Jeff posted his top three B.C. courses a few days ago and I thought I’d do the same. First, it is important to note that the criteria that we each use in naming a golf course one of our favorites is very different. While Jeff is concerned with the design and condition of the course I am more swayed by the service levels, food and beverage operations and great golf shops. Having said that, course layout is also important for me to have a good golfing experience. There must be at least 3 or 4 tee boxes on long courses so that I have at least the opportunity to reach the fairway and since I do not play very often the more yardage markers the better so that I do not always have to ask Jeff ‘how far is it?’ which he really hates.
1. Westwood Plateau
The scenery is great and the service even better and with two sets of tees under 6,000 yards I have a chance to make a few pars, a small chance, but at least a chance. My favorite holes are the par 3’s, one has a ravine in front and another a rock wall in back, all are challenging, fun and great to look at. The clubhouse patio lighted by torches is a great place to end the day. The only thing that would make me enjoy the course more is a larger golf shop at the country club.
2. Rivershore Golf Links
The fairways are exceptional, but this also tends to be somewhat of a problem for my game as I tend to have difficulty taking a divot when the grass is so tight. But what I do like about the short fairways is that I can bump and run and/or putt from in front of almost every green, and if you have ever seen my short game you know why this is so important. I also rank this course among my favorites for the scenery. It is my favorite starting hole not for the hole itself, but for the view towards the desert-like, sagebrush covered hills as you watch your first shot. We have also seen both rattlesnakes and Big Horn sheep while playing here which I can say I have never seen before or since.
3. Green Acres Golf Course
I think that Green Acres generally gets a ‘bad rap’. This is primarily because many golfers have not played the course in recent years both since the nines have been reversed and the ownership of the course has been taken over by Shaughnessey Golf & Country Club. The renovations to the clubhouse include a comfortable and welcoming lounge with a menu that is both interesting and diverse and includes many local options and specials. As mentioned above, I enjoy a golf course that I can score well on, so the maximum 6,022 length is great for me but makes this a course that Jeff will only play once a year with me.
Worthy Mention – University Golf Club
While I have actually never played at UGC it is my favorite golf course to shop at so I thought it deserved a mention. The golf shop has the best selection I have found in the lower mainland and always includes lots of bottoms for women (shorts, skorts, pants, capris) which are hard to find in most green grass golf shops. They also have a great variety of non-golf wear including Olympic apparel and Mexx casual wear and a good size run in most items makes the shopping quite easy. The food and service in the restuarant is also great, but avoid lunch time on a weekday or getting a table might be a problem.
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