Cavorting bears spice up the golf experience at Waterton

Waterton Lakes National Park has some unique residents stirring up quite the buzz on their golf course

Famed Canadian golf course designer Stanley Thompson once wrote, “... the fascination of golf is not due solely to the science of the shots, but rather to the aesthetic effect of environment... Nature must always be the architect's model.”

Coming on the heels of his designing two of his signature courses, one for the Banff Springs Hotel and the other for the Jasper Park Lodge, Thompson certainly capitalized on the “aesthetic effect of the environment” when creating the golf course at Waterton Lakes National Park.

Waterton Lakes Golf Course was completed from 1929 to 1935 and its classic 18-hole tract is challenging and breathtaking at the same time. The course is tucked in tightly against the Alberta Rockies and overlooks Waterton Lakes and the picturesque Prince of Wales Hotel.

I visited Waterton Lakes Golf Course on a warm September afternoon and the course was abuzz with black bear sightings.

“I just saw a black bear scamper across the 17th fairway,” said one wide-eye golfer from nearby Lethbridge.

A hand-written sign on the clubhouse whiteboard read, “CAUTION: BEARS ON COURSE. This is a National Park. If a bear impedes progress take a par and go to the next hole. Enjoy our furry friends from a safe distance.”

I met Miyuki and Billy visiting from Calgary, and asked them if they were nervous about meeting a bear on the golf course.

“No, we're excited about all the bears around here,” said Billy. “I am from Houston (working in Calgary) and Miyuki is from Japan so this is a new experience for us. The scenery here is so spectacular and the bears just add to the natural beauty of the course.”

Waterton Lakes National Park is a public course and offers a range of amenities for the visiting golfer including club and cart rentals, pro shop, a practice green and fully licensed clubhouse with a beautiful veranda overlooking the 18th green.

It is hard to know if Stanley Thompson had bears in mind when he said that a good golf course should capitalize on “the aesthetic effect of the environment.” However, the beautiful setting and playful black bears of Waterton Lakes National Park certainly add to the course's natural ambience.

Videos:

360° view of Waterton Lakes Golf Course
Bears playing on the 13th Green at Waterton Lakes Golf Course