A friend of mine once wrote that Banff is his “favorite place in North America.”
I can see why. Thompson must have played in the sand quite often as a child. How else could you explain building 147 sand traps into the design at the Fairmont Banff Springs? One golfer in my group landed in 14 of the bunkers, two more than me. On the picturesque No. 14, there are six sand traps separated only by small strips of grass. Your approach shot onto the green, however, gives you a stunning view the world-renowned Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, also known as the “Castle in the Rockies.”
Virtually every hole on the 18-hole, 6,938 yard, par-71 course has its own personality – none more so than No. 4, a slight downhill, 165-yard, par-3. “Devil’s Cauldron” is so well-regarded, in fact, that it was once selected as one of the top 18 holes in the world.
My final round of the week came at the semi-private Canmore Golf & Curling Club, which, in addition to being the least flashy of the courses I played, was also the only one with a price tag under $100.
Schultz summed it up the best, noting that “Canmore is sort of like going to Cheers, where everybody knows your name.”
The club boasts more than 600 members — no surprise in one of the world’s most outdoor-active communities. (Nearly one-third of the city’s 15,000 residents have a membership at the nearby Elevation Place, a 77,000-square-foot facility that includes, among other things, an eight-lane swimming pool and 60-station rock-climbing structure.)
Despite the high number of regular members, leading to about 34,000 rounds per year, 90 minutes of tee times are set aside each day for the public, who must remain focused on the narrow fairways, as opposed to the top-notch views. As my scorecard would attest, it’s a challenge easier said than done.
As my flight lifted off the following morning, I reflected on the week — six days in some of the continent’s most beautiful country, playing incredible courses, dining on steaks and unique local fare, and holing up at some of the most luxurious resorts in all of Canada. Schulz had suggested at the start of the week that I “had no idea,” and he had certainly been proven right.
Now, I do — and so do you.
Jim Street spent 30 years covering major-league baseball in Oakland and Seattle. He now lives in the Seattle area and works as a freelance journalist, and is the co-publisher of the sports website, GolfersWest.com.