Playing golf in Vancouver Canada (NO POLITICS!)

[lhahn]

Visiting Vancouver and will be staying close to downtown as well as spending most of the time there. Looks like I should consider Fraserview and University Club. Will only have time for one round. Couple questions:

 

Which would be better to visit?

Are they both easily walked or is cart recommended?

Which one would provide better bang for the buck?

 

When are you coming exactly?

 

IMO, definitely go Fraserview. Never understood the love for UBC. Like others have said, it gets busy and is easily walkable.

 

End of August. Coming from Portland Oregon so soggy golf is nothing new to me. What are course conditions like around then? Should still be pretty firm right?

 

Yup! Should be pretty good til the end of Sept. Although this summer has been unusually wet so who knows.

 

It's only been half a season since taking about 4 years off of golf and I'm already feeling like I'm getting bored of the good courses around Vancouver. Maybe bored isn't the right word.

 

I can only play Northview Ridge & Canal, Morgan, Riverway, Swan and Fraserview so many times. I wish there were more decent public tracks around.

[bb123]

More decent public courses? You just gotta hit the highway a bit, grab your passport as well. Throw in Redwoods, Pagoda Ridge, Mcleery, Northlands, kings links, Loomis Trail, Semiahmoo, homestead farms, etc. I get bored easily as well and just like to do the rotation and hit them all up once or so. Never been to Squamish valley but have heard great things as well.

[lhahn]

More decent public courses? You just gotta hit the highway a bit, grab your passport as well. Throw in Redwoods, Pagoda Ridge, Mcleery, Northlands, kings links, Loomis Trail, Semiahmoo, homestead farms, etc. I get bored easily as well and just like to do the rotation and hit them all up once or so. Never been to Squamish valley but have heard great things as well.

 

Yah I know. I live downtown so everything is a bit of a pain to get to other than River and Fraser. Sucks how everything nice and close is private and everything decent and public is far or in another country! :wave:

 

Forgot about Redwoods but Mcleery and Northlands are meh at best. I try and head out to North Bell and Semi/Loomis every couple months but again, they are so far and then you also have to think of border waits when booking tee times if certain friends don't have Nexus :angry22:

[The Beav]

I've never thought of golfing from a downtown perspective but I agree the prospects are grim without driving quite a ways.

 

I guess Ive ways figured if I could afford to live downtown I could sure as hell afford to join one of the nice Private Clubs around.

[myspinonit]

I've never thought of golfing from a downtown perspective but I agree the prospects are grim without driving quite a ways.

 

I guess Ive ways figured if I could afford to live downtown I could sure as hell afford to join one of the nice Private Clubs around.

 

I've lived downtownish for many years but could not afford or want to join a good private club close by. Nor would I want to be playing the same course all the time, or playing more than I wanted to "get my money's worth". (It happens.)

 

There are (at least were) large waiting lists at those courses, the downpayment is huge, monthly dues and quarterly social fees are more (or at least equal as a retiree now playing several times a week on munis) than I would be paying for golf otherwise. I'd rather join a weekly muni men's club, that I did years ago.

 

Fast forward to now...If there are any 55+ reading this they might want to consider applying to our seniors mens club. We mostly play the three Vancouver munis in rotation plus times at Riverway. We also play some other courses on away games. http://westpointgolf.org/

[The Beav]

I played Pitt Meadows G+CC for the first time this past weekend in a tournament.

Nice course. Characterized by small greens and only one straight hole that I can remember. All the holes sort of blend together and lacks some character but I'd go play there again.

[lhahn]

I've never thought of golfing from a downtown perspective but I agree the prospects are grim without driving quite a ways.

 

I guess Ive ways figured if I could afford to live downtown I could sure as hell afford to join one of the nice Private Clubs around.

 

Lol..living downtown does not mean I have 100k to throw around on golf =)

 

I sure wish it did though!

