Greywolf

My first golf road trip was to BC's interior, with Greywolf as the headliner of the getaway. While we played the Springs at Radium first, Greywolf has the distinction of being the first mountain golf course I ever played. A number of years, and even more courses later, Greywolf is still one of the most memorable rounds I've played in the mountains.

At the time of my round, Greywolf was Doug Carrick's best course in western Canada. It's now rivaled by the Ridge course at Predator Ridge, but by many accounts Greywolf is still the best. Having played both, I would say its splitting hairs to pick which is better... both are fantastic. I'm pleased to see Greywolf hold steady in the 20-35 range of the top 100. Here's my take:

Before you reach the first tee you get an accurate preview of the course's elevation change as you drive to/from the driving range. The steep climb is an adventure of its own. Reaching the range almost seems like reaching the summit of Everest.. I can only imagine carrying a bag up the mountain. Despite the extreme elevation changes, the first hole is almost completely flat. It has been criticized as a boring hole, but I think its a great way to get the round underway. It has some teeth too, with a creek running short right of the green and bunkers left.

The second hole is relatively short and climbs steadily, guiding you to the elevated 3rd tee. I felt as thought the tee shot on the 3rd was the first (of many) breathtaking places on the course. My picture doesn't capture the elevation change, but I can assure you it feels much more spectacular in person!

Tee on the par 5 3rd

From the downhill tee shot the climb to the green is steep. As you can see in this picture above, Carrick uses the natural landscape for strategic and aesthetic effect, and doesn't overly dress up the course. There's a great use of bunkers to add to the strategy of each hole, while still allowing the incredible setting to be on display.

The 4th is possibly the steepest downhill hole I've ever played (yes, possibly a greater drop than #18 at Kapalua, although I can't confirm this). At nearly 500 yards it looks daunting on the scorecard, but can be played driver-wedge by many golfers. I believe my cousin played it 4 iron-8 iron.

Another downhill hole follows on the par 5 5th, which I found particularly interesting. A creek around the green makes it difficult to attack in 2, but it is within reach. The green-side bunker to the right is a good target. If you lay-up across the creek to the right, the green is more receptive, but it is inviting enough to encourage aggressive play from further back. Its a great par 5 that creates a lot of options. A birdie opportunity, with bogeys lurking.

Simply put, the 6th hole, aptly named "cliffhanger" could be one of the best natural settings for a golf hole in the world. It is the epitome of a hole that was 'discovered' rather than 'created'. A huge cliff wraps around this near-island green. Its on my short list of favorite holes in western Canada. Despite being one of the most photographed holes around, I feel compelled to through my own into the mix.

"Cliffhanger"... one of world's best 'discovered' holes

While the hole seems nerve racking, the green is actually quite large for a 150-175 yard hole (where most golfers will play from). If you can take a deep breathe and focus on the target, you have a good chance of reuniting with your golf ball. The picture above was taken from the elevated black tee (170 yds), the place from which the hole is most commonly photographed. Few ever play/take pictures from the lower silver tee (200+ yds), so here is a glimpse of the hole as I experienced it:

The famous Cliffhanger from the lesser-played back tee.. A bit more intimidating?!

I should mention, again, that Carrick's use of bunkering is great. As you can see in the above photos, the sand provides a buffer from the cliff's edge, and adds to the strategy of the hole, but doesn't attempt to overshadow the extraordinary setting. I love this hole. I got chills walking onto the green, realizing where I was standing. Yes, it is not #16 at Cypress Point, or #12 at Augusta National.. but I still got chills. Its just a really cool experience.

The short-ish par 4 7th has a very good reverse-redan green. As with any good reverse-redan, the mound on the back left is quite substantial and will redirect approach shots played along the ground. The green is generously large, but well guarded. The pictures on the Greywolf website are better than my own (at the time I played I was unaware of the Macdonald/Raynor template holes, which Carrick certainly has studied)

#8 is a beautiful dogleg right with no real noteworthy architectural merit; its just a really pretty hole. The 9th is another pretty hole. The short-mid length par 3 dares you to take an aggressive line over the water, even though the bailout area to the right is a good place to be.

