Commiserate with pals at these après- golf spots
Tobiano, Kamloops
You may notice a trend here. Great golf courses tend to have terrific 19th holes. Tobiano is no exception. The patio area at Tobiano offers drop- dead gorgeous views of Kamloops Lake and the entire property. It’s a great spot to sip on one of their signature Snakebite Caesar cocktails after your round. “To me every one of your senses is invoked on that patio,” says Tobiano general manager Don Brett- Davies. “There is the visual obviously, the red rock and the pine trees and the sunset and so forth, but audio- wise you can listen to the meadow larks, there is the smell of the sage. It is a patio that definitely triggers all senses.”
Whistler Golf Club
No one does patios like the Whistler area. “You come to Whistler for the outdoors and our patios here accentuate that,” says Alan Kristmanson, general manager of Whistler Golf Club, where a 140- seat patio sits directly behind the 18th green and first tee. “When you are done you can watch your buddies if they are behind you and stare right at them or look at Whistler Mountain, or watch the bears walk by if they are out that day. Palmer’s Design, Whistler’s Attitude is kind of our tag line so we have got the music on, the beers on ice on the deck and we want to make sure people feel comfortable hanging out after their round.” And if you happen to imbibe a little too much on the patio, Whistler Village is an easy walk.
Big Sky, Pemberton
Fescue is where many of my golf balls go to die. Fescues is the name of the restaurant and outdoor patio at Big Sky. From here you’ll get a great post- round look at magnificent Mount Currie, which towers over the course. You may even see or hear some of the regular mini- avalanches or rock slides that occur on the mountain. If it’s early or late in the season, there are heaters to keep things cosy. In midsummer, when the Pemberton Valley absolutely bakes, Fescues provides misters to keep things cool and comfortable. There aren’t many better places to end a day on the links.
Best of the rest:
Predator Ridge, Vernon: Once a week the patio here is filled with the music of Okanagan performers, who play live. • Meadow Gardens, Pitt
Meadows: Perfect place to decompress after depositing three balls into the water while trying to hit that island green on No. 18.
Swan- e- set Bay, Pitt Meadows: Enjoy that peaceful, easy feeling sitting outside this club’s magnificent clubhouse.
Northlands, North Vancouver: After that long walk up the 18th fairway, you can huff and puff your way to this scenic patio.