Playing golf in Vancouver Canada (NO POLITICS!)

[KBong]

HELLO...just to let you guys know...the Alberta boys are posting more in their thread than us in this thread....just sayin.🤣

[duffer987]

On 7/13/2021 at 6:31 AM, myspinonit said:

Anyone played Squamish recently?   Have   a group game booked there in  a couple of weeks and wondering what shape it's in.

Played there end of May (hardly recent now) but it was coming out of the winter in good nick. Greens were already peppy.

Would love it if they cleared out some of the trees within the first 150yds of some teeboxes, but otherwise it's as good a public 'old school' track you can play in the area IMHO.

[Shushwap]

19 hours ago, KBong said:

HELLO...just to let you guys know...the Alberta boys are posting more in their thread than us in this thread....just sayin.🤣

Everyone is out playing golf there.. get it in before the smoke gets down that way 

[KBong]

23 minutes ago, Shushwap said:

Everyone is out playing golf there.. get it in before the smoke gets down that way 

Just watching the news and the fires continue to get out of control.....same with the west coast in the US and other parts of Canada.

I also remember driving through Osoyoos and Salmon Arm years ago and smelling the smoke.

 

It's not smoggy here yet.

 

I remember playing golf last year in Mission in the heat and smoke.

[Shushwap]

1 hour ago, KBong said:

Just watching the news and the fires continue to get out of control.....same with the west coast in the US and other parts of Canada.

I also remember driving through Osoyoos and Salmon Arm years ago and smelling the smoke.

 

It's not smoggy here yet.

 

I remember playing golf last year in Mission in the heat and smoke.

I was talking to a friend today from the coast and he is not planning on coming up this way to golf this summer.. said he is enjoying the smoke free days down there while they last 

[The Beav]

Finished a little tour of Kamloops and loved it.  Smoke blew in and out depending on the wind, but overall we got pretty lucky I think.  

 

Tobiano - what can I say? World class course and I am dying to hit all those shots again.  #5, 7, and 8 are some of my favorite holes I've ever played.

Big Horn - Surprised us in a good way.  Little bit deep on the gimmick scale, but some great holes and overall a ton of fun.  Small, fast greens with obscene slope made every 3 footer an absolute grind.  

The Dunes - maybe the easiest course I've ever played? Would be a good warmup round to start a golf trip but otherwise completely forgettable.  Conditions were ok but a clear step or two below everything else we played.

Kamloops G&CC - Absolute stunner.  Was my first time there and I loved every minute of it.  Greens were some of the best I've putt on in a quite a while.   Pace of play was not good, but in fairness we were there Saturday afternoon so we shouldn't have expected any different.

[The Beav]

Back to Morgan yesterday.   Course is browning a tiny bit and I think that's when it plays the best.  

Hole 9 continues to cause me trouble.  Will solve it next time haha.

[jordan_mccomb]

16 hours ago, The Beav said:

Back to Morgan yesterday.   Course is browning a tiny bit and I think that's when it plays the best.  

Hole 9 continues to cause me trouble.  Will solve it next time haha.

Play there often and there were a few landing areas that were really browning out. Some tee shots getting some significant roll. Looking like it's going to be close to 2 months without any rain, so hopefully lots of the local courses start to brown out. We get lush green fairways with little to no rollout for 9 months of the year so I really wish more courses embraced the dry conditions when they're presented to us. Keep the greens and tee boxes green, let the rest go.

[Phireside]

19 hours ago, The Beav said:

Back to Morgan yesterday.   Course is browning a tiny bit and I think that's when it plays the best.  

Hole 9 continues to cause me trouble.  Will solve it next time haha.

I play there most often but have been to Kings a fair bit lately too, talk about roll out these days. But the blowing wind is just not terribly enjoyable.

[The Beav]

3 hours ago, jordan_mccomb said:

Play there often and there were a few landing areas that were really browning out. Some tee shots getting some significant roll. Looking like it's going to be close to 2 months without any rain, so hopefully lots of the local courses start to brown out. We get lush green fairways with little to no rollout for 9 months of the year so I really wish more courses embraced the dry conditions when they're presented to us. Keep the greens and tee boxes green, let the rest go.

I agree 100%.  We will be back to green, lush, and wet before long regardless.

On 18 our entire group ended up being obscenely long (much longer than our usual) due to the dried out fairway.  

[Phireside]

58 minutes ago, The Beav said:

I agree 100%.  We will be back to green, lush, and wet before long regardless.

