FORE! | GOLFING SEA TO SKY
In the Sea to Sky corridor you could spend a lifetime collecting perfect golf experiences. A who’s who of internationally- renowned golf architects, marked along the way by names such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent- Jones Jr. and Bob Cupp, all seven of the unique courses offers a challenge of their own. Pitch your skills against these courses this summer, taking your game on a golf vacation you’ll never forget.
FURRY CREEK GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
Begin or end your Sea to Sky golf challenge at breathtaking Furry Creek, south of Squamish, and 35 minutes north of Vancouver. The inspiration of famed designer Robert Muir Graves, this ever-challenging 6,060-yard, Par 72 mountainside course plays through gorges, creeks, landslides, virgin forest and most spectacularly, along the edge of the Pacific. Reminiscent of Pebble Beach, every hole of this scenic, beautifully appointed and meticulously maintained course will test your golfing mettle, daring you with risk and reward in the placement of every shot. Case in point, the devilishly conceived, 211-yard 14th signature hole whose peninsular green thrusts out into the waters of Howe Sound. Designed in harmony with the scenic wonders and abundant wildlife of the BC coast, Furry Creek is a visual feast of nature and a must-play course. furrycreekgolf.com 1-888-922-9462
SQUAMISH VALLEY GOLF
Located halfway between Vancouver and Whistler, the 47-year-old Squamish Valley Club, the Grand Dame of Sea to Sky golf, was originally designed by Gordon McKay as a 9-hole course, and upgraded to a full 18 by Robert Muir-Graves in 1992. Built on flood plain gravel along the bends of the Mamquam River, fun-to-play Squamish Valley is a classic 6,467-yard, Par 72 parkland course that won’t beat up average players … unless they make mistakes! Incorporating the massive stumps of first growth timber, the course maintains the natural heritage of its landscape, offering three lakes, a double green, and an enjoyable 308-yard Par 4, in addition to a full-sized practice facility, in the front 9 alone. An eminently “walkable” course (should you choose), its five sets of tees call for accurate shot-making, mercifully tempered by the saving grace of the legendary “Squamish Valley Bounce.” squamishvalleygolf.com 1-888-349-3688
WHISTLER GOLF CLUB
Right in the centre of Whistler Village, the Arnold Palmer-designed Whistler Golf Club offers a welcoming resort golf experience for all to enjoy. The 6,722 yard, Par 71 valley layout offers unsurpassed mountains views. The recent sodding of Palmer’s signature rolling greens with bent grass now provides golfers with an unsurpassed putting experience. Surrounded by ancient cedar and spruce trees, and grazing areas for the local black bear community, this walkable course offers legendary, personalized service, casual dining in Palmer’s Gallery Bar and Grill, and an award-winning golf shop. Completely rebuilt in 2010, the Range at the Whistler Golf Club offers a well-equipped facility to work on all aspects of your game. Ranked the #5 Public/ Resort course in B.C. by the Vancouver Sun, the Whistler Golf Club offers a golf experience to remember. whistlergolf.com 1-800-376-1777
“Golfing Sea to Sky offers what every golfer wants: variety and challenge. From Furry Creek on the coast of Howe Sound, to Big Sky and Pemberton Meadows at the foot of Mount Currie, the travelling golfer is sure to find a favourite of the seven courses. The quality of the golf, along with the scenery, makes Sea to Sky golf second to none.” -Andrew Smart, Director of Golf at Nicklaus North Golf Course
FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER GOLF CLUB
Carved out of the rugged Coast Mountains, The Fairmont Chateau Whistler’s 6,635-yard, Par 72 course was designed by Robert Trent-Jones Jr. to allow nature to dictate the path. Generous to the eye, providing fun and challenge for players of all levels, the course traverses creeks, ponds, stands of Douglas fir and imposing granite rock faces. Rated a top Golf Resort by Travel & Leisure, the course boasts Canada’s only David Leadbetter Golf Academy, a world-class teaching facility where unparalleled instruction and video analysis will help you bring your game to the next level. With an overall elevation change of 400 feet in the first 4 holes, the key to scoring at The Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club is to pay attention to yardage control; keeping in mind the elevation changes you will encounter approaching most greens. fairmont.com/whistler/golf 1-877-938-2092
NICKLAUS NORTH GOLF COURSE
In perfect harmony with the natural environment, Nicklaus North nestles at the base of majestic Blackcomb Mountain, hugging the shore of glacier-fed Green Lake. That the legendary “Golden Bear” lent his name to Nicklaus North speaks volumes about the challenging design and unmatched conditioning of this spectacular Par 71, 6,961-yard course. Host to two Canadian Skins Games, the generous fairways and manicured greens of this championship course have attracted Nicklaus, Faldo, Els, Norman, Daly, and Singh. (Fred Couples once hit a 5-iron to within a foot of the cup on the Par 3, 17th during a 5-under round of 66.) Voted by local golfers the Best Course in Whistler in 2013, six sets of tees make Nicklaus North playable by golfers of every stripe. Multi-round packages and great family golf and dinner deals make teeing up a pleasure. nicklausnorth.com 1-800-386-9898
THE MEADOWS AT PEMBERTON
Local players could only be expected to keep “Whistler’s Best Kept Golf Secret” so long. The word is out. The Meadows at Pemberton has definitely come into its own and should rightfully be included in everyone’s Sea to Sky golf challenge. Cheekily proclaiming to offer “No Driving Range; No Golf Pro; No Fancy Talk; No Weird Pants; Just a great game of golf”, this “non-menacing, 6407-yard, Par 72, resort-style course”, located just down the road from Big Sky, is, in effect, two courses in one: a front nine with lakes, a back nine with trees; with bent grass greens and distinctly different layouts at every turn. With thirteen of its 18 holes skirting the base of breathtaking Mt. Currie, The Meadows boasts lake, river, stream or wetland challenges, including its signature island green 8th hole. pembertongolf.com 1-800-390-4653
BIG SKY GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
Great golf holes should be difficult to par but easy to bogey. On Big Sky Golf and Country Club’s 7001-yard, Par 72, Robert Cupp-designed course, every par’s a victory, every birdie and eagle a triumph. Located at the base of 8,000foot Mount Currie, just 25 minutes north of Whistler, Big Sky has matured into one of the top courses in Canada. Ranked the #1 Public Course in British Columbia by the BCPGA, Big Sky features bent grass tees, fairways and greens, a 350-yard double-ended driving range, two practice bunkers, and three practice putting greens. As the longest championship course, when you drive for distance at Big Sky, the unique character of the course imprints itself on you forever. Big Sky’s legendary “19th Hole” atop Mount Currie is accessed by helicopter. bigskygolf.com 1-800-668-7900