Whistler Golf Club, is a par 71 public golf course (of approximately 6,700 yards from the back tees) located in Whistler, British Columbia. What makes this course truly unique is that it was the first ever Canadian golf course designed by Arnold Palmer, one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. You may also know him for his favorite beverage called the “Arnold Palmer,” which is a mix of both lemonade and iced tea. Palmer is known for making courses that are pleasing to the eye as well as enjoyable to play, and with that in mind I went off to play a round at the course.
What of the first things that struck me when playing was that many of the holes feature bends in them, whether to the left or to the right. It is definitely a course for those who know how to shape the ball both ways. Another feature that I (unfortunately) came into contact with was the creeks and lakes that challenge you on practically every hole. There are some holes where the water is clearly visible, and others that have meandering creeks that can wreck havoc on a golf score when hitting into them. It certainly comes into play when one least expects it. Overall there is a very good mix of difficult and easy holes at Whistler Golf Club. A good example of this is my favorite holes on the golf course, 4 and 5. The 4th hole is a drivable par 4 at about 280 yards from the white tees, and the 5th hole is a challenging par 3 of over 200 yards. The golf course underwent an extensive renovation in 2000 costing over $2 million, and is still in fantastic shape to this day.
The facilities are very up-to-date and offer great features. The clubhouse has a rustic feel to it and fits right in with the surrounding area. What surprised me the most at this golf course was the pro shop – it was enormous! At over 2,000 square feet the shop has practically everything one could imagine and then some; I can certainly see why it was rated as a top 100 pro shop by Golf World Business Magazine. As far as dining, Whistler Golf Course has a bar and grill named Palmer’s Gallery. It has a great mix of food and the prices are really affordable. I would especially recommend Palmer’s Signature Panini’s with grilled chicken, onions and red peppers. Simply the best! Lastly, the practice range at Whistler Golf Club was just recently renovated in mid-2010 and really has a great look to it. The practice range features five target greens to hit balls at, an area to putt and chip, as well as a practice bunker to hit from. One of the things that irks me the most when going to a practice range is that the putting greens always seem to be a different speed than those on the golf course, but the one at this golf course is the exact same.
Whether you are visiting the British Columbia area or are a resident, be sure to check out the Arnold Palmer-designed Whistler Golf Club. You won’t regret it!