On 18 our entire group ended up being obscenely long (much longer than our usual) due to the dried out fairway.  

I wouldn't know that feeling. Usually the trees on the right side at the crest of the hill catch my tee shots.

[Shushwap]

You all need to come to the okanagan if u want baked fairways.. played national a few weeks ago and 18 was dirt in some spots 

[duffer987]

1 hour ago, Shushwap said:

You all need to come to the okanagan if u want baked fairways.. played national a few weeks ago and 18 was dirt in some spots 

No one wants 'baked', just 'firm and fast', especially in a region you can typically still plug drives during peak season - hello #13 at Redwoods.

Of course the problem is a typical PNW course doesn't have the turf or management to support it and you do end up with dead fairways. On the way to 50+ days without rain is certainly going to stretch things.

Edited July 27, 2021 by duffer987

[The Beav]

Redwoods last weekend.  Course was in great shape and as fun as usual. Bring bug spray if playing morning or twilight - the mosquitos were brutal in the shady areas.

 

Despite swearing I'd never go back we are playing Canal on Saturday.  Hopefully it's not a complete disgrace like it was last time I played it.

[KBong]

On 8/4/2021 at 5:15 PM, The Beav said:

Despite swearing I'd never go back we are playing Canal on Saturday.  Hopefully it's not a complete disgrace like it was last time I played it.

???...you letting Chick shill your hard earned money again?🤣

 

[The Beav]

9 hours ago, KBong said:

???...you letting Chick shill your hard earned money again?🤣

 

Hahaha looks that way.  Hopefully there's more grass than goose droppings this time, and we'll call that a win.

[duffer987]

^Played there Friday - apart from the Geesefest, it's in good nick. Greens had some pace to them and it wasn't nearly as burnt out as other courses.

[The Beav]

20 hours ago, duffer987 said:

^Played there Friday - apart from the Geesefest, it's in good nick. Greens had some pace to them and it wasn't nearly as burnt out as other courses.

Agreed.  It was much closer to being worth the $100 this time around.  Greens were particularly spicy and kept us on our toes.

Individual check in was also nice so you don't have to chase your buddies to pay up.

[jordan_mccomb]

Anyone else playing in the Vancouver Open next weekend?

 

Doesn't look like I'll have time to get out to any of the city courses for a practice round, just too tough to get a tee time in non work hours. Anyone played McCleery, Fraserview, or Langara in the past few weeks. How are they playing?

[vancouver81]

Incredible amount of geese/geese crap on Canal, but otherwise pretty good shape. Ridge however was absolutely mint, best I’ve seen it. 

[The Beav]

Played Morgan today.  Good shape, but for maybe the first time ever I'd say it's starting to look worn out.  Greens were fabulous other than the cups seemed to have dull, round edges.  Perhaps a guy ahead of us was pulling the ball out with putter head, not sure.

[Phireside]

23 minutes ago, The Beav said:

Played Morgan today.  Good shape, but for maybe the first time ever I'd say it's starting to look worn out.  Greens were fabulous other than the cups seemed to have dull, round edges.  Perhaps a guy ahead of us was pulling the ball out with putter head, not sure.

I played early and the cups were dull ish. They were yesterday too. Maybe need a bit more water and a roll? Seemed a bit brittle.

[vancouver81]

Morgan it’s usual stellar self. Maybe the bit of rain this week helped. Greens were pure, cups were normal. 

[doctorgolf]

Soon to be Vancouver local here... So from this thread am I understanding correctly that most of you pay green fees to play public courses? Do public courses not have annual memberships in Vancouver? I'm coming from the Okanagan where I pay annually at "semi-private" courses and proceed to play about 10k worth of golf if you add up green fees. Are private courses with large initiation fees the only way to play tons of golf and practice a lot? My optimism of Vancouver golf (largely fuelled by the fact that it is year round) is disappearing day by day if I won't be able to practice and play even half as much as I currently do.

[duffer987]

1 hour ago, doctorgolf said:

Soon to be Vancouver local here... So from this thread am I understanding correctly that most of you pay green fees to play public courses? Do public courses not have annual memberships in Vancouver? I'm coming from the Okanagan where I pay annually at "semi-private" courses and proceed to play about 10k worth of golf if you add up green fees. Are private courses with large initiation fees the only way to play tons of golf and practice a lot? My optimism of Vancouver golf (largely fuelled by the fact that it is year round) is disappearing day by day if I won't be able to practice and play even half as much as I currently do.

Golf + Vancouver doesn't equal value... certainly not the value you've had.

