BC’s Golf Boom

by Andrew Penner

From the second you round the corner and feast your eyes on the lush fairways twisting atop golden bluffs - the crystal waters of Kamloops Lake far below, mountains soaring high above - you know you’re in for a memorable day on the links. And Tobiano, a new Thomas McBroom design located in the sun-soaked Thompson Okanagan region of British Columbia, does not disappoint. Fortunately, for the golf-loving kind, Tobiano is just one of a number of outstanding new courses to be found in the province. Indeed, British Columbia is currently in the midst of a golf boom.   

With every region in the province providing its own charm and natural wonder, there’s no shortage of places to stay and play. Stunning natural topography – rugged Pacific coastline, snow-covered mountains, scores of lakes and beaches, lush valleys, and true deserts – lends itself exceptionally well to spectacular golf.

Take, for example, the extensive Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa development near Victoria. The level of excitement that envelops this entire project will experience an even bigger boost this year as the front nine of a second Nicklaus designed course opens for play.  The back nine, along with the opening of the Nicklaus Academy, the only one in Canada, are slated for spring 2009. The Valley Course, which promises to be every bit as dramatic as the Mountain Course, will make The Westin Bear Mountain the only 36-hole Nicklaus designed golf resort in Canada. 

However, Westin Bear Mountain is just one of many new golf developments in the province. A number of championship golf courses officially opened in 2007, with many more on the horizon in 2008 and 2009. Headlined by Tobiano near Kamloops, a visual stunner with holes that slide through ravines and cruise high along the lake, courses prepping for play include world-class designs by architects at the top of their games.   

As luck would have it, Tobiano isn’t the only new course in the area. Talking Rock near Chase is another new and notable in the region.  Situated at the Quaaout Resort and parading through 325 acres of rugged land on the shores of Little Shuswap Lake, Talking Rock takes golfers on an odyssey they won’t easily forget. The Graham Cooke and Wayne Carleton design, which opened last fall, takes full advantage of the beautiful, natural terrain. Its closing hole, which careens along the lake, has quickly become one of the sweetest finishers around.

Canoe Creek, designed by well-known Canadian golfer Dave Barr, features two fairly distinct nines. Situated near Salmon Arm, the pastoral front nine zig zags through meadows and rolling farmland while the dramatic back nine is routed near the base of Mount Ida.

The Club at Tower Ranch, scheduled to open in the spring of 2008, is a Kelowna-area development that features a par 72, 7,212 yard Thomas McBroom masterpiece. The course is set on rolling mountain terrain with 130 white silica sand bunkers framed along bent grass greens. Views of the valley and city will solidify Tower Ranch’s status one the region’s stars.

Seeking other big-name designers that have made their mark in the region?  The Rise – a Fred Couples Signature Course – routed high above Vernon with a view of Okanagan Lake is also slated for opening this year.

Of course, golfers who have meandered through this area before – and played existing greats such as Gallagher’s Canyon, Predator Ridge Golf Resort (set to host the 2008 TELUS World Skins Game), Sun Rivers, Hyde Mountain, The Harvest Club, Fairview Mountain, Osoyoos Golf & Country Club, and many others – know how desirable the Thompson Okanagan lifestyle can be. Vineyards, beautiful beaches, boutique hotels, outstanding restaurants, spas, orchards…it all adds up to one heckuva place to hang your hat.  Or swing your club.

Further east in the Kootenay Rockies region, a number of new courses are creating a stir - most slated for 2009 openings. Near Cranbrook, the immense Wildstone project will feature two 18-hole Gary Player designs within a compelling mountain-side community setting. Another new course in the Cranbrook area, Shadow Mountain, will also open its doors in 2009. Shooting for a scenic showcase, this Graham Cooke and Wayne Carleton design is situated on the bluffs above the St. Mary River.

The upcoming Fred Couples and Gene Bates creation at Whiskey Jack Resort in Sparwood is also getting plenty of attention in these parts. The course will feature an island green and a number of holes that charge along the spirited waters of Cummings Creek.

Blessed with an abundance of natural wonders, including hot springs, caves, canyons, raging rivers, and unspoiled forests, the Kootenay Rockies region boasts notable existing facilities such as Copper Point in Invermere, and new kid on the block, Redstone Resort in Rossland (both to unveil new courses in 2008).  Favourites such as Greywolf – recognized as one of the top-100 courses in the world outside of the United States by Golf Digest – and Kokanee Springs, one of the most tranquil golf experiences on the planet, are two other must-plays here.  

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