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Golfers are
the Indiana Jones’ of the sports world. But instead of the
bullwhip and brown fedora, they’re decked out with ball caps
and graphite shafted clubs, roaming the globe in search of
rare gems – those terrific, much-sought-after courses tucked
away in exotic locales. That’s why Vancouver Island, off
British Columbia’s west coast, is a dream destination. Here,
over 40 courses are sprinkled across one of the great
expanses of mountain and oceanside wilderness in North
America – in a climate perfect for golf. Turns out that much
of the island is swaddled in a sub-Mediterranean weather
zone which means moderate temperatures and golf throughout
the year. Flowers bloom in January and Vancouver Island
receives half the annual rain fall of destinations like
Seattle and New York.
The Island
course that is currently generating the biggest roar is Bear
Mountain. Opened in the summer of 2003 and located 20
minutes north of downtown Victoria, the island’s largest
city, the course is a design collaboration between Jack Nicklaus and son Steve. Built at a cost of around $18
million Cdn., the money behind the golf and real estate
expansion comes from a coalition of former and current
National Hockey League stars.
The
stunning 1,000 acre piece of property is all rocks, rivers,
valleys, forest and mountain peaks. Nicklaus has indeed
stamped the landscape with his indelible paw print. The
fairways are wide enough to keep the average player in the
game but to go low, you are forced to play a heroic brand of
golf. Bear Mountain has been assigned a slope rating of 152
(degree of difficulty), making it one of the toughest
layouts in North America. Not surprisingly, since the owners
are mostly tough guys - they love the character of the
course and have commissioned the Golden Bear to build a
second eighteen.
Part of
Bear Mountain’s appeal is attention to detail. Instead of
jumbo hot dogs at the halfway house, the menu includes both
lobster and blue crab sandwiches that can be washed down
with chilled shots of vodka.
However,
players may require even more than that before tackling the
back nine. The 11th is a tricky, 152-yard par 3 island
green. Beside the tee is a gumball machine filled with extra
golf balls for those who splash short of the flag. For a
toonie (2 dollar coin), golfers can reload and try again.
All of the money goes to charity.
The 14th
hole is a 523 yard par 5 that seems to climb about three
time zones, all straight up the side of the mountain. When
Nicklaus was making a site inspection, he discovered a spur
of land that jutted out above the 14th green. He figured it
was the perfect spot for a 19th hole and shoe horned in a
141 yard par 3, with a green that seems to float half way
between the mountains and the Victoria skyline.
For more
adventure on the green, there are a number of other top
courses in and around Victoria. Just north of the city is
Olympic View Golf Club whose handsome, glass-fronted
clubhouse juts out above the first hole, looking out to the
Olympic Mountains in nearby Washington State. Inside the
entranceway is a photo of a smiling Tiger Woods, who played
the course as an amateur. In true Tiger fashion, he launched
a massive drive over the ridge on 18 and finished his round
with an eagle.
The front
nine at Olympic View is postcard pretty but it’s in the back
loop where the game really begins with a series of tight
doglegs and risk and reward holes. Keep an eye out for the
waterfalls that crash down at the back of the 17th green.
Olympic View also boasts the most widely regarded practice
facility on the Island.
Not far
away is sister course Arbutus Ridge, which straddles Cobble
Hill, above Satellite Channel and looks out to the snow
capped peak of Mt. Baker. Opened in 1987 and designed by
Bill Robinson, the course is famous for its 17th hole, a
knee-rattling 214-yard par 3 that plays to a peninsula
green. Water swirls around three sides of the green and the
other edge is guarded by an out of bounds marker. Arbutus
Ridge is a terrific value, with a $99 Cdn. package that
includes return transportation to Victoria, green fee, power
cart and souvenir.
The Crown
Isle Resort & Golf Community in Courtenay is tucked under
the shadows of the Comox Glacier and Beaufort Mountains. In
fact, Mount Washington is only 40 minutes away, so golfers
who need a winter fix can tee up in the morning at Crown
Isle and then ski all afternoon. The accommodation at Crown
Isle is some of the best in the province. The one and
two-bedroom golf villas are equipped with everything from
high-speed Internet access to swimming pool sized Jacuzzi
tubs. The adjacent resort centre is also all encompassing,
featuring an English style pub, a steak house, a classic car
museum, a pro shop and an exercise centre.
The
Fairwinds Golf & Country Club on Nanoose Bay is another spot
that offers something for everyone. The 1350 acre resort
includes a hotel, a 360 slip marina, tennis, beach
volleyball, exercise centre and championship golf course.
The Les Furber-designed course is a nice throwback to the
days when golf was more Albert Einstein than Arnold
Schwarzenegger. At Fairwinds, you need to think your way
around the course, not overpower it. Save some time to hang
out by the Fairways’ marina where you can spot eagles,
seals, sea lions and the occasional whale. Just another
example of Vancouver Islands’ lineup of rare gems.
There’s
plenty more golf offerings along the east coast of the
island, especially around Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville and
Comox – together forming what’s known as The Vancouver
Island Golf Trail.
For more
information on the golf on Vancouver Island contact:
www.bearmountaingolf.com, tel. 1-866-882-2327,
www.crownisle.com, tel. 1-888-338-8439,
www.fairwinds.ca, tel. 1-888-781-2777
www.golfvancouverisland.ca , tel. 1-888-GOLF-239,
www.golfbc.com, tel. 1-800-446-5322.
Discovering British Columbia is as easy as calling toll-free
1-800-HELLO BC (North America) or (604) – HELLO BC
(604-435-5622) in Greater Vancouver. This reservation and
information service puts you in touch with a team of
professional travel experts who can provide free help and
advice in planning or booking every stage of your getaway,
from travel ideas and tips to booking your accommodations,
tours, and transportation. And be sure to check out the
Tourism British Columbia web site at
www.HelloBC.com
Ian
Cruickshank is a freelance writer based in Etobicoke,
Ontario. |