[Golfnuck]

Played Meadow Gardens and Swaneset resort over the last week and both courses were in good condition. I would give the nod to swanny for overall condition as Meadows conditions were just okay. Meadows lowered their rates this year as it was only 59 weekday at 10 am which is roughly $20 cheaper than last year.... their greens were really nice but the rest of the course was just okay...lots of baked spots and the rough isn't nice and thick like Northview or Morgan. Swanny was a good deal after 2 as it is $36 I think and $29 after 3.

 

Was a member of Swaneset since the first Japanese owner. Then stayed when Intrawest bought it. But had to leave with this third owner.

 

What is the point of staying when anyone can book what used to be the private Links course.

 

And now at $36 and $29 you have to play a LOT of golf to justify the monthly dues without the perk of having a private course.

[bb123]

More decent public courses? You just gotta hit the highway a bit, grab your passport as well. Throw in Redwoods, Pagoda Ridge, Mcleery, Northlands, kings links, Loomis Trail, Semiahmoo, homestead farms, etc. I get bored easily as well and just like to do the rotation and hit them all up once or so. Never been to Squamish valley but have heard great things as well.

 

Yah I know. I live downtown so everything is a bit of a pain to get to other than River and Fraser. Sucks how everything nice and close is private and everything decent and public is far or in another country! :wave:

 

Forgot about Redwoods but Mcleery and Northlands are meh at best. I try and head out to North Bell and Semi/Loomis every couple months but again, they are so far and then you also have to think of border waits when booking tee times if certain friends don't have Nexus :angry22:

 

Yeah, from downtown it would be a drive anywhere, and the nexus card is a must have. Also add Mayfair Lakes and possibly Point Roberts to the list there as well. Havent been out to Pt Roberts yet this year, last year during the drought it was a big dust bowl, but am thinking it should be ok this year, and with the tight fairways its a good challenge. It's always so nice and quiet out there. Kings Links isnt that bad of a drive once you hit Oak st bridge. Drove by Tsawassen springs last week, and they have a nice new clubhouse as well as the Pat Quinns restaurant which all look nice. The course is just like 6000 yards though, and have only played it once and probably only hit driver 2-3 times. Kind of like a flat furry creek with lots of lay up/tight holes, but in great condition. But without their little golf card, its pretty $$$.

 

I hate to say it but I've walked around the Langara golf course a couple times this year and it looks to be in great shape. I wouldn't even regularly talk about it, but they are adding some new warmup stalls by the putting green, and a little starters cabin by the 1st tee (how cute :) ). I think the maintenance guy from Nicklaus North works there now, and he's trying to fix it up as best as possible. It's not bad for after work in the summer.

[lhahn]

Point Roberts was just awful but that was in early May. I hadn't played it in probably 10 years since before the clubhouse was built and my how things have changed. It's fallen as far as Westwood. Only good thing about Point is that it is cheap and no one was on the course.

 

Someone should set up a VancouverWRX meet up =)

[vancouver81]

I've never thought of golfing from a downtown perspective but I agree the prospects are grim without driving quite a ways.

 

I guess Ive ways figured if I could afford to live downtown I could sure as hell afford to join one of the nice Private Clubs around.

 

Lol..living downtown does not mean I have 100k to throw around on golf =)

 

I sure wish it did though!

haha X2. I lived downtown for a few years as well, and a $650k townhouse does not equal $80k for initiation fees plus monthly dues and minimums. Fortunately I have a good friend who's a member at Marine so was able to play there multiple times a year. Otherwise it was a rotation fraserview, ubc, mccleery and northlands. All decent tracks but not fantastic. It was rare we'd trek all the way to the burbs. Now we live there. We would do the golf deal at Furry creek once or twice a year as well, my pic is wife teeing off on one of the 3's.

[duffer987]

I've never thought of golfing from a downtown perspective but I agree the prospects are grim without driving quite a ways.

 

I guess Ive ways figured if I could afford to live downtown I could sure as hell afford to join one of the nice Private Clubs around.

