Twin treasures

FAIRMONT HOT SPRINGS, B.C. – Located less than 70 miles north of Cranbrook, the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort offers a veritable feast for golfers of all ages and skill levels.

The two championship 18-hole layouts, Riverside Golf Course and Mountainside Golf Course, will test the abilities of high-handicapper and scratch golfers, alike, while the splendid Creekside par-3 serves as a terrific venue for youngsters trying to learn the game, as well as seasoned players trying to improve theirs.

Riverside, which plays to a par of 71 and stretches just over 6,500 from the back tees, is the more user-friendly of the two tracks. Many of its wonderfully manicured fairways snake their way along the banks of the Columbia River, which can come into play on all five of the dramatic par-3s incorporated into the innovative design.

Mountainside, on the other hand, caters more to the accomplished golfer – or straight hitter, at least. Playing to a par of 72 and measuring 6,552 yards from the tips, the course unwinds along tilted, tree-lined fairways near the base of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and features magnificent greens that putt fast and true but, because of the nearby mountains, are next to impossible to read.

Despite the vast difference in the character of the two layouts, both draw raves reviews from the public, according to Marke Dickson, Fairmont’s marketing director.

“If you look at the whole Columbia Valley, in general, there is a lot of positivity about the mountain layouts and the sheer scope of the environment you play in,” Dickson said. “That’s usually the first thing people speak of.

“But we also hear a lot about the length of our golf season. Here at the hot springs resort, in particular, the length of season is longer than anywhere in the region. You can usually start playing golf about mid-March and then put the clubs away toward the end of October, which – for Canada, which enjoys a little bit of winter, as well – is a really tremendous season.”

Dickson said the majority of golfers who visit the resort seem to prefer the more forgiving Riverside layout over the Mountainside course.

“The Mountainside greens just baffle people, myself included,” he explained. “If you can keep the ball straight and in the fairway on Mountainside, you’re not a bad player. But guys like me spend a lot of time watching their ball pitch in the middle of the fairway and then bounce into the rough.

“Riverside, on the other hand, is more of a resort course in the truest sense. It’s a fairer layout, and it’s a little easier for the average golfer. You hit the ball straight there, and you’re probably going to have a pretty good day.”

But while many golfers have shied away from taking on the Mountainside course in the past, that trend seems to be changing.

“For now, Riverside would certainly be the most popular of the two,” Dickson said. “But we’ve noticed lately that more golfers are looking for a little bigger challenge, so Mountainside is starting to come back in vogue. The key there is to play it a couple of times so you get a better understanding of the topography and how the ball is going to react when it hits certain spots on the fairways and the greens.”