Surprising fact #1: golf and downhill mountain biking have a number of things in common. For example, both sports are white-knuckle affairs that can cause blisters, nervous twitching and mental meltdowns. Also, both sports can require the “player” to clear mandatory gaps and if there is a failure to fly the adequate distance there are penalties that must be paid. However, when the “course” is finished and minimal carnage is realized, there is typically an ear-to-ear grin on the face of the participant. I learned all of this on my recent bikes and birdies binge to Whistler, British Columbia.
Located 75 miles north of Vancouver in Canada’s snow-plastered Coast Mountains, Whistler is, first and foremost, known as one of North America’s premier alpine skiing destinations. A co-host of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler attracts over two million visitors each year. And many of them come with skis and poles in hand. (The permanent population is just over 13,000.)
However, while Whistler is a tried-and-true winter wonderland, the summer season has a vibe — and a clientele — that’s entirely different. Two big reasons for this?
First of all, Whistler is regarded as an early pioneer and, arguably, the epicenter of lift-accessed downhill mountain biking. On both of the major mountains — Whistler and Blackcomb — dozens of trails plunge down the ragged fall lines. Incorporating machine-made berms, drops, gaps, jumps and other technical trail features, the trails here are legendary and people come from all over the world to ride in Whistler.
Secondly, Whistler is home to four of the best mountain golf courses in Canada. The Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, Whistler Golf Club, Nicklaus North and Big Sky Golf Club in nearby Pemberton showcase a bold-and-beautiful brand of mountain golf that’s been wooing discerning hackers for decades. Smashing golf balls against glacier-smothered peaks and putting on gorgeous greens that hug gem-blue lakes is par for the course in Whistler.
Surprising fact #2: golf and mountain biking pair well together. A morning ride. An afternoon round. Or vice versa. It works like a charm. Especially in Whistler where everything is in close proximity.
Surprising fact #3: downhill mountain biking does not have to be a bone-breaking, death-defying, Mach 3 type of experience. Most definitely, the half-crazy contestants in the Whistler Crankworx competition (watching the video footage will make you squirm) “play a game,” to borrow a phrase from Bobby Jones, “with which I’m not familiar.”
However, just like any sport, newbies — thanks to lessons, easy green trails with benign features and, happy happy joy joy, full body armor that can readily be rented — certainly have an entry point.
Although I have spent a fair amount of time on a bike seat, I found my private two-hour lesson with a qualified coach an invaluable, bone-saving necessity. And, although my skills were not even close to being adequate to handle a plunge down the A-line (the legendary black-diamond jump trail that made Whistler’s mountain biking scene famous), I managed to stay in the “cockpit” for a few leisurely laps down the gap-less and beginner-friendly B-Line.
“Gaps” are also the name of the game on the spectacular Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club. And, unfortunately, if you don’t possess at least a little firepower, you will struggle clearing a few of them. However, while the challenging front nine, which features a couple of tough-as-nails uphill holes, will keep you humble, the stunning back nine is an exhilarating downhill journey that epitomizes what the thrilling nature of the mountain golf genre is all about. Numerous holes, such as the postcard-worthy par-3 10th, offer wonderful vistas and down-the-mountainside tee shots.
While the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club is the poster child for high-thrills mountain golf, the other three courses in Whistler also boast exciting stretches and fantastic scenery.
At Nicklaus North, for example, the closing run skirts the shimmering shore of Green Lake and yields one of the prettiest settings for golf in the province. The 17th, a long par-3 with a sand-guarded green jutting into the water, is one of the most photographed holes in British Columbia.
Although much of Nicklaus North, a Signature Jack Nicklaus design, is routed on relatively flat terrain, the bold bunkering, wicked greens, water hazards and tree-lined corridors make for a challenging test. Interestingly, this is the only golf course in the world with “Nicklaus” in the title. So, yes, expect to encounter some “bear-ish” characteristics. However, resort players have no need to be overly intimidated. From the regular white tees the course is a modest 6,026 yards.
Situated right in the heart of town, the Whistler Golf Club is cut from a slightly different cloth. The layout is tight, sporty, walkable and user friendly. Designed by Arnold Palmer in 1987 (this was his first Canadian design), the WGC is appealing to, literally, any type of golfer. At 6,722 yards from the back tees, it’s an adequate challenge for scratch players. However, similar to Nicklaus North, from the regular tees (6,004 yards) it affords the average resort player a wonderful and “doable” mountain golf experience on a relatively mellow (but absolutely beautiful) parkland site.
Speaking of beautiful sites, the Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton (20 minutes north of Whistler) is pinched in a perfect pocket of fertile farmland right beneath the soaring ramparts of Mount Currie. The course, an exceptional Bob Cupp design that opened in 1994, glides along meadows and cuts through pines and is about as pristine and peaceful as golf ground gets. Thanks to beautiful bentgrass fairways and a wonderful, what-you-see-is-what-you-get character, this is a must-play course when visiting the Whistler area.
Speaking of what-you-see-is-what-you-get, if you are incorporating a little mountain biking into your Whistler golf getaway, I’d recommend keeping your eyes fixed on what’s in front of you. Just like golf, it’s way more fun clearing a gap than, ahem, not clearing a gap. Of course, you’ll be pleased to know that playing the “ground game” is totally acceptable in both. Final fact: Regardless of your driving skills, a bikes and birdies binge in Whistler will likely be the most fun you’ll have all year.