The tempting par 3 9th

The 10th is a gentle par 5. Not an awful hole. But nothing noteworthy. It guides you to the 11th, which, if not for Cliffhanger, would be the most dramatic hole on the course.

A true golf purist would get nauseous even at the thought of the par 4 11th. It is, admittedly, quite a gimmicky hole. I regret not having good pictures of the 11th, but there are many on the Greywolf website. The huge drop makes the short par 4 driveable, although there is danger all around the green. Its actually a pretty straight forward hole if you have the discipline to lay-up, and confidence in your wedge game. Gimmicky, yes, but not too much to stomach.

The 12th and 13th (a 3 and 4, respectively) are beautiful holes which I don't feel add much strategic value to the course. Hole 14 is a different story! Great risk/reward elements make this hole just as intriguing as it is beautiful.

14th tee, par 5

The hole bends to the right, so its easy to see that you can cut off some yardage with a shot that hugs the right... but if you can't pull off the shot, you'd be much better positioned to the generous left side. From high up the right you can attack, but a layup is still a wise play. It is a dramatic uphill approach from the lay-up area.

Mesmerizing approach to the 14th

The 14th is one of my favorite par 5s in western Canada for both the strategic thought that it demands of the golfer, as well as the jaw-dropping beauty. Just an top-notch place to hit a golf ball!

It seems unusual that the last par 3 comes as early as the 15th, but this is the case at Greywolf. #15 is nearly a mirror image of the 9th (water short and right), with more length, a larger green and a slightly elevated tee.

In my opinion #16 could be the best par 4 on the course. Much like 14, it is real stunner that also has some really interesting strategic components. The green is most easily approached from the right side of the fairway, but as you can see, favoring the right can get you into trouble.

Awesome 16th tee

A huge drive can get you over the hill and down near the green, but for most it will be a downhill approach. The green is redan-like, although the expected aerial attack lessens the need for a significant mound to deflect running shots. With the nature of the green (rewarding running approaches), you can play it safe on the tee and play short-left. Here's a look from an ideal position up the right side of the fairway.

Redan on the 16th (mound is just visible left of trees)

Since Greywolf was the first top course I played, my understanding of its architectural elements was very basic at that time. My knowledge has deepened in the time since, and I can't wait to get back to see the course again, having a better appreciation for its design.

The finish at Greywolf is what keeps it outside of the top 20 in Canada. Along with the 10th, 17 and 18 are among the weakest on the course - 17 being the best of those 3. The 17th turns sharp left, with a downhill approach to a large green. It might be a decent hole if it were located somewhere else in the round, I just don't feel like it contributes to a strong finish that one expects from a top course.

18 is the most memorable hole on the course... by that I mean it is so bland and uninspiring that you can't help but remember it in disappointment. It wouldn't even be the signature hole on a low budget 9-hole muni. Its truly a shame to end such an exhilarating experience on such a depressingly uneventful par 4. I apologize for not including a picture of the 18th, I didn't want it to spoil my write-up. If they set dynamite to the 18th, and replaced it with a championship-worthy closer to fit the rest of the course, Greywolf easily jumps 5 spots and gets into the top 20.

Having played over 100 top courses since I was at Greywolf, my appreciation for its design elements has only grown. It is a really great course. Carrick uses a good mix of nerve-testing holes, with a few breathers; a few subtle rises with gentle declines; a few huge climbs with a few dramatic free-falls; a few forced carries with a number of inviting ground game holes. The entire course has great variety and demands a number of different shot shapes. It has to be one of Canada's most scenic courses, which allows less knowledgeable golfers to be wowed just as much as passionate students like myself.

With a peak season weekday rate of $119 (< $100 peak season afternoon/shoulder season rates) , Greywolf also has to be one of Canada's best value courses - its worth every penny! If you're visiting the Banff area I would certainly recommend driving a couple of hours into British Columbia to see this one. Message me if you have it in your plans, I just might drive out to golf with you!


'Til next time, keep your stick on the ice!

The Golfing Canuck