Golf in Salmon Arm is as much a visual as a physical experience. Four courses in and around the city provide non-stop mountain and lake views and award-winning layouts to challenge every level.
Score Golf magazine rates Salmon Arm Golf Club among the top 50 courses in Canada and readers of Pacific Golf Magazine have rated it #1 in British Columbia.
The links-style course follows the contours of the mountainside 3.2km/2mi south of downtown. It provides 18 holes of championship play (6738 yards/par 72) plus an executive 9-hole course (1883 yards/par 30).
Fairways lined with mature fir and pine trees and no residential development give a game here the feel of a walk in nature. But the course is demanding, requiring careful club selection on approach shots and skilled putting on the many two-tier greens.
Tune up on the practice facility's driving range, putting greens, chipping greens and practice bunkers. Rent clubs and carts at the pro shop. Grab a snack from the on course food and beverage service or relax at the Ironwood Restaurant.
Canoe Creek Golf Course
Canoe Creek Golf Course has a different feel from other courses in the area. The first Dave Barr signature design is more open, more "British Isles" with fairways framed by natural grasses, grass-style cart paths and open, accessible greens. But beware of the pot bunkers. The 7029-yard, par 72 course is divided into two distinct sections. The North Nine takes advantage of gently rolling terrain punctuated by natural marshes, while the South Nine tackles the tougher landscape at the foot of Mount Ida, with Canoe Creek adding to the challenge.
Fuel up at the two on-course snack shacks and wrap up the round on the patio or indoors at Barr's Bistro. Golf amenities include a pro shop. Canoe Creek is located minutes south of downtown Salmon Arm.
Shuswap Lake Estates Golf & Country Club
Overlooking Shuswap Lake in Blind Bay, 26km/16mi west of Salmon Arm, Shuswap Lake Estates offers 18 holes of golf in the midst of a planned resort development. The 6467-yard, par 71 course features broad fairways and undulating greens. Three sets of tee boxes make this course a friendly challenge for every level of golfer. But watch out for the bunkers and four ball-magnet lakes.
A driving range, two greens and sand bunkers round out the practice facilities, while rental clubs and carts are available at the pro shop. After the game, enjoy the view from the dining room.
Club Shuswap Golf & RV Destination
Friendly Club Shuswap offers a variety of golfing options 8km/5mi east of Salmon Arm on the Trans-Canada Highway. Tackle the 18-hole, par 59 executive course or take a quick turn around the 9-hole, par 29. Hone those putting skills on the 18-hole putting course, practice the short game on the chipping greens or tune up the driver on the 30-stall covered driving range. Amenities include a pro shop and rental equipment, restaurant and RV parking. Walk on, no tee times necessary.
For more information about golf courses and rentals, head to the Salmon Arm Visitor Centre, 20 Hudson Ave, NE.
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