Whistler Courses

[mikep]

I will be in Whistler for three days in August: have to pick two to three courses to play. Can I have some recommendations please? If I only have two choices, which two? We are fairly high handicappers, but at this point, unless the course is very difficult, we would want to play "must play" courses rather than easy courses.

(http://www.whistler.com/golf/)
http://www.whistler.com/golf/


Thanks much!

[DavidY]

Does the price have any influence on your decision making? Costco (at least here in BC) may be selling discounted passes for a round of golf at one of the Whistler golf courses....sorry, I forget which one (probably Whistler Golf Club if I had put my money on it). I think that they are $99 versus their regular price of $125 (website...$99-$159 depending on the season???...much less for weekday or twilight).

ScoreGolf's top 100 golf course rankings in Canada for 2006:

37. Nicklaus North in Whistler
45. Chateau Whistler
61. Big Sky in Pemberton which is just north of Whistler. Lotsa people work in Whistler, but live in Pemberton since it is less costly (it's all relative).

In 2002, Whistler Golf Club was ranked #71 by ScoreGolf.

I personally haven't been to Whistler yet....may be going there this fall though.

Dave

[skt07]

My parents have a place at Whistler and I've had a chance to play all the course up there a bunch of times. Here are my picks in order of preference.

1. Big Sky. While this course is not technically in Whistler, it is in my opinion the best course in the area. The views are spectacular and I think the layout is the best of the bunch. Almost all of my family's golfing friends agree that Big Sky is the best course up there. In terms of playability for higher handicappers, the course is very playable if the right tees are chosen. As a bonus, the course is very walkable.

2. Nicklaus North. The newest course in Whistler. Great clubhouse, nice layout that brings a lake into play on some holes. Again spectacular views of Whistler and Blackcomb. It's a cart only course and there are some pretty long distances between holes. Quite an open course with minimal trees coming into play. This course would be well suited to higher handicappers as well.

3. Chateau Whistler. My parent's place is across the street from this course, so I've played it the most. More of a park course with lots of large trees lining the fairway. Again amazing views of Whistler/Blackcomb. This course is the closest course to Blackcomb. I think they have GPS carts now. You can expect to see bears on this course. My parents saw 2 on this course this weekend. I have seen them lounging on the greens and tee boxes. If you do see a bear on your fairway or green or tee box, skip the hole. It's not worth getting eaten. The bears in Whistler are not afraid of people.

4. Whistler Golf Club. I'm pretty sure this is the oldest course in Whistler. I personally don't like it. I've also played it the least, so I don't have a lot to say. There's nothing wrong with the course per se, but I just find the layout lacking. It's right across the street from Whistler Village, so if you're staying there, it is very close by. I would say this is the most difficult course for a higher handicap golfer. The fairways are tight and the trees are large. It's very easy to find trouble if you're not hitting it straight. They also have GPS carts.

So in summary, I would say choose any combination of courses 1 through 3 with #4 only if you have time to play the other 3 first. I guarantee you won't be disappointed with any of my top 3 picks.

And be prepared for rain! Even if it's sunny when you leave for the course.

And take the Whistler gondola to the top of the mountain if you've never been. There are plenty of short hikes to take at the top of the mountain and you will be rewarded with some of the prettiest scenery you'll ever see... If it's not raining and foggy.

Hope this helped!

EDIT: I forgot about a fifth course. Pemberton Valley Golf Course. It's cheaper than the rest, so if you're looking for a more budget friendly course it's an option. But it's not nearly as nice as any of the other 4 courses. And be prepared to be eaten alive by mosquitoes and horse flys, which are not a problem at all on the other courses. I personally would skip this course.

I'm not sure if it's still there, but there was a driving range near the Whistler Golf Club if you want to hit the range before your round. It's not officially part of Whistler Golf Club so you'll have to pay for a bucket. I don't think Nicklaus North or the Chateau course have ranges, but I think Big Sky does.

[bogeytrain]

Just returned from Whistler last week.

I played three of the more popular tracks and I would rank them in this order:

1) Big Sky - best price, forgiving fairways, mixed with some very challenging holes, great backdrop with the mountains. Because this course is in the valley, you should experience less rain here.

2) Nicklaus - ranked second because of price, and several holes were flooded due to the excessive rain they have had. It may dry up in August, but you never know in the Wet Coast.

3) Chateau Whistler - most challenging of the three, but I am not a fan of mountain golf, too many blind drives and sloping fairways. That's just me.