Northern BC Golf

From Taylor you will be in Fort St John in ten minutes. Fort St John is a large city with all the big names and services and two very different golf courses. I would first suggest 9 holes at The Fort St John Links Club.

Unlike Moberly or Farmington the Fort St John club starts off with a bang. A 442-yard long, medium wide fairway, wind swept par 4. The hole doglegs left with a large knot of trees on the right corner of the dogleg to catch all who slice. But don't worry about the neighbors greenside bothering you; they are dead quiet (a small old graveyard is on your left). Perhaps one of the nicest holes is the 121-yard par three 6th. Don't let this short hole fool you. You are hitting to an elevated green and over a deep unplayable gully. Just short of the green, where the gully ends, is foot tall rough and a big bunker or two. Your heart may say 'birdie time' but don't be rushed into believing it. Take one extra club and aim for the back of the green.

Starting in Dawson Creek and playing through to the Links club can all be done in one day. Play anytime near the summer equinox and you be playing until almost 11:00 pm and be back on the course at 5:00 am (if the pro shop will let you). But what's your rush. Wander around a little. Go to the Mile 0 marker in Dawson and take some snapshots. Be a tourist for a while. Enjoy a leisurely afternoon and rest up knowing you have saved the best for last.

Lakepoint Golf & CC is a favorite among pros from all over Canada and a growing amount of tourists come to FT St John just to play here as well. Eighteen holes, 6700 yards and 18 of the best greens in BC all make Lakepoint a treat to play. Take the manicuring of Marine Drive and multiply the beauty of Whistler by 3 and you will have a rough idea what Lakepoint is like. Set beside Charlie Lake, and with a small area for RV parking on site, Lakepoint is not only the best course in the north but one of the top courses in British Columbia.

Unlike so many courses Lakepoint is blessed with a set of strong par threes. They range from the 150-yard number seventh to the 201 yard tenth hole. None have a lot of greenside trouble, but all have quick greens and enough bunkering to make you think long and hard before teeing it up. The hardest hole, to me, is the 541-yard par 5 17th. It is a dogleg right, downhill hole that has water on it in three different places. The first water crossing is close to the hole and really not in play.

The second is about 300 yards off the tee. Now, remember the hole is downhill, so real big hitters had better remember this creek. The 2nd is somewhere about 100 yards short of the green. As well the fairway runs hard to the right the closer you get to the green and down along the right hand side the creek follows you through to the hole. The day I played was a Tuesday. Being a 2 for 1 day I paid $21.00 for 18 holes. You take Lakepoint and put it any where within 90 minutes of the Lower Mainland or some of the Okanagan's big cities and you would expect to pay $125.00 pus cart. It is that great of a track.

The drive from Fort St John to Fort Nelson is one of the prettiest drives you can take in BC. This stretch of highway is often called the Serengeti of Canada. Mountain Sheep, caribou, moose, deer both black and grizzly bears and wolves are often spotted along the road. About half way to Ft Nelson (it is a 5 hour drive) you will come to the Sasquatch Crossing Inn.

Poplar Hills G&CC is one tough puppy. You had better take a cart for it is very hilly. Wear a lot of sunscreen and bug spray and take a few extra balls. The 8th is a classic mid length par 3's. Measuring 168 yards long this hole has you shooting uphill, to a small green that seems to be no more than a ledge sticking out of the hillside. The ninth has the double agony of being a 363 yard par four playing sharply uphill all the while you'll be carrying a heavy heart knowing your time in the Peace is just about done. This is a long trip. One you had better take 10-14 days to do. But it is not an expensive or difficult one. Just make some hotel reservations, check for tee times and make sure your vehicle is in good highway shape. Then pack your clubs and hit the open road.

Tom Cattermole is a freelance golf writer, watch for part II as he ventures to the Yukon in our 2nd part segment of less traveled destinations, that happen to have a golf course or two.