 

Lol..living downtown does not mean I have 100k to throw around on golf =)

 

I sure wish it did though!

haha X2. I lived downtown for a few years as well, and a $650k townhouse does not equal $80k for initiation fees plus monthly dues and minimums. Fortunately I have a good friend who's a member at Marine so was able to play there multiple times a year. Otherwise it was a rotation fraserview, ubc, mccleery and northlands. All decent tracks but not fantastic. It was rare we'd trek all the way to the burbs. Now we live there. We would do the golf deal at Furry creek once or twice a year as well, my pic is wife teeing off on one of the 3's.

 

Ha! Whenever I look at moving back, is it wrong I consider golf commutablility? I reckoned I couldn't live any further into the city than those condos in downtown New West and still have easy access to lots of golf courses.

It's a shame a lot of the best value options (Norh Bel, Padden, Loomis, etc...) all require a crossing. Desperate times having to go up to Furry ;)

 

People down here have NO IDEA how good we have it in the Bay Area. I can look on Golfnow post meal/drinks on a Friday night for a 7-8am Saturday tee time and typically find one at a solid track for under $50.

[lhahn]

I've never thought of golfing from a downtown perspective but I agree the prospects are grim without driving quite a ways.

 

I guess Ive ways figured if I could afford to live downtown I could sure as hell afford to join one of the nice Private Clubs around.

 

Lol..living downtown does not mean I have 100k to throw around on golf =)

 

I sure wish it did though!

haha X2. I lived downtown for a few years as well, and a $650k townhouse does not equal $80k for initiation fees plus monthly dues and minimums. Fortunately I have a good friend who's a member at Marine so was able to play there multiple times a year. Otherwise it was a rotation fraserview, ubc, mccleery and northlands. All decent tracks but not fantastic. It was rare we'd trek all the way to the burbs. Now we live there. We would do the golf deal at Furry creek once or twice a year as well, my pic is wife teeing off on one of the 3's.

 

Ha! Whenever I look at moving back, is it wrong I consider golf commutablility? I reckoned I couldn't live any further into the city than those condos in downtown New West and still have easy access to lots of golf courses.

It's a shame a lot of the best value options (Norh Bel, Padden, Loomis, etc...) all require a crossing. Desperate times having to go up to Furry ;)

 

People down here have NO IDEA how good we have it in the Bay Area. I can look on Golfnow post meal/drinks on a Friday night for a 7-8am Saturday tee time and typically find one at a solid track for under $50.

 

Lucky! And no it is not wrong. I'm moving out of Vancouver and golf is maybe 10-15% of the reason =)

 

My fiancee and I are both working professionals with good incomes but because we are young, we wont be able to afford a house or even a townhouse unless it's outside of POCO. As much as it'd be easier to golf if I lived in South Surrey, I would hang myself commuting into work every day.

 

I'll probably be in LA by this time next year =)

 

Vancouver81, where are you living now? in the burbs?

[myspinonit]

I've never thought of golfing from a downtown perspective but I agree the prospects are grim without driving quite a ways.

 

I guess Ive ways figured if I could afford to live downtown I could sure as hell afford to join one of the nice Private Clubs around.

 

Lol..living downtown does not mean I have 100k to throw around on golf =)

 

I sure wish it did though!

haha X2. I lived downtown for a few years as well, and a $650k townhouse does not equal $80k for initiation fees plus monthly dues and minimums. Fortunately I have a good friend who's a member at Marine so was able to play there multiple times a year. Otherwise it was a rotation fraserview, ubc, mccleery and northlands. All decent tracks but not fantastic. It was rare we'd trek all the way to the burbs. Now we live there. We would do the golf deal at Furry creek once or twice a year as well, my pic is wife teeing off on one of the 3's.

 

Ha! Whenever I look at moving back, is it wrong I consider golf commutablility? I reckoned I couldn't live any further into the city than those condos in downtown New West and still have easy access to lots of golf courses.

It's a shame a lot of the best value options (Norh Bel, Padden, Loomis, etc...) all require a crossing. Desperate times having to go up to Furry ;)

 

People down here have NO IDEA how good we have it in the Bay Area. I can look on Golfnow post meal/drinks on a Friday night for a 7-8am Saturday tee time and typically find one at a solid track for under $50.

