From cliffs to valleys

In Radium Hot Springs, the golfing possibilities are endless

Radium Hot Springs is a haven for golf enthusiasts. The area offers three different courses within close proximity of each other and each is unique and rewarding in its own way. Radium Resort consists of two 18-hole courses—the Resort Course and the Springs Course—and just north of the village of Radium Hot Springs is Spur Valley Resort, a nine-hole course. The Resort Course at Radium Resort is the smaller course of the two and is one of the oldest golf courses in the region. Surrounded by mountains—with some holes situated on top of a cliff—the Resort Course is absolutely stunning, said Kris Cunningham, golf professional for the Springs Course. “It is very scenic,” he said. “There are a couple of par threes where you are up on a cliff and you can see a good part of the valley.” Cunningham also said that because of the size of the Resort Course and the average par for each hole, the course is ideally designed for average or elderly golfers, whereas the Springs Course is larger with more ground to cover. “The Springs Course is a championship- length golf course,” said Cunningham, “so that is a full-length par 72 course.” Cunningham said the course can accommodate any calibre of player, and he encourages people to come during the spring and fall months to catch a glimpse of some of the bighorn sheep that frequent the course. “In the shoulder season we also call this our ‘running grounds’ for the bighorn sheep,” said Cunningham, “because our golf course gets taken over by hundreds of bighorn sheep in the spring and fall. It’s awesome to see bighorn sheep banging heads right outside the office.” One of the best things about the Springs Course, according to Cunningham, is the setup of the course and the natural beauty of the mountainous area. “The course is basically on a cliff that overlooks the Columbia Wetlands, which is the largest protected wetlands in North America,” said Cunningham. “So you get the Purcell Mountains on one side and the Rocky Mountain Range on the other side.” Spur Valley Resort, situated 18 kilometres north of Radium Hot Springs, is a charming golf course hidden away in the beautiful river valley. Owned by Ron and Audrey Csokonay, this facility has 102 RV camping spots for a more laid-back getaway. The nine-hole golf course offers a range of difficulty levels—from par three to par five holes—and has gentle slopes, making it walkable for everyone. A new 300-plus housing development proposed to be constructed next to the Spur Valley subdivision is currently being discussed, but Audrey said that plans have not been finalized. “The Regional District of East Kootenay seems to be supporting it, but we don’t know how long it is going to take,” she said. “They tentatively planned another golf course as well, and it seems like it is going to be a go—we just don’t know when.”