Experience Calgary and Kananaskis Golf

With its beautiful river valleys, arid coulees, rolling parkland, and wonderful mountain views—it’s no surprise that Calgary is home to some of the best golf courses in the country. And, with over thirty championship golf courses to choose from, there are numerous holes that easily fall into the “awesome” category. While the following holes are high in wow factor, your list of favourites could easily be completely different.

Heritage Pointe Golf Course

Tucked away in beautiful Pine Creek Valley near De Winton, Heritage Pointe has remained a “must play” in Calgary ever since it first burst onto the scene. With three distinct nine-hole courses, an outstanding practice facility, and a sprawling hilltop clubhouse, it’s certainly the full meal deal. And the tough-asnails 4th on the Heritage Nine, a 479-yard par 4 that bends along the bluff and crosses the creek, is one of many to feast on at Heritage Pointe.

Heritage Pointe Golf Course, by Andrew Penner

Valley Ridge Golf Club

Hugging the banks of the Bow River in NW Calgary, Valley Ridge is another upscale facility with all the ingredients for a memorable day of golf. And the 7,100-yard Ken Dye designed golf course is certainly the star of the show. One of the standout holes is the par 3, 17th. It plunges down the hill (so club selection is always a crap shoot!) and features a massive green surrounded by sand pits and poplars.

McKenzie Meadows Golf Club

The back nine starts with a solid run along the bluff, including the toughest hole on the course, the 440-yard, par 4, 12th. It requires a strong fade off the tee and a long iron approach into a small green guarded by the busiest bunker on the course.

Sirocco Golf Club

The course, which meanders through a beautiful valley south of Calgary, is both tricky and tough. The 18th, for example, is a super-strong, 440-yard, par 4 with two creek crossings. It is a hole that epitomizes both the beauty and challenge of this excellent championship course.

Sirocco, Golf Club, by Andrew Penner

Calgary Elks Lodge & Golf Club

Located in the heart of Calgary and routed through mature pines and poplars, the Elks features one of the best finishing stretches in Alberta. The 17th, a long 225-yard downhill par 3 with a green surrounded by water, is an outstanding, lateround challenge. A good swat here and you could be singing a birdie ballad; a bad swing and it’s the double-bogey blues!

Inglewood Golf & Curling Club

The closing hole on Inglewood’s classic, tree-lined course—a terrific risk/reward 489-yard, par 5 with water guarding the green—is an excellent summation of one of Calgary’s most popular facilities.

The word “Photogenic” is just one great way to describe the stunning mountain courses located in nearby Canmore. This historic coal mining town boasts three exceptional courses able to hold their own against anything... anywhere.

Silvertip Golf Course

With 18 compelling holes that parade up and down the slopes, huge elevation changes, bold bunkering, beautiful shaping, this is, perhaps, the ultimate example of mountain golf. And tumbling down the mountain with an idyllic, baby blue pond protecting the green, the finishing hole, a wild par-4 where anything can happen, is a fitting conclusion to every round.

Stewart Creek Golf Course

The finishing run here, on the opposite side of the Bow Valley, is just as good. Designed by Gary Browning, Stewart Creek is a smooth-flowing design that takes full advantage of the site’s natural features. Rock outcroppings, spirited creeks, major elevation changes, crystal-clear ponds, and old mine ruins are all incorporated. And, no question, the final stretch, which concludes with a go-for-broke par-5 plunging down the hill towards the clubhouse, is a great chance to end with a birdie.

Canmore Golf & Country Club

This mature course cruises through pines and meanders along the serene banks of the Bow River. A community-minded course with a history of excelling at game-growing initiatives, this is a welcoming and inviting place for members and guests. Its peaceful and pastoral setting – augmented by a challenging mix of playable, super-fun golf holes – have made this course a long-standing favourite among golfers in the Bow Valley.

Without a doubt, golf in Kananaskis is a rich and rewarding endeavour. Mountain golf – with its rarefied pine-scented air, spectacular vistas, and roller-coaster characteristics – holds a special place for golf enthusiasts. So special, in fact, that the shots that don’t quite pan out, are quickly forgotten. They say, “The mountains shall bring peace to the people.” My theory is that the scribe was writing those words to golfers.

By: Andrew Penner