Rivershore Golf Club, designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr. in Kamloops

If awe-inspiring golf courses require prime raw material, then it’s little wonder why the world’s top designers are drawn to British Columbia.

The topography here — from mountain ranges to ocean, with meadows, rainforest, canyons, deserts and even vineyards in between — offers a dream palette for a course architect. Indeed, the views, elevation changes and sheer drama of B.C.’s landscapes make Canada’s westernmost province a playground, not just for golfers, but for the people behind them, too.

Top names in the game have made their mark on BC’s golf scene. Here’s a look at some favourites

Click here to read more about some of the Provinces top golf designers.

Westin Bear Mountain in Victoria, designed by Nicklaus Design

Jim Lee, British Columbia Golf

This humerous video from the Hoilies Executive Course in Port Alberni shows the fun side of the game and what it can and should be about – having fun!  Port Alberni, located in the center of Vancouver Island, prides itself as the “Salmon Fishing Capital of Canada” but this video shows why Port Alberni has also turned out two of the best women golfers in Canada (full disclosure, I’m a resident of Port Alberni).  The Hollies Executive Course and nearby Alberni Golf Club provide great opportunities to learn the game in an accessible and affordable way.  Watch the video

The BC Golf House, once the former clubhouse of the golf course, has been lovingly transformed into one of the most unique museums in the province.

Curator Michael Riste is one of the original founders of the museum, having worked with the White brothers, Dick and Harry, in the mid-‘80s to renovate the province’s oldest building built for golf and turn it from a clubhouse into a museum.

To read more, click here.

Canadian Golf Magazine has named Bowen Island Golf Club one of the country’s must-play nine-hole courses. The 3,003 yard, par-35 course is located just a short 20 minute ferry ride from the lower mainland an offers a picturesque back drop to the challenging course.

Bowen Island Golf Club offers junior golf development programs all summer long as well as lessons and tournaments year round. In addition, you’ll find amenities such as a 175-yard range and The Cup Cutter Restaurant that is open seasonally.

Also making the list of Canada’s must-plays is West Vancouver’s Gleneagles Golf Course. The par-35, 2,637-yard course offers a scenic escape just a quick trip from downtown Vancouver. You’ll find all the amenities you’re looking for including lessons and practice areas so you’re ready to hit the links, then celebrate the round at the Larson Station Restaurant in the clubhouse.

To see the Canadian Golf Magazine review click here. Visit the Bowen Island GC website here to learn more, and book your tee time. For more on Gleneagles GC, and to book a tee time click here.

The introduction to BC has some of the best wilderness footage you will find – truly inspiring.  Watch this video here.

It Remains To Be Seen Whether There Will Be Any Canadian Flags Flying At Chambers Bay For The 2015 U.S. Open

Currently, there are no Canadians scheduled to be amongst the 156 players who will tee it up at Chambers Bay starting June 18.

But come June 8, in what is termed the Longest Day in Golf, at least 22 Canadians will try to overcome their final obstacle, a 36-hole qualifier being played at 10 sites all across America, to get one of the final spots in the U.S. Open.

The U.S. Open is the most egalitarian of the 4 Majors, as any player, professional or amateur, with a handicap index of 1.4 or less can slap down their entry fee and try to make it through local and sectional qualifying.

As of May 26, there were only 74 players who were exempt into the tournament, including former U.S. Open champions of the last 10 years, the last five years of other Major champions and all players in the Top 60 of the Official World Golf Rankings as of May 25.

There were also 16 qualifiers out of two international sectional qualifiers, held in Japan and England on May 25. With 90 of the 156 spots in the U.S. Open spoken for, that means there’s only a maximum of 66 spots available in the 10 sectional qualifiers to be held June 8 all throughout the United States.

The six Canadians with the best chance to qualify for Chambers Bay certainly have the pedigree, as they are all regulars on the PGA TOUR.

Ontario’s David Hearn and Mike Weir, along with Saskatchewan’s Graham DeLaet, join BC products Nick Taylor, Roger Sloan and Adam Hadwin as players who didn’t have to go through local qualifying.

But they will have to go with sectionals, with the most probable places they’ll be playing being the Brookside Golf & Country Club/The Lakes Golf & Country Club in Columbus OH or the Springfield Country Club in Springfield OH.

That’s because these venues are the closest qualifiers to The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village, which hosts the PGA TOUR event which ends on June 7, and traditionally have the most qualifying spots in to the U.S. Open because of the depth of the field.

For British Columbia golfers Cory Renfrew and James Lepp, the natural place for them to play their way to the U.S. Open is located two hours east of Chambers Bay, at the Tumble Creek Club in Cle Elum, WA.