 

Of course duffer, the accross the border "value options" aren't so much value with the current US-Canada exchange rate.

 

After the rate started to fall against the US$ I read that the historical rate is around 80%. Guess we got lulled up here the past few years.....we wish we had put some loonies into a US$ acct a couple of years ago as we knew we would be doing US travel. Dontcha just love hindsight?

 

Good thoughts about New West if you do decide to come back. I did live in New West for a couple of years over a decade ago. It was about half an hour to drive from there to anywhere in the lower mainland, a bit longer to westside and downtown. We even thought about relocating there and saving some bucks but we (especially my wife) prefers the walkability factor westside.

[IcemanYVR]

I'm new here but not new to golf. Just caught up on all the threads from 2015 on... Seems to be a good group of local guys. I live downtown, but I've played most courses in the area.

 

I can't echo the sentiments enough about Morgan Creek and Northview Ridge. Both courses are excellent but my eyes fit MC better and now with their improved practice faculty, it's up there.

 

Lots of hate for Hazelmere, it's a decent course for the money and I prefer the layout to Peace Portal.

 

My local preference is UBC, Langara, and Fraserview. Easy enough to get to and agreed that if Fraserview ever went private it could rival any of the top courses around.

 

Played Redwoods yesterday, always in great condition.

 

[The Beav]

Hazelmere vs Peace Portal is an interesting dilemma for me. Hazelmere has the better conditions hands down right now, neither course has a particularly appealing layout, Peace Portal has more potential with a little work, but Hazelmeres #18 has to be the worst hole in the entire Vancouver area. Honorable mention to #6 at Pagoda Ridge.

 

Hazelmeres afternoon rates are fantastic given the quality of the greens though, and their grass range is open the longest of any local track (I think).

[bruizer]

Is Pagoda 6 that par 5 where you really can't hit driver...it's white staked on the left... absolutely the worst hole in lower mainland.

[The Beav]

Is Pagoda 6 that par 5 where you really can't hit driver...it's white staked on the left... absolutely the worst hole in lower mainland.

 

Yes it is lol. As bad as that hole is I still prefer it to Hazelmere #18. They both share the BS trait of having an "in course" OB, and they both just reek of the course designer running out of room and shoe-horning whatever hole he could in the space remaining.

[lhahn]

I'm a snob. I refuse to play either Peace nor Hazelmere =)

 

Langara, Northlands, UBC and a few more on that list as well hahah...

 

I went to North Bell this morning and it's in great shape. Greens are pretty fast and the wind was up which is always fun. About a club the whole day and gusts of a club and a half on occasion. It was quite enjoyable even though I shot a 79 with 5 three putts. Don't ask.

 

Someone who enjoys organizing should really set up something :telephone:

[mukster]

Played Swaneset Links this morning. Really good test of golf, every shot needs some thought. Course in good shape as well. Trevino did a good job here as far as I am concerned.

[The Beav]

Played Beach Grove yesterday. It's a fun track that requires every shot in the bag and the greens are phenomenal.

Shot a 82 with a couple balls OB on 2 and 3. Oh well.

 

Up this week is Swaneset Links and then playing the Beach Grove AM on the weekend.

[IcemanYVR]

I'll be playing Langara this week. It's all I have time for and its in really good shape right

[bb123]

Went to Savage Creek Driving range in Richmond this weekend (on #6 road just down from Mayfair Lakes), and they have a brand new 18 hole real grass mini golf course there. I'm coming off torn bicep surgery from playing hockey a couple months ago, so can only putt now, so this is like my Pebble Beach for another month or so :) Price is $5, and this place is awesome. The "front 9" is pretty straight forward, one hole has a creek you need to carry with this ski jump you hit over. The back 9 holes make you work for it, all crazy doglegs. I never grabbed a scorecard, so am not sure what par is here, but you would have to have your mini putt game on to make all 2's on the back. If you got some time to kill, or wanna take the kids for some fun this is the place to go. I think they just opened up in May or June?

