Banff Springs Hole #3 "Gibraltar" 528-yard Par5 Handicap 3
Knowing the hole that comes next, some first time visitors take the 3rd for granted. And given the thin mountain air, the tiger golfer may assume that a birdie is a foregone conclusion. However, ever the master of deception, all is not as simple as the golfer might hope. Firstly, the green is around the shoulder of the hill that protrudes from the right into play some sixty to eighty yards shy of the green. The tiger ideally needs to cut his ball to get home in two. At 60 paces long, the 3rd is second only to the 7th green (another three shotter) as the largest on the course. Though the golfer may be near the green in two, an up and down is not easy.With Mount Rundle rising up nearly one mile as a backdrop, the golfer is surprised to find a green that falls from front to back, i.e. toward the massive mountain. In a recent club professional event,the pin was cut inthe back right hole location. With golfers trying to get close in two and often times missing the green to the right, birdies were scarce as an up and down was next to impossible to the right to left pitched green. For the day, the hole played 6.09.
Banff Springs GC:
I've had a chance to play a lot of tremendous golf courses in the world. Kapalua in Hawaii has the greatest ocean views and trade winds. Sea Island in Georgia is lovely. Mission Hills in China is an amazing collection of a dozen courses. But nothing compares with my new favourite, the Banff Springs. It's a stunning Stanley Thompson layout at the foot of the marvellously old school Banff Springs Hotel in the Rockies. The conditions are exquisite, the design is absolutely first-rate and the views are, well, breathtaking. It's truly one-of-a-kind.
Banff:
Vermillion Lakes - A road circles a beautiful landscape just 2 mins outside the Banff townsite. It includes marshlands, tall green trees, the Rocky Mountains and of course a number of small lakes. At sunset, a salmon-pink sky sets a backdrop for an overpowering grey rock sitting to the side of a tree covered mountain. Along this paved road there are many places to stop off and get a view of the lakes and mountains. This landscape is so beautiful that people off the Trans Canada Highway stop off at the side of the road to take pictures! I often want to yell out, 'HEY! GO AROUND THE CORNER AND GO DOWN TO GET A BETTER VIEW'. Its so much better from below. It is actually very alienated there. There are not a number of cars lined up and parked along the side. I sat there for quite a while without any cars pulling up beside me. Its quite peaceful. I recommend you set aside some time during sunset and stay a while for the colour changes in the sky……Lots of wildlife around too
Best golf course in the world? Better than Kapalua? Man, only thing I hope is that it is more like six-of-a-kind than one-of-a-kind.
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