KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK GOLF TOUR

FRIDAY, September 3, 2010 !
www.kamloopsthisweek.com
A23
KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK GOLF TOUR
KTW has embarked on a tour of golf courses
in the city and surrounding areas. In each Friday
edition, we will review courses played. Those
who have swung the clubs on the courses can
compare notes and, for those who have yet to hit
these links, consider this series a primer for your
first trip to the tee box!
TODAY’S STOP
CANOE CREEK GOLF COURSE
6015 Shaw Rd.
Salmon Arm
Par-72, 18 holes
7,026 yards (black tees)
4,893 yards (red tees)
FEATURE HOLE:
No. 3 at Canoe Creek looks easy on paper — a 134-yard par
3 — but it demands accuracy. An errant tee shot here can
land in water, fescue or one of four deep bunkers surrounding the green. James Murray/Black Press
TIM PETRUK
KTW REPORTER
The first thing that jumped out at me when I played
Canoe Creek was the driving range.
It looked like the outfield of a major league ball park —
but with flags interspersed every 50 yards or so.
While hitting balls before my round, I thought to myself,
“If this is the driving range, I can’t wait to see the course.”
I wasn’t disappointed.
The KTW Golf Tour visited dozens of courses this summer — and I played every round — but I don’t think any of
them were in the shape Canoe Creek was.
It’s a young course, yes, but so is Tobiano.
Canoe Creek should not be a relative unknown in our
region.
Designed by former PGA Tour player Dave Barr, it is a
gorgeous layout in a gorgeous setting.
The course begins with a 387-yard par 4 — 442 if you’re
playing from the tips — allowing some leeway off the tee
box, but demanding accuracy onto a narrow green.
Hole No. 2 is a short par 5, but golfers need to be accurate off of the tee box. A wayward drive here will land you
in a world of trouble in Canoe Creek’s thick rough.
The third hole is Canoe Creek’s first par 3, and it’s far
from easy.
Water protects the green — 120 yards from the whites —
on the right, while four bunkers line the left and back sides.
Beyond those bunkers — if, like me, you miss the green
by more than you’d planned — is a nasty mix of thick grass
and fescue, eager to absorb golf balls.
After two consecutive dogleg lefts — a 329-yard par 4
and a 463-yard par 5 — Canoe Creek’s No. 6 is probably the
easiest hole on the course.
A 120-yard par 3, there is no trouble for the straight
shooter, but bunkers and fescue lie off the green on both
sides and the back.
Three par 4s round out the front nine, leading up to
what might be the prettiest green in the Shuswap — Canoe
Creek’s No. 10.
Playing 303 yards from the whites, the 10th hole goes to
the left, so play your hook accordingly — if a drive is too
straight, it will hit a pond to the right of the fairway.
The approach also requires delicacy, with a pond — and
waterfall — ringing the left side of the green.
After finishing the pretty No. 10, the toughest hole on the
course is the par 5 11th.
A 433-yard dogleg left from the white tees, the smart
golfer will lay up twice and be happy to reach the green — a
narrow 35-yard long strip — in three.
NEXT WEEK: THE KTW GOLF TOUR
STOPS AT THE NEWLY RENOVATED
KAMLOOPS GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
The next exciting hole is No. 15.
The longest hitters could reach the green from the white
tees — 290 yards away — but it’s probably best to aim for
the trees on the right corner and try to get close.
If you hit straight — as I did, for once — your ball will
end up in a swamp.
The closing hole at Canoe Creek is a 316-yard par 4, with
a row of bunkers on the right side of the fairway serving as a
magnet for golf balls.
And, once you get closer to the pin, look out. A deep,
old-school sand trap to the right of the green is deadly.
Six feet deep, the bunker will suck in your golf ball and
demand a perfect shot to hit the green.
Play left on this one.
And, perhaps the most important piece of advice for golfers looking to play Canoe Creek — get directions.
It’s tricky to find in Salmon Arm, and the course’s age
makes it unavailable on many GPS units.
Check out Google Maps and figure out how to get there.