Golf in Whistler rocks

This trendy course is trying to appeal to the younger generations—and it's working.

This wasn’t their grandpa’s golf club. Not much argyle in sight. No musty smells, outdated décor, or crusty club captains were on the premises. A classic Aerosmith tune blasted in the background. People actually made some noise. The order of the day was come as you are. Play how you play. And my boys—thanks to Whistler’s youthful, fun-loving approach—ate it up.

It was that aura, as well as Whistler’s four fabulous mountain golf courses, that set the stage for one of the most memorable golf trips I’ve had. Yes, the golf was great. However, it was the laughter, the full-of-beans behavior, and the rock n’ roll that’ll make this one go down as a classic.

If you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past six years, or so, you might not be aware that golf is not booming like it did in the 90s. The game has been a tougher sell of late. And one of the most obvious raps against it is the fact that it doesn’t appeal to the youth. It’s not cool enough. It’s not exciting enough. In their eyes, it’s still a game for old guys with ugly shirts and nothing better to do with their time. Hogwash!

Enter initiatives authored by Whistler’s savvy, forward-thinking marketers and managers.

“Whistler has always embodied a cool and trendy vibe,” said Alan Kristmanson, Director of Golf at the Whistler Golf Club. “We’ve been on the forefront of both the gen-X and the gen-Y movements, both of which captured something adventurous, energetic and fun. It only makes sense that our golf scene follows suit. The game can appeal to the youth. You’ve just got to think outside the box and incorporate some of the elements that attract them.”

Fortunately, as far as the golf product itself goes, there isn’t a lot of tinkering that’s necessary in Whistler. The four courses—the Whistler Golf Club, Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, Nicklaus North Golf Course and the Big Sky Golf Club in nearby Pemberton—are four of the finest mountain golf courses in Canada.

“For us, it starts with making people feel at ease and welcome,” said Kristmanson. “The music (the course pipes classic rock through the speakers in the parking lot and clubhouse) sets the tone. From there our super-friendly staff ensures no one is going to feel intimidated or unwelcome. Golf is fun. It’s for everyone. And that’s what we’re all about.”

Unquestionably, the 6,722-yard layout also reflects that attitude. While challenging enough for the low-handicap player, the course, which winds through massive cedar and fir, is by no means an unconquerable beast. The opener, a straightaway par-4 that tips out at 380 yards, sets the tone. It screams: “Relax, folks! Let your hair down and have a good time! This course is not going to kill you.” And people, especially my high-handicap sons, caught on quickly. 

On the second hole one of my twin boys, Nelson, 12, discovered a high-octane heavy metal playlist on my phone—highlighted by Twisted Sister’s lovely and heartfelt anthem We’re Not Gonna Take It—which only added fuel to the fire. Sure the golfing forefathers may have been rolling around in their graves, but the fun factor went through the roof.

Unquestionably, the awesome homeward stretch on the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club—a Robert Trent Jones, Jr. crusade that tumbles and rolls along a mountain creek—is also high-five worthy. Although the opening run is a tough, uphill journey, things ramp up for one of the most exciting stretches of mountain golf in Canada on the roller-coaster back nine. Numerous elevated tees invite an exhilarating brand of grip-it-and-rip-it golf.

My boys, not surprisingly, were good with that game plan. However, this time around the theme song was Loverboy’s Lovin’ Every Minute of It. We did.

I also loved the price of golf for juniors at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club. If you stay at the hotel your kids play for free. You can’t beat that.

Whether little Johnny is with you or not, you’ll want to hit up a few other attractions during your stay in Whistler. A must is the Peak 2 Peak gondola ride, which spans the 4.4-kilometre gap between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. It’s an epic sightseeing journey and one of the highest and longest gondola rides in the world.

Another activity that brought the boys into a frenzied state was ziplining. In this case, no rock ‘n’ roll was necessary to sustain the rush. Soaring high above 16 Mile Creek, the Superfly Ziplines are the fastest, highest and longest ziplines in the country. Long story short, they screamed like the heavy metal rock stars they aren’t.

It’s not likely you’ll hear heavy metal at the Nicklaus North Golf Course (unless, perhaps, the Penner boys are on the tee), but the smooth-flowing, lakeside track is definitely an encore-worthy kind of course. The atmosphere is serene and the holes, while challenging, fit like a glove on the landscape. It’s an understated gem. 

Exceeding Nicklaus North for serenity and walkability, the Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton is often considered the crème de la crème here. The Bob Cupp design, which opened in 1994, parades through a lush valley with the towering ramparts of Mount Currie presiding over the pristine fairways.

With the boys all played out and back at the hotel, I had Big Sky to myself on a picture-perfect summer morning. However, at around the 5th hole—with only a few people around and a handful of deer grazing silently in the meadows—I started craving some noise. I checked my phone. Sure enough, Lovin’ Every Minute of It was still cued up. For obvious reasons, I hit play.