Here, Richard Zokol leads the golf experience charge; Zokol doesn’t just know the game, he’s acted as founder, architect and CEO for various courses throughout his illustrious career. And he’s in good company: former LPGA Tour pro AJ Eathorne is at the helm as head of Predator Ridge’s Golf Academy, overseeing all camps, clinics and lessons, including ladies’ instruction and the junior program. For Eathorne, her teaching experience has been a homecoming of sorts; Predator Ridge served as her training ground for a career that earned her ranking as three-time British Columbia Ladies Amateur champion and winner of the Canadian Ladies Amateur Championship.

Hardware aside, there’s a reason why these two pros chose Predator Ridge as their home. It is, after all, an ideal setting for first-time and single-digit handicap players (and everyone in between) to develop their game. The Ridge Course, for example, is a Doug Carrick design that promises a formidable test on the fairway alongside lush landscapes, postcard-pretty elevation changes, rock outcroppings and lake and mountain views. And we can’t forget the original Predator Course — a Les Furber beauty that has long been considered a classic, thanks to its own collection of grassy dunes and top-notch links. In all, this is one setting where instruction is sure to be inspiring. www.predatorridge.com

Courtesy of Destination BC

For design that expertly blends challenging play with scene-stealing views, the Thomas McBroom-crafted Tobiano, west of the city, delivers. Set on historic Six Mile Ranch, the course’s backdrop cleverly showcases its offering of clay dunes, hoodoos, bluffs and lake views from every hole, making precision shots along a memorable 18, well, a little more of a challenge. www.tobiano.ca

The Dunes at Kamloops Golf Club also embraces its natural topography: dubbed nature’s course, this 18-hole draw showcases lush fairways, meticulous greens and, of course, plenty of sand. A challenge for all levels, The Dunes offers a selection of four tees, encouraging first-timers to perfect their swing alongside seasoned pros. www.golfthedunes.com

For a final round, Sun Rivers, five minutes from downtown Kamloops, is a true desert course, promising natural sage, rolling hills, bent grass fairways, gently contoured greens and sweeping views of the Thompson Valley. Reason enough to tee up, but when you add a host of out-of-the-box programs that include Learn to Love the Game, Friday Night Rock n’ Range and the increasingly popular Sun Rivers Family Golf, you’ve got even more incentive to swing. www.sunrivers.com

Courtesy of Destination BC

At Greywolf, success on the course really can get the heart thumping. After all, when you tee up at the mountain course’s signature hole, dubbed the Cliffhanger, you might just be white-knuckling it as you face an island green perched across the aptly named “Hopeful Canyon.” It’s an experience that makes the Doug Carrick-designed wonder, at Panorama Mountain Village, a true must-play. www.greywolfgolf.com

Near Invermere, east of Panorama, Eagle Ranch embraces its Rocky-and-Purcell-mountain setting with 18 holes set high on the bluffs overlooking the Columbia River. Here, open fairways and valley views along the course’s upper region will cause the pulse to flutter, while the hushed shelter of Eagle Ranch’s mini canyons encourage equally dramatic play. www.eagleranchresort.com

Head south to Kimberley and you’ll find that the area’s rugged alpine landscape defines Trickle Creek Golf Resort. Eighteen thrilling holes, complete with tricky shots and precision putts, is par for the course at this Les Furber gem that incorporates rushing creeks and North Star Mountain’s steep slopes to its best advantage. www.tricklecreek.com

Continue south to Cranbrook, and you’ll discover one final show-stopper: Wildstone Golf Course. The newest addition to the mountain course scene, Wildstone is the first Black Knight Design by Gary Player Design in Canada. An added bonus? Thoughtfully crafted over gently rolling terrain, this must-play promises dramatic bunkering, plenty of variety and a jaw-dropping Rocky Mountain backdrop. www.wildstonegolf.com

courtesy of Destination BC

At Radium Resort, for example, two premier courses have one thing in common: fantastic scenery. The Springs Course, which celebrates its 25th season this year, takes advantage of its home high on the banks of the Columbia River, seamlessly blending high-drama play with naturally scenic views. (The Springs is set to host the 2013 BC Amateur Golf Championship.) Framed by The Purcell and Rocky Mountain ranges, its sister design, The Resort Course, sits right on the border of Kootenay National Park. Here, recent renovations, including three newly constructed holes, have transformed the course into a par-71 beauty with four sets of tees playing anywhere from 5,255 to 6,071 yards.

Further south, Fairmont Hot Springs Resort offers an equal test of mettle, with the classic, tree-lined fairways of its championship Mountainside Golf Course (which includes seven recently restored holes) and the tricky water features and striking natural beauty to be found on the Columbia River-lined Riverside Golf Course. To end the day, it’s all about the area’s natural wonders — you can settle in for a soak at either Radium Hot Springs or Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, each promising calming waters and an ideal vantage point to soothe the bogeys away.

www.radiumresort.com; www.radiumhotsprings.com; www.fairmonthotsprings.com

Courtesy of Tourism British Columbia