Tobiano Golf Course

The verdict

Tobiano is the most photogenic public course in the British Columbia interior, and one of the best value great courses in Canada. Thomas McBroom, one of the country's leading architects, was given a spectacular site on the grassland bluffs above Kamloops Lake and built a layout that uses every foot of it: fairways that tumble toward the water, greens perched on the edge of the drop, and a constant blue backdrop. It opened in 2007 and was named Best New Course in Canada for 2008.

For the traveling golfer it is a thrilling, big scale round that still welcomes a range of abilities thanks to wide landing zones and multiple tees. The carries over the dry arroyos look intimidating but mostly punish only the timid or the wild. It is the natural centerpiece of a Kamloops or Okanagan golf trip, public, well conditioned and unforgettable in late afternoon light.

The holes worth the trip

The drama at Tobiano is the edge. McBroom set greens and fairways right against the falling ground above the lake, so a string of holes play with the water in your eye and a real penalty for the bailout that drifts toward the drop. Several approaches are to infinity greens that seem to hang over Kamloops Lake, the kind of target that makes a routine par feel earned.

Between the lakeside holes the course climbs into the grassland, where deep natural arroyos cut across the line and demand testing carries off the tee. The fairways are generous once you commit, so the smart play is to pick the tee that lets you clear the gully with confidence and then enjoy the run of the firm turf toward the green.

The closing holes bring you back toward the water for a strong finish, and the par 3s throughout are a highlight, each framed differently against the lake or the hills. Take a cart to manage the elevation and the spread of the routing, and try to play late in the day when the light on the lake is at its best.

Where to stay nearby

Kamloops is the natural base for Tobiano, with a full range of hotels, dining and a regional airport with connections through Vancouver and Calgary. The course sits on the Tobiano community above Kamloops Lake, a short drive from town, which makes it easy to combine a round here with a night in the city.

For a fuller interior golf trip, pair Tobiano with the 36 holes at Predator Ridge in the Okanagan to the south, the exclusive Sagebrush near Merritt if you can arrange access, and the mountain golf at Greywolf in the Kootenays. See our Golf in Canada hub for the wider plan.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Tobiano and Kamloops.