Kootenay National Park is a place to not only take your family but also your golf clubs. This national park was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. It's about six hours or less from Edmonton by car. Should you wish to travel by air, Air Canada Jazz operates Edmonton through Vancouver to Cranbrook, B.C. on a daily basis.
There are 15 wonderful golf courses that lie between Radium in the north and Cranbrook in the south. Here you can enjoy the sun plus championship golf courses with manicured greens. When you travel to the area you will run across beautiful mountain terrain, glaciers, canyons, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, limestone caves and fossils.
While out golfing there are numerous family activities to keep the rest of the family occupied. Activities include: canoeing, fishing, white-water rafting, mountain biking, kayaking, swimming, horseback riding, mountaineering, camping and zip lining. In addition to these activities there are two natural mineral hot springs at Radium and Fairmont.
I have golfed all of the courses and will try to separate them out for your enjoyment:
A+
Greywolf, 144 male slope/140 female slope; $149 weekend/$99 weekday; call 1-888-473-9965.
Eagle Ranch, 139/130; $130/$105; call 1-877-877-3889.
Trickle Creek, 131/121; $120/110; call 1-888-874-2553.
Shadow Mountain, 138/110; $115/$99; call 1-877-426-3306.
A-
Bootleg Gap, 130/110; $59/$49; call 1-877-427-7077.
Cooper Point, 124/113; $125/$95; call 1-877-418-4653.
Cranbrook, 131/117; $55/$49; call 1-888-211-8855.
Kimberley, 122/122; $55/45; call 1-877-427-4161.
Mountainside, 121/119; $70/65; call 1-800-665-2112.
The Springs, 127/120; $110/$79; call 1-800-667-6444.
Riverside, 136/125; $80/75; call 1-800-665-2112.
St. Eugene, 135/127; $85/$65; call 1-877-417-3133.
B
Windermere, 98/108; $35/$31; call 1-250-342-3004.
Radium Resort, 110/108; $59/$47; call 1-800-667-6444.
Ridge at Cooper Point, 104/95; $85/$75; call 1-877-418-4653.
C (Par 3)
Creekside, $19/17; call 1-250-345-6660.
Coy Dutch Creek, $13/13; call 1-250-345-6504.
Spur Valley (Par 3 & 4) $28/25; call 1-250-347-6500.
Mission Hills, $24/24; call 1-250-489-3009.
For those of you who wish to make it a 'one call' reservation, here are a couple of options: 1st Tee Golf Vacations (1-800-661-4653) or T-Times (1-800-689-4653).
Other helpful hints
• Many courses have play-and-stay packages.
• Check to see if your accommodation, from June through August has air conditioning.
• Many places now accept pets, just call ahead.
• Summer temperatures come with dry heat (high 20s and into 30 C).
• Golf season runs from April to October, except mountain courses.
• Check golf shops locally for booklets with discount rates.
Bill MacDonald is a St. Albert-based travel consultant. He can be reached at [email protected].
