Alberta Golf Courses

Greater Edmonton is a golfer's paradise with 70-plus golf courses. Edmonton is home to the third Jack Nicklaus signature golf course in Canada, Northern Bear Golf Club. The 7,310 yard course was nominated for Golf Digest's Best New course of 2003. Beware holes 9 and 18 where water hazards loom large.

Five minutes west of Edmonton, you'll find a challenge at The Ranch. One elevation change has been nicknamed the "Pit of Doom" and the final hole has been rated the toughest on the Canadian Tour. Rated one of the Top 100 courses in Canada, The Ranch comprises two distinct nine-hole layouts: the front nine feature a links-style design, while the back nine include a narrow, tree-lined fairways and ominous water hazards.

Two Alberta golf courses have the distinction of being designed by famed course architect, Stanley Thompson. According to Sports Illustrated, "[his] resort courses at Banff Springs and Jasper in the Canadian Rockies remain two of the greatest mountain courses ever built." Originally designed in 1927, the Banff Springs 27-hole links-style course is set along the Bow River and presided over by three massive mountains. It is said to be the first course ever to cost $1 million to build. The Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course, located in Jasper National Park has been rated Number One Resort Course in Canada by Score Magazine and is one of only nine courses in the world to receive the gold medal by Golf Magazine.

Canadian golf architect Les Furber designed two of Alberta's most challenging courses, The Links of Glen Eagles and SilverTip Golf Course. Rated by Golf Digest Magazine as one of the "Top Three Best New Courses in Canada", The Links of Glen Eagles is located 10 minutes west of Calgary. The par 72 course features ravines, escarpments, and awe-inspiring scenery. Watch for dynamic elevation changes that add to the challenge. SilverTip was named for a rare and beautiful type of grizzly bear, and the natural image is a good match for this course located in Canmore, Alberta. Les Furber calls SilverTip, "an extreme golf experience." In 1999, Golf Digest magazine rated it one of the best new courses in Canada.

Albertans know that when it comes to golf, far away greens aren’t necessarily greener. Right here in Alberta you'll find a wide range of courses to challenge your swing. Alberta has more than 275 golf courses, including 6 of Canada's top 10 courses. Designed by such notables as Nicklaus, Thompson, Robinson, Furber and Whitman, Alberta's golf courses are both challenging and breathtaking.