Hitting the High Life: Great Golf in Whistler
August 22, 2021 ctn_admin
By Anita Draycott
In early 1960s, most folks opined that developing Whistler as a ski resort was ridiculous—too stormy, too isolated, no services or road links. The list went on. But Whistler had voluptuous slopes that dropped nearly a vertical mile to the valley floor, hundreds of acres of old growth forest and a plethora of snow.
Franz Wilhelmsen and a cohort of mountain enthusiasts ignored the naysayers and carved a network of ski trails out of the bush. Today Whistler is considered one of the premier mountain resort destinations in the world with two mile-high peaks (Whistler and Blackcomb) linked via a pedestrian-only village. It is a four-season resort success story by which now most others in North America are judged and often modelled upon.
Set into the skyscraping mountains of the Coast Range, the town has an irrepressible spirit that matches its surroundings. Things have changed quite a bit since the early days when what is now the centre of Whistler Village was a garbage dump where the bears foraged. The bears are still there but those early days when skiers swigged beer out of their ski boots have changed considerably. Whistler, the top ski, snowboarding and mountain biking resort in North America has also ascended to the heights of one of Canada’s best golf destinations
Going for Gold
While Olympians in Tokyo were going for Gold, I was too, but my Gold involved the super perks and pampering offered to guests in the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Gold level. Fairmont spent more than $14 million and created a boutique hotel within its existing property. Guests receive all sorts of extra benefits starting with concierge check-in at the totally renovated eighth floor Gold Lounge. There’s an outdoor patio, perfect for sipping your morning cappuccino and enjoying the tasty breakfast offerings created by Executive Chef Isabel Chung. Chef makes her jams from BC fruit and honey is from the hotel’s rooftop hives. Breakfast offerings include charcuterie, cheese, smoked salmon, yogurt, fruit, warm from-the-oven pastries, and daily hot specials served in covid-friendly individual sized serving dishes.
Tea, finger sandwiches and pastries are served mid-afternoon and from 5 to 7 p.m. guests may indulge in gourmet hors d’oeuvres, an assortment of cheeses and charcouterie and more sweet treats. The honour bar includes wines, liquors and beers, well-stocked martini and gin-and-tonic stations. The lounge with its overstuffed leather couches and library makes a comfortable extension to the guest rooms, each with electric fireplace, soaker tub and a sensory aromatherapy experience with Skinjay, an all-natural essential oil pod that diffuses through the showerhead. Choose your scent according to your mood: sleep, detox (after too many martinis!), party or play.
Golf Nirvana
I chose “play.” First on my hit list was the Chateau Whistler Golf Club, where, unlike the other Whistler area courses, you really do climb up and down 400 feet of dramatic alpine terrain.
“We listened to the land and harmonized with nature,” says its creator, Robert Trent Jones, Jr. An engineering marvel, the course, carved out of the bench lands of Blackcomb Mountain, traverses “billy goat” steep ledges, gushing glacier-fed streams, massive granite outcroppings and mighty Douglas firs.
The first five holes present an uphill battle with gushing creeks transecting the fairways. Try to concentrate on your swing, but you’ll likely be distracted by the spectacular mountain views, possible bear sightings and giddying alpine air. The eighth signature hole plays downhill to a green set off by a crystal clear lake and a massive granite cliff. The Chateau Whistler course is a true beauty queen with outstanding views in every direction. Afterwards, brag about your birdies on the clubhouse patio. I recommend the peach sangria to wash down some spicy wings.
Smack dab in the centre of the village, The Whistler Golf Club, built in 1983, is the granddaddy of the four Whistler area courses. It was also Arnold Palmer’s first Canadian design.
“It’s a Palmer design with a Whistler attitude,“said sales manager, Ro Davies. Indeed, classic rock music piped from the clubhouse, the high five you’ll get from the starter and marshals who will help you find errant balls are all part of the Whistler G.C. treatment.
The 6,700-yard, par-71 course is set amongst ancient cedars, majestic fir trees, winding streams and nine lakes. In 2012 all the greens were planted with state-of-the-art 007 bent grass for better playability and resistance to snow and ice damage.
The Whistler Golf Club has received the designation of Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, in part for staff’s extensive environmental initiatives. Their efforts have had a direct impact on both the Crabapple Creek trout population and local bear population through enhancements of their wildlife habitats, outreach and education and chemical use reduction.
Many naturalized areas on the course provide food and habitat for local wildlife other than the bears, such as coyote, beaver and birds. You might catch a small cub taking a stroll around the patio.
