The Dunes at Kamloops

As links style as you’re going to get in the Interior of B.C. Just bring bug spray and sunscreen, and enjoy your day

You know how when you’re watching the British Open—sorry, the Open Championship (I’m aging myself)—on TV and the players are trying to keep their shots down out of the wind and run them up the fairway to keep them out of the fescue or gorse (depending on the region in which it’s held)? And you know how sometimes even they don’t know which two mounds they’re between on their next shot until they get there, and how the greens don’t hold approach shots, so they have to land them short and run them up to the surface so they can get close enough for birdie?

Welcome to The Dunes at Kamloops. The difference is that you generally won’t be playing it in a wind that’s bending the flagsticks to a ridiculous angle. Well, that and the bunkers are huge but not deep—rather than the opposite of that. Having said that, the similarity is that the greens, as with the rest of the course, are very contoured, so you need to read more break than you think and leave your ball below the hole when you can.

Also, many of the greens don’t have access in the front to run the ball up, so I guess it’s less like the Open than it seems it should be.

Winner of the Golf Digest Best New Golf Course in Western Canada award in 1997 when it opened, and host of a good number of significant golf events since that time, including the 2010 CCAA College National Golf Championship and the 2011 BCGA Men’s Amateur Championship, the Dunes at Kamloops isn’t an easy track, but it’s playable (and scorable) for all golfers of all skill levels, especially those who can adjust to uneven lies.

This Graham Cooke design has an advantage over several courses in the region, in that it lies in the north-south corridor of the valley, so it gets probably the most sun out of all the Kamloops courses (other than Sun Rivers), which has its pros and cons.

The benefit is that when they’re watering it well, which they generally do since Kamloops is as close to a desert as you’re going to get in B.C., the fairways and greens are impeccable. You’re not likely to find your ball lying in a brown, crusty chunk of grass while you’re out there. I believe the word for a course playing in these conditions is “lush.” It makes for punishing rough and rewarding fairways, which is how it should be.

The negative is that there are zero trees to be found on the property. (Okay, there are a few along the river, but you don’t want to be there or you’ve done something wrong, and maybe four others scattered around, but it might as well be zero). Also the desert sun is a harsh beast some days. Bring an umbrella if you’re on foot, even if it’s not raining, and lather on the SPF 80.

I’m a big fan of places that put effort into their practice facilities, and the Dunes at Kamloops gets high marks for that. They claim to have “the most comprehensive facility in Kamloops,” and they’re probably not going to get much argument on that claim. With grass teeing areas and target greens on the range, two large green complexes for putting and chipping, and a new pitching and lob shot area—with targets from 10 to 75 yards—combined with the Bill Bilton Jr. Golf Academy makes it one of the best places in the Interior to learn or improve your game.

I have three knocks against the Dunes at Kamloops, but none of them are really all that prohibitive.

First, you will never have a flat lie. Just take that as a given. You can stripe one down the middle of the fairway, leaving yourself an ideal distance into the green, and you’ll get to your ball and find that it’s six inches or more above or below your feet. The whole property undulates, so always expect to need a stance adjustment over your ball if you’re not on the tee box. I’m not a fan of this, but it’s not a big deal for a lot of people.

Second, there’s a big pond in the middle of the back nine that spawns mosquitos. Bring your bug repellant, especially in early summer.

Third, it’s not a $75 per round course (before adding a cart), but that’s what they’re charging. This can be mitigated by waiting until the day before you want to play and booking through GolfNow (or on their website), but that’s risking that there will be a spot available when you want to play. Check what they’re offering for twilight rates, as well. It’s not advertised or found on their website, but it could be another way to keep the cost reasonable, if they’re discounted into the $30 to $50 range.

On the plus side, though, it’s probably the most walkable course in the region that’s worth your time to play, so you can avoid the $35 cart rental.

Those things being said, if you’re in the area and you can get on for less than about $50, definitely make the trip up Westside Road and have a go at it.

Just remember your sunscreen and bug repellant.