Kokanee Springs Golf Resort

Few golf destinations in western Canada earn the kind of devoted word-of-mouth that Kokanee Springs has built since opening in 1967. Designed by Norman Woods, the course occupies a remarkable piece of ground on the eastern shore of Kootenay Lake, where the Selkirk and Purcell mountain ranges frame virtually every hole. It has consistently ranked among the top public-access courses in British Columbia, and golfers who make the trip — which includes a scenic ferry crossing from Balfour — tend to talk about it for years afterward.

The layout moves through mature stands of ponderosa pine and fir, with Kokanee Creek threading through the property and several holes demanding precise carry over water or careful positioning to avoid the timber. The mountain views are constant and genuinely dramatic, but the course earns its reputation through design, not scenery alone — it asks real questions at every level of the bag.

Crawford Bay sits in the East Kootenay, a region better known for backcountry wilderness than resort golf, which gives Kokanee Springs an unhurried, unpretentious character. The surrounding area draws hikers, kayakers, and artists, and the resort itself has a relaxed, away-from-it-all atmosphere that suits the landscape well.