Fairmont Banff Springs Resort - Canadian Rockies Golf at its Best

(August 2008) A quote on the Fairmont Golf website says "When you play a round on one of our courses, you'll remember it for a lifetime." While this is true, the same can be said about the Fairmont Banff Springs Resort and the overall vacation experience it offers.

First, let's talk about the hotel itself. If you have ever seen pictures of the Banff Springs Resort, it actually is what it appears to be - a castle in the mountains (the majestic Canadian Rockies to be more specific). The hotel is styled after a Scottish castle and there are few hotels in the world that can rival the hospitality and scenery he Fairmont Banff Springs has to offer. It is a unique blend of opulence and seclusion and has become a symbol of Rocky Mountain magnificence for more than a century. The Fairmont Banff Springs offers stunning vistas, championship golf courses, unparalleled skiing, classic cuisine, and a world class European-style spa.

Speaking of the spa, in order to stay at the forefront of the spa industry, the Willow Stream Spa at The Fairmont Banff Springs received a 2.3 million dollar facelift in the fall of 2003. They continue to offer first class pampering surrounded by majestic mountain beauty. The spa is now 38,000 square feet and completely refurbished.

Guest Rooms: The Fairmont Banff Springs offers all the amenities of a world-class resort, with 768 superbly appointed guest rooms and attentive, personalized service. From cozy rooms tucked away in quiet corners of the castle to spacious suites with sweeping Alberta mountain views, The Fairmont Banff Springs has the perfect room for even the most discriminating of guests.

Golf - The Stanley Thompson Eighteen

Stanley Thompson, Canada's master golf course architect, outdid himself when he designed this 18-hole masterpiece in 1928. The course winds along the Bow River under the snow-capped peaks of Sulphur Mountain and Mount Rundle. In 1999, the course underwent a $4.5 million face-lift and now features bluegrass fairways and bent grass greens. For the most part the greens are very large and, while only slightly undulating, can at times be difficult to read. As this tends to be a mountain course, you will find rugged, hilly terrain and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and Bow River.

Memorable Holes

Number 4: 192 yards. "The Devil's Cauldron" as it is affectionately known throughout the world, is the signature hole on the Stanley Thompson Course. Not only is it one of the most photographed holes in the world, Golf Magazine ranks it among the world's four best par threes. It features a 100-foot drop from tee to green and plays across a crystal-clear, glacier-carved lake. The long, unkempt rough places an emphasis on accuracy. A steep bank runs in the front of the green, so whatever you do, don't be short. It is wise to hit an extra club here because the “bowl” that surrounds the green will funnel everything back to the middle of the green.

Number 7: Par 5, 602 yards. A long par 5 that is actually reachable in two for long ball hitters (it must have something to do with the thin mountain air). For the rest of us, you'll want to keep your tee shot to the right side of the fairway to avoid the large, fairway bunker. Play your second shot short of the collection of fairway bunkers to leave yourself a short pitch shot to a long narrow green that slopes gently from front to back.

Number 10: Par 3, 218 yards. One of the most memorable par 3s I have ever played. This long par 3 requires a very demanding shot to a green protected by water in front and to the right as well as a large bunker to the left. Club selection on this hole is critical because the wind is usually head-on. Once on the green, you will find a large, flat putting surface with a small slope in the back right.

Number 15: Par 4, 475 yards. We've all probably played par 5s that are shorter than this par 4. For my money, it is the best par 4 on the course. You start be taking a long ride up the hill to the tee, which sits right behind the Waldhaus Restaurant (before it was the Waldhaus Restaurant, this building served as the clubhouse and this was the first tee). At first, your tee shot seems quite intimidating: not only are you about 100 feet above the fairway, you will need to carry a stream. Plan on going up the right side of the fairway to take the straggling pine trees on the left side of the fairway out of play. Your second shot opens up from the right side of the fairway. The green is well guarded by large bunkers on the left, right and in back. The green slopes upward at the back and has many other undulations; it's not uncommon for a putt to break two or three times.

Number 18: Par 5, 578 yards. In order to shorten this hole, you may want to consider taking your drive over the fairway bunker on the right. In order to do this, you have to drive (the ball) over one of the local roads that tend to be fairly well travelled. Make sure you have your insurance information available in case the shot turns out to be worse than expected. Should you choose a more conventional route off the tee, keep it left. That will leave a second shot over fairway traps and put you in a good position for a short pitch to the green. Avoid the right side, as the bunkers and mounds can ruin your score. The two-tiered green and extreme slope toward the front will challenge even the best. Uphill putts are extremely slow; downhill putts can be treacherous.

In the event you are not playing up to par (pun intended) just pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and take in your surroundings. This area of the world gives a whole new meaning to the term "God's Country." Each hole seems to produce a view more spectacular than the previous hole. You are likely to see elk, bighorn sheep, and even the odd black bear during your round. Above all else, make sure to take a camera; your friends simply won't believe you when you try and describe the scenery. And, since a picture is worth a thousand words, you'll save a lot of breath.

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