 

More info and pics on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook...ekgolf/?fref=ts

 

Here is a pic of the long #18 finishing hole .. bushes left, water right, lots of danger out there ..

[vancouver81]

I've never thought of golfing from a downtown perspective but I agree the prospects are grim without driving quite a ways.

 

I guess Ive ways figured if I could afford to live downtown I could sure as hell afford to join one of the nice Private Clubs around.

 

Lol..living downtown does not mean I have 100k to throw around on golf =)

 

I sure wish it did though!

haha X2. I lived downtown for a few years as well, and a $650k townhouse does not equal $80k for initiation fees plus monthly dues and minimums. Fortunately I have a good friend who's a member at Marine so was able to play there multiple times a year. Otherwise it was a rotation fraserview, ubc, mccleery and northlands. All decent tracks but not fantastic. It was rare we'd trek all the way to the burbs. Now we live there. We would do the golf deal at Furry creek once or twice a year as well, my pic is wife teeing off on one of the 3's.

 

Ha! Whenever I look at moving back, is it wrong I consider golf commutablility? I reckoned I couldn't live any further into the city than those condos in downtown New West and still have easy access to lots of golf courses.

It's a shame a lot of the best value options (Norh Bel, Padden, Loomis, etc...) all require a crossing. Desperate times having to go up to Furry ;)

 

People down here have NO IDEA how good we have it in the Bay Area. I can look on Golfnow post meal/drinks on a Friday night for a 7-8am Saturday tee time and typically find one at a solid track for under $50.

 

Lucky! And no it is not wrong. I'm moving out of Vancouver and golf is maybe 10-15% of the reason =)

 

My fiancee and I are both working professionals with good incomes but because we are young, we wont be able to afford a house or even a townhouse unless it's outside of POCO. As much as it'd be easier to golf if I lived in South Surrey, I would hang myself commuting into work every day.

 

I'll probably be in LA by this time next year =)

 

Vancouver81, where are you living now? in the burbs?

I hear you and feel your pain. We are in south surrey about 2 mins from Morgan Creek. The commute downtown every day does indeed suck. Unfortunately we could only afford a $1mm house at the time, not the 1.5mm for a near knock down in east van.

[lhahn]

So you have to deal with the tunnel every day? :stink:

 

I don't go to Savage often but was there a couple months ago. Must have been before it opened. Looks sweet!! Fiancee is just learning so that'd be fun for the both of us I reckon

[jtothep21]

Played Ledgeview on Sunday for a tournament, and I have to say the conditions there were amazing!! Fairways were nice and lush, and those greens man were those greens tough lots of slope and quick to. Bit of a trek from the Lower Mainland but well worth the trip in my opinion.

[vancouver81]

Having only played it once a few years back, I really liked Ledgeview. Same goes for the Falls, though it has a few funny holes.

 

Nice to hear about Beach Grove Beav, isn't it a private?

 

lhann - yup, an hour each way on a good day. When school is in it's more like an hour 15 door to door to the Bentalls. It sucks, but its a sacrifice we made to have a nice house and a yard for our two small kids. I'm lucky to have a decent paying job that is typically a 9-5. Can't imagine doing it if I was barely making it home to tuck the kids in. We have a few other people in my office doing the commute as well. At the time we look at Poco/Burke Mtn because of the West Coast, but ultimately chose S. Surrey because of its proximity to family and its better infrastructure (restaurants, shopping, ocean).

[The Beav]

Ledgeview is a really fun course with great conditions, but those greens are so tough to putt on.

 

Beach Grove is private but since I'm playing the Beach Grove AM they open it up for practice rounds. Anyone can sign up for the AM I think.

[vancouver81]

Nice. Good luck Beav.

[vancouver81]

Anyone play Northview Ridge lately? I see they have a reduced rate due to a cart path renovation they are doing? How bad/disruptive is it?