We have just spent 5 magic days in Whistler playing 4 rounds of golf.
My wife and I are both 68 years old.I have been playing competitive
club golf for 50years and currently have a handicap of 12. My wife has
only been a club golfer for 7 years and plays of a handicap of 30.
Our trip started on a Sunday with a coach trip from Vancouver along
the beautiful Sea to Sky highway. As we were staying with friends in
Whistler we had a tour of the area, which included spending time at the
Farmers Market which is held each Sunday in the Upper Village. We did
however spent one night at the Four Seasons Hotel during our stay, and
this could not be faulted. The staff, our room and the hotel amenities
were all great, the only fault was that the bar was very noisy when we
decided to have a pre-dinner drink. As we were meeting friends for
dinner at a restaurant in the Upper Village we went to a local bar 3
minutes walk away.
If time permits and the sky is clear, a "must do" is taking the Gondola
up Whistler Mountain. From there a chair lift is available to take you
to the summit, for possible one of the most fantastic views you will
ever see. An easy 30 minute walk takes you back to the Gondola for the
trip back to the village.
The Arnold Palmer Whistler Golf Course was our first game. The
pro-shop and all the staff were very friendly with nothing at all too
much trouble. The clubs provided were Taylor Made, and like all the
clubs that were provided in Whistler they were nearly new. We had the
choice of push buggy or cart and decided on the push buggy.
The blue tees is a 6336 yard par 71, while the ladies course is 5309
yards par 71. The condition of the course was excellent, with greens,
fairways and bunkers all groomed to perfection. This was true of all
the 4 courses we played during our stay.
The Whistler course was not over long but still a very good
challenge. The scenery was magnificent, with snow capped peaks in the
background and a pine forest bordering the course. Another highlight
was the sighting of a bear,which emerged from the forest and ran
across the fairway.My wife and I thought it was the most stunning
course for beauty that there could be, but we were wrong as more was to
come.
Our second game was the Robert Cupp designed Big Sky. This is at
Pemberton, a town about 30km north of Whistler. The staff here were
friendly and efficient,but a lot more casual. This is only a comment
not a criticism. I again played the blue tees at 6496 yards and par
72. I enjoyed the game here a little more than Whistler although I
think that Whistler is a little harder. Big Sky does have many creeks
meandering around the course to add to the difficulty. The ladies red
tees is 5208 yards and a par of 72. I think the red tees are too far
forward as not many shots require a big carry to reach the fairway. My
wife still found the course very good and was difficult enough for
her.
Like Whistler the course was well groomed in excellent condition, and
the beauty was in a more rugged nature.
A word of warning, bring insect repellent, as the mosquitoes are bad,
but even they could not ruin the enjoyment and beauty of a great
course. Once again we used a push buggy and the clubs provided were new
Ping for myself and Taylor Made for my wife.
Wednesday morning was our 3rd game at the Jack Nicklaus designed
Nicklaus North Golf Club. This gives the impression of being the most
"up market" of the 4 courses we played. The club house is very
impressive and the pro shop is very well stocked. As we arrived a
little early, staff members were available to drive us to the practice
area. This was a trip of 4 to 5 minutes in a golf cart to an area to
practice chipping, putting and driving. Although not compulsory,the
starter recommended that we take a golf cart not a push buggy. The
clubs provided were Taylor Made and very new.
Although Nicklaus North does have a housing estate, only a few of the
holes have homes on the boundary.The blue tees course is a par 71 and
measures 6413 yards, while the red tees once again is very short at
4732 yards and a par of 71. Water comes into play at many holes, more
so from the gold and blue tees, to make this course a little more
difficult than the previous 2. Although the Green Lake is part of the
course, it does not have as much natural scenic beauty as Whistler or
Big Sky. As would be expected the half-way house is very attractive
and well stocked. The course condition leaves nothing to be desired as
greens,fairways & bunkers are all well groomed.
The final game in our trip was at the Robert Trent Jones designed
Chateau Whistler. This is attached to the Fairmont Hotel, and across
the road from the Four Seasons Hotel. The staff once again were
excellent, and a golf cart was compulsory, and rightly so. The blue
tee course is 6243 yards par 72, and the red course is 5157 yards par
72.
Although not the most difficult of the 4, I think Chateau Whistler was
a stand out for both course design and natural beauty. All the holes
were individual with only on rare occasions did another golfer come
into view.Once again a large bear ventured onto the golf course, eating
berries on the edge of the forest before sprinting across the 13th
fairway, after we had hit off. Chateau Whistler was truly a most
memorable golf experience. I did not think that we could have a better
day of golf than we had had on days 1,2 and 3, but I was wrong.
That brings an end to 5 magic days in Whistler in August. I would
recommend the 4 mentioned courses to all golfers of all levels of
play. On each of the courses I played the equivalent of the 2nd
longest tee placement. The black or gold tees are about 350 to 500
yards longer, while the white tees were about 400 yards shorter
over-all.
On leaving Whistler we went back to Vancouver to finish our holiday
with an Alaskan cruise.
Fred Lloyd Sydney Australia.