Decent or better privates will all have waiting lists and good-sized joining fees. Although you can waitlist Seymour and get in a couple rounds a month while you wait 😄

Non-privates in Vancouver proper or at least inside the bridges so to speak are munis, bar UBC.

 

Across the bridges a lot of public courses annual passes/memberships are sold out (such as Morgan Creek & Kings Links).

WCG (Swaneset x 2, Belmont, Hazelmere) has an annual pass, but they are now capping rounds at 120 before you then have to pay, but they still include range balls.

Meadow Gardens is taking members now they are more of an actual semi-private, as opposed to a public course with passes. Of course with these options, if you are living in Vancouver they don't work except weekends.

 

Folks other than me will know more/different info than me, but ya I'd keep the optimism tempered.

Edited August 20, 2021 by duffer987

[myspinonit]

8 hours ago, doctorgolf said:

 

 

Edit: Deferring to Duffer's and  Phireside's comments

 

Edited August 21, 2021 by myspinonit

[Phireside]

2 hours ago, duffer987 said:

Golf + Vancouver doesn't equal value... certainly not the value you've had.

Decent or better privates will all have waiting lists and good-sized joining fees. Although you can waitlist Seymour and get in a couple rounds a month while you wait 😄

Non-privates in Vancouver proper or at least inside the bridges so to speak are munis, bar UBC.

 

Across the bridges a lot of public courses annual passes/memberships are sold out (such as Morgan Creek & Kings Links).

WCG (Swaneset x 2, Belmont, Hazelmere) has an annual pass, but they are now capping rounds at 120 before you then have to pay, but they still include range balls.

Meadow Gardens is taking members now they are more of an actual semi-private, as opposed to a public course with passes. Of course with these options, if you are living in Vancouver they don't work except weekends.

 

Folks other than me will know more/different info than me, but ya I'd keep the optimism tempered.

I'd say this is a solid summary

[Phireside]

Fingers crossed, I'll be playing Sagebrush in the next week or so and then heading to visit an old friend and his family in Kelowna. With luck, I'll try to play a round before heading home. Is Tower Ranch my best choice in Kelowna? Never played out there before.

[doctorgolf]

52 minutes ago, Phireside said:

Fingers crossed, I'll be playing Sagebrush in the next week or so and then heading to visit an old friend and his family in Kelowna. With luck, I'll try to play a round before heading home. Is Tower Ranch my best choice in Kelowna? Never played out there before.

Depends what you want. Tower is in great shape this year. If it's windy you'll have a hell of a time. Can be fairly benign if there's no wind and you have a local to let you know when to club up (watch the false fronts). Views are incredible if that's what you're after. But it's a great 'play a couple times a year' course.

 

Harvest is a good option. Probably the best customer service you'll experience in town. Food is fantastic there as well. Course is kind of meh, wide open hit driver all day though. So it can be fun. 

 

Gallagher's is in horrible shape this year don't play it unless it's free. 

 

Shannon Lake in West Kelowna has phenomenal greens this year. A little quirky but I like the course all in all. 

 

The Bear and Quail out by the airport are ok in a pinch.

 

If you can swing it, drive out to Predator Ridge for the day (40 minute drive) and play there. Pricey, but worth it in my opinion. I like the Ridge course a little more but Predator is good too.

[myspinonit]

21 minutes ago, doctorgolf said:

Depends what you want. Tower is in great shape this year. If it's windy you'll have a hell of a time. Can be fairly benign if there's no wind and you have a local to let you know when to club up (watch the false fronts). Views are incredible if that's what you're after. But it's a great 'play a couple times a year' course.

 

Harvest is a good option. Probably the best customer service you'll experience in town. Food is fantastic there as well. Course is kind of meh, wide open hit driver all day though. So it can be fun. 

 

Gallagher's is in horrible shape this year don't play it unless it's free. 

 

Shannon Lake in West Kelowna has phenomenal greens this year. A little quirky but I like the course all in all. 

 

The Bear and Quail out by the airport are ok in a pinch.

 

If you can swing it, drive out to Predator Ridge for the day (40 minute drive) and play there. Pricey, but worth it in my opinion. I like the Ridge course a little more but Predator is good too.

Sounds like it's south of you, but any word on the two Osoyoos/Oliver courses, Nk'Mip and Fairview Mtn.?

Fingers crossed too, doing a guys trip there in three weeks (and a few more days with the Mrs. when the rest go home).  It will depend on smoke and also what Bonny and Minister Dix say further about recommended or stronger "no goes" after Labour Day.