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Canadian Mountain Tracks an Unforgettable Experience

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If it’s good enough for Derek Jeter as a parting gift from the Toronto Blue Jays to say farewell after his remarkable MLB career with the New York Yankees, then a trip to Banff, Alberta, Canada to play the Fairmont Banff Springs course is certainly good enough for you and me.

But wait, we’re going to do the Blue Jays one better, or as Jeter’s charitable foundation notes, we’ll Take Two by adding in Banff’s Tunnel Mountain track, or as it’s more fondly known, the Hickory Course.

The mountainside course in Banff is regarded as one of Canada’s most recognizable and renowned resort facilities. In fact, this gem, designed by the late Stanley Thompson, is so well known they’ve gained worldwide attention and acclaim.

Fairmont Banff Springs Review

The scenery at this southern Alberta golf course is second to none with the majestic peaks overlooking the fairways and greens at one of the top resort courses in all of Canada.

Asked about one of MLB’s poster boys making a holiday trip to the area and playing their course, the Fairmont Banff Spring’s head professional. Simon Jones, said social media had been ablaze with the news.

“News traveled pretty fast,” said Jones about the announcement of the visit being made during a Blue Jays/Yankee televised tilt at Rogers Stadium in Toronto during Jeter’s last official visit to that city. “It was pretty big news social media-wise. For our staff, we’ve got a couple of big fans that work in our pro shop, it was nice.”

As of yet, Jones said there was no itinerary set for the visit and they’ve had no notification of an actual date. Even so, this news has put the golf course, and the entire Banff area on the map once again.

“I think so. Last year with the flood (that devastated a number of southern Alberta golf courses) we had the charity here with the New York Rangers. Any time we can have celebrities here it’s great. It’s a place we all think is wonderful, and we want to share it with as many people as we can.”

Since details still remain to be ironed out Jones isn’t sure whether or not he’ll tee it up with the Yankees legend, and if he does, he isn’t sure whether he’ll make the five-time World Series champ tee up his foul balls.

“That would be nice … it depends how much money he wants to put on the line!” joked Jones about playing alongside the multi-time MLB all-star. “I’m not sure of his ability on the course but it it’s anything like his other abilities, I could be losing money!”

Other than the off-chance you may actually get to tee it up at the Fairmond Banff Springs on the same day as Jeter, you still shouldn’t hesitate to play this magnificent track in one of the most beautiful spots on the globe.

The Fairmont Banff Springs track is a gem set right in the heart of the mountains. Now into its ninth decade of operation it offers to many the prototypical perks of a mountain golf resort – scenery beyond belief and holes that make one wonder how Stanley Thompson, the Canadian icon who built this course, managed to even see such magnificence back in his day.

The thing is, with its wide inviting fairways and large, accessible greens, Banff is a joy to play no matter your skill level.

“I think most importantly the course is built for all types of golfers,” the director of golf, Steven Young, noted as a key about his track.

“Stanley built a resort course and we make sure we offer yardages under 6,000 (yards) all the way to 7,000. We get touring pros that come through here and they love it. We get novice golfers, maybe first time players, and they can play from the forward tees and enjoy it. There are no forced carries except for one hole which means you can move it around the course without the worry of having to make some very difficult shots.”

That one hole with the forced carry is one you’ll rave about, photograph until the sun goes down, and then replay over and over in your mind regardless of what type of number you post.

Known as Devil’s Cauldron, the second par 3 on the front nine is breathtaking. It’s a downhill tee shot that tips out at 192 yards at its longest (also at 165 and 79 moving forward) and that “forced carry” is over a beautiful water hazard with the mountain that backs the hole reflecting off the surface.

Fairmont Banff Springs Devil's Cauldron

The beauty of this hole, known as Devil’s Cauldron, will live on in your memory long after you pick your ball up out of the cup at this stunning par 3 hole at the Fairmont Banff Springs.

As was his trademark, Thompson directs players around the layout through the strategic placement of bunkers. There are a lot of those in play at Banff and as much as serving as penal they more importantly show a player the proper angle from which to attack the putting surfaces.

“Stanley Thompson was really known for his bunkering – and we’ve been told that these are the best examples of Stanley’s bunkers here at the Banff Springs,” said Young. “A lot of courses nowadays might put 30, 40, 60 bunkers on their course; we have over 150 on just 18 holes.”

Adding to the allure of the Cauldron is the bunkering that comes into play, but doesn’t hinder play. Half a dozen bunkers, including one on the front edge protect the putting surface so you best be sure of your club selection before you put your ball in play.

This is a memorable track and one well worth playing. In fact, it’s such a good play it’s received acclaim from media types from all over Golf Digest’s Top 75 Resorts in North America and Best 25 International Golf Hotels; Golf Magazine’s Gold Resort and Top 3 Golf Courses in Canada and Golfweek’s Best Classic Canadian Course; 4th in 2012.

The Hickory Course

As for the little beauty that lays alongside its gorgeous big sister, Tunnel Mountain is a 9-hole gem of a different shade — it’s to be played with old-fashioned (but newly crafted) hickory shafted clubs and gutta percha balls.

The holes aren’t long, but then again you have to remember you’re not using modern technology. There are four sets of tees with the back blocks stretched out to a maximum of 3,287 yards and the front deck set at 2,252 yards.

The real challenge here is expecting to get the distance from those “old” clubs like you get from your set of today. Instead, you’ll find out quickly that the brassie and the mashie operate in the same way — that is you need to control your tempo but when you do, the result is fascinating.

Asked how to best play with these historical copies, Young suggested, “I think the feel golfer plays best with them because they adapt to how the head feels, the shaft, all of that. You can swing hard – you can’t be jerky though.

“The other thing is, hit it on the sweet spot. It’s smaller and not as easy to find (as on today’s club) but if you hit it on the sweet spot you’ll have better success.”

Regardless of what kind of success you have, or even a lack of success at either of the courses at the Fairmont Banff Springs the one thing you’ll never forget is the beauty of the area.

All of which goes to prove, if it’s good enough for Jeter, it’s good enough for us.

Banff Springs Hotel

The majestic Banff Springs Hotel towers over the course and offers a dramatic backdrop to your tee shot on some of the holes at the world famous golf course.

For tee times and hotel information on the incredible Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, call 1-403-762-6801 ext. 1.


Gord Montgomery is a retired sports editor of two weekly newspapers in the Edmonton area and is a member of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. He has written for Inside Golf for the past seven years with the majority of his coverage in north and central Alberta. He can be reached at [email protected]. He’s also on Twitter at @gordinsidegolf.

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