Pineridge Golf Club

Par-55 layouts get dismissed too quickly by golfers who equate length with legitimacy, but Pineridge Golf Club makes a compelling case for the short game as its own discipline. With all or nearly all holes playing as par 3s and executive par 4s, a round here demands precision and ball-striking consistency over raw power — the kind of game that exposes weaknesses a driver can usually paper over.

Kamloops sits at the confluence of the North and South Thompson Rivers in BC's Interior, a semi-arid landscape of sagebrush slopes, ponderosa pine, and wide open skies that looks unlike anywhere else in Canadian golf. The city punches well above its weight for a mid-sized Interior city, with a healthy mix of public and private courses drawing players who appreciate genuine four-season access — Kamloops is one of the driest, sunniest spots in the province.

Pineridge fits naturally into that accessible, community-oriented side of the local golf scene — a course where beginners find their footing, seasoned players sharpen their short irons, and a round moves at a pace that lets you actually enjoy the surroundings.