Golf in British Columbia
Mountain, lake and ocean golf at its most scenic, from the wine country of the Okanagan to the peaks of Whistler and the coastline of Vancouver Island. The courses that matter, the regions, the season and how to plan it.
Photo: Nicklaus North Golf Course via Google.
Why golf in British Columbia
No province in Canada packs more scenery into its golf than British Columbia. Within a few hours of each other you can play a Jack Nicklaus design beneath the Coast Mountains at Whistler, a links inspired layout above the Thompson River near Kamloops, and a resort course among the vineyards and lakes of the Okanagan. The settings range from the Pacific shoreline of Vancouver Island to the Rocky Mountain valleys of the Kootenays, and the conditioning at the marquee resorts is as good as anywhere in North America.
For a travelling golfer it adds up to a trip that is as much about the views, the wine and the wild country as the golf itself. The summer days are long and warm, the resorts pair golf with spas, restaurants and the wine trail, and a week can comfortably combine two or three regions. It suits couples, buddies trips and golfers travelling with non golfers who want mountains, lakes and cellar doors around the rounds.
The regions
The Okanagan Valley
The classic base around Kelowna and Vernon: Predator Ridge, Tower Ranch and a string of resort courses among the lakes, orchards and vineyards of Canada's premier wine country.
Whistler and the Sea to Sky
The most scenic golf in the province, Nicklaus North, Fairmont Chateau Whistler and Furry Creek strung along the mountain highway between Vancouver and Whistler.
Vancouver Island
Bear Mountain near Victoria, the only 36 hole Nicklaus design in Canada, alongside a mild coastal climate and some of the longest playing seasons in the country.
Thompson and Kamloops
The high desert golf of the interior, led by Tobiano above Kamloops Lake, big, bold and dramatic, an easy stop between the coast and the Okanagan.
The Kootenay Rockies
Mountain resort golf in the southeast, with Greywolf at Panorama and the Fairmont Hot Springs courses set deep among the Rocky Mountain peaks.
Vancouver and the Lower Mainland
The gateway city, with championship public courses close to town and easy access to the Sea to Sky, the ferries to the Island and flights to the interior.
The courses that matter
Predator Ridge, Predator Course
A Les Furber design at Vernon that ranks near the top of Canada's public courses, rugged and rocky through the Okanagan hills, the headline round of a valley trip and the heart of a full golf resort.
Predator Ridge, Ridge Course
The resort's second eighteen, a Doug Carrick layout that plays through dramatic granite outcrops and open meadow, a worthy companion to the Predator Course on the same property.
Bear Mountain, Mountain Course
Part of the only 36 hole Nicklaus complex in Canada, about 20 minutes from Victoria, with a famous view from the 14th out to the Pacific and the Olympic mountains of Washington.
Nicklaus North
A classic risk and reward Nicklaus design on the valley floor at Whistler, ringed by the Coast Mountains and Green Lake, and one of the most photographed courses in the country.
Fairmont Chateau Whistler
A mountain course climbing the slopes of Blackcomb, with a downhill par 3 of over 200 yards to a green ringed by rock, water and sand, one of the finest holes in the Sea to Sky.
Furry Creek
Often called the most scenic course in the province, hung along the shore of Howe Sound on the highway between Vancouver and Whistler, short, quirky and unforgettable for the views.
Tobiano
A bold Thomas McBroom layout above Kamloops Lake in the interior grasslands, sweeping and links like in feel, a regular near the top of the Canadian public course rankings.
Greywolf, Panorama
A Doug Carrick mountain course at Panorama with the celebrated Cliffhanger par 3 over a gorge, the marquee round of a Kootenay Rockies trip.
Designers and rankings verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| July and August | Warm and reliable across the mountains and the Okanagan, long daylight | Peak golf season, book the marquee resorts early |
| May, June and September | Pleasant in the valleys and on the coast, cooler at altitude | Excellent value shoulder months with quieter tees |
| October to April | Mountain courses close; mild, playable golf near Victoria and Vancouver | Coastal golf only, the quietest of the year |
Conditions vary sharply with altitude, so the high mountain courses open later and close earlier than the coast and the valley floors. Confirm opening dates directly before booking.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marquee resort green fee | Around C$150 to C$250 | High season, premium rounds higher, shoulder rates lower |
| Mid range public round | Around C$80 to C$140 | Strong value across the regions |
| A week, all in | Around C$3,000 to C$6,000 per person | Marquee courses, mid to high end hotels and a car, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Vancouver is the main international gateway, with the Sea to Sky highway running north to Whistler in about two hours and ferries west to Vancouver Island and Victoria. The Okanagan has its own airport at Kelowna, an easy hop from Vancouver or Calgary and the most convenient base for the valley courses, while Kamloops and the Kootenays are reached by a scenic drive through the interior. A hire car is essential once you leave the cities, and the drives between regions, along lakes, rivers and mountain passes, are part of the experience.
Where to stay
Match the base to the region. In the Okanagan, Predator Ridge and the lakeside hotels of Kelowna and Vernon put golf and wine on the doorstep. At Whistler, the village hotels keep Nicklaus North and Fairmont Chateau Whistler close, and the resort doubles as a summer mountain destination. On Vancouver Island, the Bear Mountain resort near Victoria anchors an Island leg, and in the Kootenays the Panorama and Fairmont resorts combine golf with hot springs and the Rockies. Book the resort hotels well ahead for July and August, and let one planner line up the right base for each leg.
Plan your British Columbia golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
British Columbia golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in British Columbia?
The season runs roughly May to October, with July and August the warmest and most reliable across the mountains and the Okanagan. May, June and September are quieter shoulder months with softer rates and fine weather in the valleys. Some lower elevation courses near Victoria and Vancouver play nearly year round. Conditions change with altitude, so confirm directly before booking.
Which region is best for a golf trip?
The Okanagan Valley around Kelowna and Vernon is the classic base, with Predator Ridge, Tower Ranch and the wine country. Whistler and the Sea to Sky hold Nicklaus North, Fairmont Chateau Whistler and Furry Creek within a scenic drive of Vancouver. Vancouver Island centers on Bear Mountain near Victoria, and the Kootenay Rockies add Greywolf and the Fairmont resorts.
How much does golf cost in British Columbia in 2026?
Indicative 2026 high season green fees at the marquee resort courses run roughly C$150 to C$250, with premium rounds higher and shoulder season rates lower. A week with marquee courses, mid to high end hotels and a hire car typically runs around C$3,000 to C$6,000 per person excluding flights. Prices change, so always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
New openings, mountain golf windows and the booking dates worth moving on first. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designers and rankings verified June 2026; indicative 2026 fees are third party figures, always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.