Combine golf course variety, with a beautiful landscape in a moderate climate, and you have golf in Canada’s Okanagan Valley. This valley stretches north and south through the interior of the province of British Columbia. The town of Osoyoos, in the heart of Canada’s only desert ecosystem, provides the southern entry to the valley, just a few kilometers north of the border with Washington State. Highway 97 winds its way north through the cities of Penticton, on the south tip of Lake Okanagan, through Kelowna and on to Vernon, the location of the world-class Predator Ridge golf course. The valley extends from there to the beautiful Shushwap region, home of the challenging Hyde Mountain golf course.
Lake Okanagan is the central feature of the valley. This huge, 120 kilometer long, lake provides the water to irrigate the golf courses, fruit orchards and vineyards that dot the region. The lake, bordered by mountains, provides the spectacular views along the drive and from many of the 50 or so courses that can be found throughout the valley. In July and August, fruit stands on the highway yield their harvest of cherries, apricots and peaches, and in the fall, apples and pears. The lake has many clean beaches and clear, clean water, suitable for all types of recreation. There are many wineries throughout the valley, many with fine dining facilities, so booking a wine tour as a part of your trip can be a very enjoyable accompaniment to golf.
The valley is about a four hour drive from Vancouver, British Columbia and about a six hour drive from Seattle, Washington or Calgary, Alberta. It is also possible to fly direct to the International Airport in Kelowna, the valley’s largest city with a population of just over 100,000. Penticton and Vernon also have regional airports. If you fly your own plane, consider going to Mabel Lake, which has a nine-hole, alpine golf course, sheltered by towering pines, with a landing strip and runway designed into the course.
There are about 50 golf courses in the valley. The southernmost is the 27 hole Osoyoos Golf and Country Club. The three distinctly different nine-hole courses that comprise this club range from the mature, tree lined to the challenging desert course, with cactus and sagebrush in the rough. The Kelowna area has several championship and family oriented golf courses, located in spectacular settings. Predator Ridge, situated between Kelowna and Vernon, has designed three nine-hole courses amongst the higher altitude of the mountains between Lake Okanagan and Kalamalka Lake.
Prices range from about $150 a round at the most popular courses, in peak season, like Predator Ridge, to $60 to $75 dollars a round for some of the established country clubs, to only $15 dollars a round for some of the out-of-the-way, unique little rural courses. The season is almost year round in the south part of the valley, and shorter as you go north, especially the higher altitude courses, where the season is from about mid-March to mid-November.
Hopefully, this brief introduction to the Okanagan Valley will make you consider a golf holiday in one of Canada’s most relaxing, yet spectacular golf destinations.
Ron Strand is a college instructor, consultant and avid golfer, with some great photos of Okanagan Golf. |
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