
is marketed around western Canada as a golfing destination. Aside from the
excellent resort-style courses and stunning Canadian Rockies scenery,
golfers here enjoy the area's mild climate. Warm temperatures allow golfing
as early as March and as late as October--a longer season than is typical at
other mountain courses.
Springs at Radium Golf Resort
Tee times: tel.
250/347-6200 or 800/667-6444
The 36-hole
Springs at Radium Golf Resort is a highlight of golfing the Canadian
Rockies, comprising two very different courses. One of them, the 6717-yard,
par 72 Springs Course, is generally regarded as one of British
Columbia's top 10 resort courses. It lies between the town and steep cliffs
that descend to the Columbia River far below. Immaculately groomed fairways
following the land's natural contours, near-perfect greens, and over 70
bunkers filled with imported sand do little to take away from the
surrounding mountainscape. Greens fees are $65 for
18 holes (discounted after 2:30 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.). for tee times. The
resort's second course, the Resort Course, is much shorter, but
tighter and still challenging. It is nestled in the shadow of the Rockies to
the south of Radium, circling the resort's other facilities, which include
accommodations, tennis courts, and many other
exercise facilities. Greens fees are $45.
Waterton
Lakes Golf Course
Tee times: tel.
403/859-2114.
The rolling
fairways and spectacular mountain backdrop of Waterton Lakes Golf Course can
distract even the keenest golfer's attention. The 18-hole course, designed by
Stanley Thompson, is not particularly long (6,103 yards) or difficult, but the
surrounding mountains and unhurried pace of play make for a pleasant
environment. The course is four km north of the townsite on the main access road
and is open June to early October. Its facilities include a rental shop,
clubhouse, and restaurant serving sandwiches and snacks. A round of golf costs $35
during the day, dropping to $20 after 5 p.m. (which
may have something to do with the healthy local bear population), or play as
many rounds as you like in one day for $40. Club rentals are $12
and an electric cart is an additional $25 per round.
|