Vernon boasts two top golf courses

Two courses draw most of the attention: Predator Ridge Golf Resort and The Golf Club at the Rise.

The original inhabitants of Vernon were the Interior Salish Indians, who called their home “the jumping over place.” The Catholic church established a mission here in 1887 and called it Priest’s Valley. That name changed to Vernon in 1887 in honor of Forbes George Vernon, member of the legislative assembly and commissioner of lands and works for the province of British Columbia.

If you are interested in golf, Vernon is not the place to jump over. Two courses draw most of the attraction, Predator Ridge Golf Resort and The Golf Club at the Rise. Both of these courses are upscale and can be intimidating for various reasons. Vernon has many other affordable and playable golf courses, including the Vernon Golf Club and Spallumcheen Golf and Country Club.  Spallumcheen has both a good 18-hole as well as an executive nine-hole course. Other executive nine or 18-hole courses include Coldstream Golf Course, Highlands Golf Course and Hillview Golf Course and Driving Range, all suitable for beginners.

Predator Ridge Golf Resort

This golf course, originally designed by Les Furber, has gone from 18 holes to 27 holes and now to 36 holes. There are now two championship courses, the Predator and the Ridge. Opened in 1991, Predator has a 4.5 rating out of 5 by Golf Digest magazine. Score Golf magazine has listed Predator in the top 25 courses in Canada. It has twice been named Facility of the Year by the BCPGA. Predator has also hosted the 2000 and the 2008 Telus Skins Game, featuring PGA tour players such as Phil Mickelson, Mike Weir, Fred Couples, Greg Norman, Colin Montgomerie, Camilo Villegas and Sergio Garcia. Dick Zokol, former PGA tour pro, serves as the director of golf at Predator Ridge. Former LPGA tour pro E.J. Eathorne teaches a special program for women called Hit Like a Girl.

The Predator Course

The Predator course is part of the original course and was used in the skins game. The course is largely open, with rolling hills, elevated tees, links-style bunkers, grassy dunes and plenty of fescue grass. Lake Predator is the major focal point for its signature hole 14, a par 5 of 568 yards, as the hole curves around the lake.
Yards 7,090, CR 74.2, Slope 137 (back tees)

The Ridge Course

The Ridge course is one of the best in the province. It was redesigned by Doug Carrick and nine new holes were added in 2010, combining with the original nine holes of the Peregrine course.  Taking advantage of the natural mountain topography, this course is hilly and rugged, built around granite rock outcroppings and has beautiful vistas of Okanagan Lake. The signature hole is No. 6, a par 4 at 438 yards and with a view worth the price of admission.  Score magazine of Canada named it the Best New Course in 2010.
Yards 7,123, CR 73.8, Slope 137 (back tees)

The Golf Club at the Rise

This course opened in June 2008 and is built around the top of Turtle Ridge Mountain, 1,200 feet (400 meters) above the valley floor. It is advertised as a Fred Couples signature course and is the only signature course in the Okanagan. The planning of the course was a ten-year collaboration between Fred Couples and the designer Gene Bates. Couples said his involvement was “merely touching the corners of a Picasso.”
The course is much like any resort course, with generous landing areas, five sets of tees and wide fairways. The course also has blind shots, major elevation swings, rolling hills, tree-lined fairways and plenty of fescue grasslands. You will also see deer, coyotes and an occasional bear. The Rise is advertised as a golf course for recreational golfers, but in reality the average golfer is probably going to struggle. One of the most challenging holes is No. 8, a par 4, 406 yards, with the fairway resembling a black diamond ski run. The reward is a fabulous view. The signature hole is officially No. 5, a par 3 with 192 yards downhill, but there are many holes that could be signature holes, like No. 7, No. 10 and especially No. 13.

Yards 6,884, Par 72, CR 72.8, Slope 137 

Both Predator Ridge and The Rise are more than golf courses, being planned residential communities. Predator features resort homes, townhouses, cottages, restaurants, a spa, hiking trails and fitness centre. The Rise offers building lots and resort homes.