Golfing in Another Part of Canada

If only I had the time to play every golf course in Canada! Having just returned from a whirlwind golf experience, courtesy of Golf The World Vacations, I am now even more convinced that this country has some of the very best golf courses anywhere in the world.

A group of golf writers and tour operators from Canada, the United States and even, Austria comprised our fortunate group which played six Thompson / Okanagan golf courses in six days – we visited three others that we didn’t have time to play. Throw in two wineries and a comfortable and easy Westjet flight from the Kitchener-Waterloo airport and you have a very busy, albeit very exciting, trip that every Canadian golfer should experience.

After settling in at the Capri Hotel in Kelowna, we spent the first day playing Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club, just minutes from Kelowna and nearby Lake Okanagan. Spectacular views of the lake, the nearby snow-topped mountains and fairways surrounded by giant ponderosa pines made the warm and sunny day very enjoyable. Following golf, we traveled a short way to the Summerhill Pyramid Winery with tastings and a tour of an actual pyramid, built to house the wine barrels,and constructed by owner Steve Cipes. In keeping with the winery slogan, Summerhill is “possibly the most unique winery in the world”.

Our next day landed us at the Okanagan Golf Club which features two 18’s, The Bear ( a Nicklaus design, how did you guess?) and The Quail, designed by BC architect, Les Furber. We played The Bear and once again, vistas on every tee deck looking over the valley and rock bluffs

Day three landed us at The Club at Tower Ranch, also a 15 minute drive from downtown Kelowna, but a very different looking golf course. Tower Ranch is a Tom McBroom layout, constructed on 446 acres of ranchland. No trees and undulating land made for many an uphill and downhill shot.

And following golf, another visit to a winery. The Gray Monk Winery is strategically located on the hills rising up from Okanagan Lake. Tastings of VQA wines and a meeting with members of the Heiss family who launched the business in 1982 and have worked diligently over the years to make Gray Monk one of British Columbia’s finest.

It was now time for Predator Ridge. This is a golf facility that I heard plenty about and I was looking forward to the visit and the round. Have to say, I was not disappointed.  Spectacular, modern overnight accommodations in the Predator Ridge Lodge and Spa – units with fireplaces, soaker tubs (and I was ready for this as my body was starting to fill with golf and travel aches and pains) and full kitchens, right in the midst of the Okanagan Valley. Rugged pines dot the landscape and former ranchland as far as you can see make for a golfer’s paradise on over 1,200 acres. Development and a town centre are underway and Doug Carrick is on-site working up a new set of nine holes to give Predator two 18’s later this summer. Carrick’s new holes are some of the most awe-inspiring I have ever seen. Talk about multiple ‘signature’ holes!

From a 27-hole facility to two 18’s is the plan and the finished product will put Predator Ridge on the ‘world map of golf’.

Our next stop was golf course that I thought had a curious name – Talking Rock. The course is located at the Quaaout Resort. I had my best game of the week here and I think it was because the course was a great ‘player-friendly’ design – wide fairways and not too much trouble (I like these courses). Talking Rock also brought some natural excitement. As our group of three stood on the 14th tee deck, admiring yet another spectacular view, we were greeted by a coyote who meandered out of the bush, wandered to about 40 feet of us, looked at us, wandered around behind the tee box and ambled off back into the bush. Seemed friendly enough, but none of us moved.

Following Talking Rock we drove to Kamloops, about 45 minutes away, toured the Sun Rivers Golf Resort right in town, were treated by the Sun Rivers folks to a fabulous prime rib dinner at Hoodoos, the onsite restaurant. I headed off to bed thinking that the next day was Tobiano. Was Golf The World saving the ‘best for last’?

Another Tom McBroom design, Tobiano is everything to hear about it. Built on the historic Six Mile Ranch property about 30 minutes from Kamloops, the entire course overlooks Kamloops Lake. The course is rugged, very challenging (play from the proper tees) but an experience of a lifetime for any golfer. Development is underway with homes and townhomes beginning to pop up along the fairways, but far enough away to not interfere with the golf or the scenery.

Prior to my flight home I made a special trip south to Merritt to see Richard Zokol’s new design, Sagebrush. Again, a golf course built on ranch-land with more spectacular lake views. A little isolated from a major population base, this course will be private and designed for golfers who wish to experience a full and pleasurable day of golf and fishing. Yes, fishing. Zokol has a strategically located small lake in the middle of the golf course, with food, drinks, a dock, Muskoka chairs and fishing poles. A neat idea for golfers who wish to take a break from their round, relax and maybe catch dinner. Sagebrush is different, but so is Richard Zokol and I think he is onto something with his minimalist ideas.

Back to Kelowna, back to Westjet, back home. Time to recover.

May Also be of Interest:

• From the Okanagan
• Your Golfing Instrument
• Marcus Golfing Adventures
• Taylor and Sherlock Named Canada’s Top Amateur Golfers of 2009
• Canada – It’s in the Game