Silvertip Golf Course
Silvertip is the most dramatic of Canmore's mountain courses, a Les Furber design opened in 1998 and carved into the side of Mount Lady Macdonald. With about 600 feet of elevation change and a slope rating around 153 from the tips, this par 72 of 7,140 yards is a bold, vertigo inducing test of golf with the Three Sisters and the Bow Valley spread below.
Photo: Silvertip Resort via Google.
The verdict
Silvertip is mountain golf turned up to its limit. Les Furber routed it up and across the flank of Mount Lady Macdonald above Canmore, and the result is one of the boldest courses in the Canadian Rockies, with roughly 600 feet of elevation change and holes that drop and climb in ways most golfers rarely see. It opened in 1998 and remains a bucket list round for visitors who want the full theater of golf in the mountains.
It is also genuinely hard. The slope rating from the back tees sits around 153, among the steepest in the country, with forced carries, tilted fairways and greens perched on the slope. For the traveling golfer the trick is to take plenty of tee off the front markers, ride a cart, and treat the round as much for the scenery as the score. Played that way it is unforgettable, and it pairs with Stewart Creek and Kananaskis for a complete Canmore and Kananaskis golf trip.
Silvertip Golf Course at a glance
- Opened
- 1998
- Designer
- Les Furber
- Type
- Mountain
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,140 yds
- Green fee
- Premium resort (2026)
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the resort and leading databases. Silvertip is a par 72 of about 7,140 yards designed by Les Furber and opened in 1998 near Canmore, Alberta, with roughly 600 feet of elevation change and a slope rating around 153 from the back tees. It is a public resort course; indicative 2026 green fees are a premium Alberta mountain resort rate, lower in shoulder season and on twilight. Rates change by season and time of day, so always confirm current pricing and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Furber embraced the mountainside rather than taming it, so Silvertip plays in tiers up and down the slope with tee shots that hang in the thin air and approaches that demand careful club selection for the drop. The elevation is constant and the views relentless, with the Three Sisters, Mount Rundle and the town of Canmore framing shot after shot.
The par 5s are where the course shows its teeth and its theater, long and rolling with risk and reward at every turn, while the par 3s ask for nerve over yawning carries. Several greens sit on shelves cut into the hill, so distance control and the right tee box matter more here than almost anywhere. It is a course that rewards humility: pick the markers that match your game and the round opens up.
At 7,140 yards from the tips it is a full championship length, but the smart play for most visitors is to enjoy the spectacle, take the cart paths in stride and savor a layout no other resort in the Rockies can quite match. Few courses anywhere deliver this much drama in eighteen holes.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public resort course; open to visitors and resort guests with advance tee times |
| Green fee | Premium Alberta mountain resort rate, indicative for 2026; lower in shoulder season and at twilight |
| Cart and caddie | Cart included or recommended given the elevation and the spread of the routing; no caddie program |
| Booking | Online or by phone; book ahead for July and August peak season |
| Season | Roughly May to October, weather dependent in the Rockies, with summer the prime window |
| Getting there | Canmore, about one hour west of Calgary and its international airport, on the edge of Banff National Park |
Access and fees verified June 2026 from the resort and public sources. Green fees vary by season, day and time, so always confirm current pricing and availability directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Canmore is the natural base, with mountain lodges and hotels minutes from Silvertip and an easy drive to Banff. The town pairs golf with hiking, dining and the wider draw of Banff National Park, which makes it an easy sell for a mixed group or a couples trip built around a few great rounds.
For a fuller Alberta golf week, pair Silvertip with Stewart Creek across the valley, the 36 holes of Kananaskis Country Golf Course, and the iconic Banff Springs. See our Golf in Canada hub and our best courses in Canada ranking to build the trip.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and lodges in Canmore and Banff.
Play Silvertip on a Canadian Rockies golf trip
We book Silvertip tee times, sort the Canmore or Banff lodging, and route a Rockies week with Stewart Creek, Kananaskis and Banff Springs. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Silvertip Golf Course questions
Who designed Silvertip Golf Course?
Silvertip was designed by Les Furber and opened in 1998, carved into a Canadian Rockies mountainside above Canmore, Alberta.
What is the par and length of Silvertip Golf Course?
Silvertip plays to par 72 and measures about 7,140 yards from the back tees, with roughly 600 feet of elevation change and a very high slope rating from the tips.
Is Silvertip a hard golf course?
Yes. Silvertip is one of the most demanding mountain courses in the Rockies, with dramatic elevation change, forced carries and a slope rating around 153 from the back tees. Playing forward tees makes it far more enjoyable for most golfers.
Can visitors play Silvertip Golf Course?
Yes. Silvertip is a public resort course near Canmore, with tee times booked online or by phone. Green fees vary by season, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.