Escorted Golf Tours with Marion & Gary Pike. GOLF HOLIDAYS. Canada, report

British Columbia , Canada, 2007 Report

British Columbia a must visit for any golfer

A surprisingly short flight time of eight hours direct to Vancouver. I'm not sure what we were expecting; having been to the States so often I felt there would be some what the same. However I was very wrong we found a less brash society with a good sense of their heritage and culture, and a very warm and friendly people.
Vancouver itself is a large city with all of the shops, restaurants, bars, sightseeing you would expect but I was struck by how safe it was. You could happily walk around of an evening without any concern for safety.
This was the first leg of our tour and as well as a city tour visiting Stanley Park, Lions Gate Bridge the University and the Museum. We played the first two rounds of the competition. Round one we headed into the hills to Westwood Plateau Golf Club. Now during our tour I played three of the finest courses I have played world wide, and this was the first one, spectacular in its design with greens set on plateaus over ravines to big sweeping fairways rolling down hills. It felt like it had eighteen signature holes. The second course we played in Vancouver, Morgans Creek a contrast to the previous round but none the less excellent in great condition and for many more playable.

For the second leg of the tour we headed by ferry across to Vancouver Island, The ferry crossing was beautiful as we passed through many small islands on our way to Victoria. The Island itself was very English with rolling green countryside, Victoria itself is very much like Cape Town in South Africa, and it has a beautiful waterfront district which is where we stayed. There are lots of shops restaurants etc in the area, but also great street entertainment. The highlight for many was the visit to Buchart Gardens. One of the best worldwide they also did a great lunch.
From the harbour in town a whale watching expedition is well worth a try. There are two pods of killer whales in the area one of 45 the other around 50. The trip lasts approx three hours, but to see these magnificent whales in the wild incredible.
On the island we played golf at Olympic View, and the second of my top three the Jack Nicklause Bear Mountain, and I think this would be my overall favourite. This was a big course very undulating and asked many questions, but wide fairways made it very playable.

Our final leg involved another ferry crossing back onto the mainland and a coach transfer up to Whistler, more famous for its winter sports, but with its four golf courses and mountain bike trails it has a thriving summer activity centre, with lots of slim fit people in the village. These however were normally the joggers and bikers. The golfers however looked like they were having more fun.
Marion and I are not a skier so taking the gondola ride to the top of Whistler Mountain for us was a real adventure, and then to take the chair lift to the peak breathtaking, however not liking heights the chair lift ride down was a little sporty for yours truly as the mountain dropped away below.
A bear safari was very popular with two of our guests Greg and Hazel as they viewed a family including three cubs and a very big male. Bears also come down into the town and onto the golf courses, which meant looking for the odd lost ball seemed less important.
Our final three rounds were over Whistler Golf Club and Arnold Palmer design, Nicklause North designed by Jack as the name suggests but the third of my favourites Chateau Whistler again up in the foothills of the mountain with spectacular views and spectacular holes to match. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Junior.

At the end of the tour, our competition winners were, in the ladies event and no stranger to the winners circle Ann Whittington from Sheringham, but in the men's event a first time winner from Pannel Golf Club, Terry Bramall. Congratulations to both of them.

Canada from our point of view was a truly lovely country with great scenery and friendly people. But everyone agreed the golf courses themselves were unsurpassed in design and condition. You could not help but enjoy the experience. We liked it so much we have arranged to re run the same tour next year.

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05/11/2008

16/11/2008

Thailand, Royal Cliff Beach Resort and Spa 5«

£ 1553