The 11th hole, called Arnie’s Eagle, is a par-five memorably double-crossed by two creeks. The day the course opened, Arnold Palmer holed this risk/reward challenge in three. The signature 16th hole, called The Gallery, is a knockout with elevated tees and a carry over a sparkling lake and then a winding river. In the spring of 2021 The Gallery was expanded to provide seating for joggers, walkers and cyclists on nearby trails to enjoy the views and applaud good tee shots. Try not to be distracted by the sensational views of the snow-capped peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.
Just down the road, Nicklaus North, designed by the Golden Bear himself, meanders alongside glacier-fed Green Lake. Nicklaus deliberately designed it to be fun, with roomy fairways and enormous greens. That said, there are more than 50 bunkers and water to be avoided on 15 holes. The par-threes here are very strong, especially the signature 17th that plays alongside Green Lake. Although Nicklaus ‘s company has built almost 300 courses in 40 countries, only four are Nicklaus Signature tracts, and one of those is Nicklaus North.
After your round, sit back and relax on what is arguably Whistler’s best patio, a beauty that overlooks Green Lake, the 16th fairway and the Harbour Air floatplane dock. Nicklaus North’s Table Nineteen Lakeside Eatery prides itself on having great prices on beer and wine and dishes that lure more than golfers to the contemporary cuisine.
Half an hour north of Whistler, designer Robert Cupp tucked Big Sky Golf and Country Club into the shadow of massive Mount Currie. Although this course plays in the valley below the peaks, the majesty and drama of the mountain is palpable.
Après Golf Food and Fun
Arrive in High Style
There are various ways to get to Whistler but I recommend taking Harbour Air’s seaplane from Vancouver. The trip takes about half an hour and you’ll land on Green Lake just in front of the Nicklaus North Golf Clubhouse.
You can also take the Skylynx shuttle bus from Vancouver downtown or the Airport.
Alta Bistro
In Whistler village just down from the library, Alta Bistro is a real gem. The chef prides himself on using local product and ingredients and though the menu is brief, the dishes are unique. For example , gazpacho comes goat cheese, herb oil and fermented strawberries. . The seared Albacore tuna is rubbed with a house-made burnt onion powder. Fabulous!
Adrenalin Rushes
Whistler could arguably be dubbed the Adrenalin Capital of Canada. If golf’s too tame, consider a 4×4 bear viewing tour. Whistler boasts the longest zipline in the Canada and the USA. The Sasquatch Tour spans more than 2km.
R&R at the Spa
Based on Finnish and Norwegian bathing traditions, Scandinave Spas are designed so guests may relax and rejuvenate by participating in a cycle of heat therapies, refreshing cool rinses and relaxation periods. Spend about ten minutes warming your body in a sauna, eucalyptus-scented steam bath, hot tub or thermal waterfall. Heating the body helps increase blood circulation, which, in turn, cleanses by promoting the elimination of toxins. Then it’s time to close the skin’s pores by cooling off beneath a bracing Nordic waterfall or a dip in a cold tub. The third part of Scandinave’s routine is chill-out time. Snooze in the solarium, swing in a hammock or cozy up with a good book and a cup of organic tea. www.scandinave.com
The One & Only Bearfoot
Where else can you saber a bottle of Champagne and drink it with a platter of freshly shucked oysters? Wait, the fun has just begun. Don a parka and sample four exotic vodkas from a choice of 50 from around the globe in the Ketel One Ice Room, where the temperature (between -25 to -32 C) is ideal to savour the clear liquor. An evening at Bearfoot Bistro is never dull. Their latest concoction may just be the world’s best martini. With no apologies to James Bond, their Vesper cocktail is neither shaken nor stirred but made in a copper pot with liquid nitrogen. It’s so cold its almost viscous, but the booze has not been diluted with ice. Now sample some of the finest and most innovative cuisine in Whistler concocted by Executive Chef Melissa Craig. Finish the night off with a tableside preparation of ‘nitro” ice cream—the best molecular cuisine you’ll ever taste. www.bearfootbistro.com
Ready to Go?
Stay and play golf/hotel packages
www.chateau-whistler.com/offers/whistler-bc-golf-travel-package
Note: The approximate price difference from a Fairmont Room to a Fairmont Gold Room is an additional $160 per night. The upsell rate does vary depending on how much the guests are initially paying for their room. When you add up what it would cost for breakfasts, snacks, afternoon tea, appetizers, personalized concierge service and shuttles to places around town, it’s worth the upgrade.
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