British Columbia Golf Course

Golf Bear Mountain, designed by the Golden Bear himself. Just 20 minutes from Victoria’s Inner Harbour, Bear Mountain boasts two Jack-Nicklaus-designed courses. Both 18-hole layouts – the original Mountain Course and the newer Valley Course – flow through rugged terrain at the base of Mount Finlayson. Enjoy beautiful views, impeccable playing conditions, and luxurious course-side accommodation at The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa. After golf, reserve a table at Bella Montagna and sample their hand-made pastas and Italian-inspired cuisine.

Swing in serenity at Westwood Plateau Golf Club. Perched on Eagle Mountain just east of Vancouver, Westwood Plateau is home to a Michael-Hurdzan-designed golf course, a contemporary 3,250-sq-m/35,000-sq-ft clubhouse and exceptional dining. Play holes that careen down fall lines with greens back-dropped by snow-capped peaks. Westwood Plateau is among a handful of Canadian course to receive a 4.5-star rating from Golf Digest. After a round, hunker down for a nacho feast at Rogues Bar & Grill.

For an overnight option, you can try The Hilton Vancouver Metrotown in nearby Burnaby is a good choice; it’s just steps from the SkyTrain, a rapid transit system providing easy access to downtown Vancouver.

The peaceful Pemberton Valley is home to the Big Sky Golf Club, one of four outstanding courses near Whistler. Designed by renowned architect Bob Cupp, Big Sky features bentgrass fairways and exquisitely contoured greens. The 7,001-yard layout is a joy to walk, as there are only a few small inclines, and distances between greens and tees are minimal. For a memorable post-round experience, you can chill out on Fescue's patio for some hearty fare with a local pint. After dinner, retire to the cozy Pemberton Valley Lodge.

Try to pay attention to the golfing in the Thompson Okanagan, where fairways meander through vineyards, holes play across canyons, and lake views shimmer at every turn. The two championship courses at Predator Ridge, for example, are both regarded by SCOREGOLF Magazine as "must-plays" in the Thompson Okanagan region. The new Doug-Carrick-designed Ridge Course dips and dives along a bluff overlooking Okanagan Lake. The original Predator Course, a Les Furber creation, meanders through grass-capped hills. After a 36-hole day of spectacular golf, relax in course-side accommodation at The Lodge, and sit down to a relaxing dining experience at Range.

Playing Tobiano is like finding a golfer’s paradise in Kamloops. The golf experience here has a serious “wow” factor — with panoramic lake and mountain views from every hole. Negotiate huge ravines, greens which appear suspended above the lake, and daring holes darting through cliff-lined coulees.

After a round, savour a meal at the Black Iron restaurant. Linger on the patio to watch the sunset over the lake, then retire to a nearby hotel like the South Thompson Inn Guest Ranch & Conference Centre. It’s just east of Kamloops, next to the South Thompson River.

Greywolf Golf Course is the place for elevating your game in the Kootenays. Set high in the alpine at Panorama Mountain Village near Invermere, this challenging course is heralded as one of the world’s great mountain courses, with breathtaking cliffside holes and fairways alongside glacier-fed creeks.  Ranked among the “Top 100 Courses in the World Outside of the United States” by Golf Digest, Greywolf is one of the most dramatic and exciting layouts in North America.

Post-round, you can savour the pasta of the day at Carrick’s Restaurant. Overnight?  Book a condo in the Panorama Springs Lodge and wake up to a mountain view.

The Golden Golf Club is a special place to play. This quiet, laid-back club offers a friendly atmosphere, a wilderness setting, and a gently rolling, scenic course with just the right amount of challenge.

Post-round, find yourself a spot on the spacious clubhouse patio for mountain views and a juicy burger. Or, for fine dining, head into town and try the Asian-inspired starters and mouth-watering entrees at The Island.

Golden has a number of great bed and breakfasts. Try the charming Kicking Horse Canyon B&B, located five minutes from town overlooking the Columbia Valley and the Purcell Mountains.