Lethbridge, Gateway To Golf In Southern Alberta

Paradise Canyon Golf Resort, Lethbridge

By MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM

As a writer, it has been difficult to determine the correct time to create an article for any destination as the Coronavirus mange’s its influence on humankind. For many of us the concept of travelling outside of our provincial borders is not yet a consideration as this virus continues to dictate a new reality for tourism.

A reality where the decision will be on where we wish to travel domestically, what Canadian or provincial destination will provide a distinct attraction while managing the essential safety measures for the well being of there guests.

Travel to Southwest Alberta and the city of Lethbridge and you will discover a city where a renaissance of sorts has taken place. A focus on art has helped to revitalize this city of 100,000 as entrepreneurs reopen their boutiques, eclectic cafes and restaurants in historic, architecturally distinct edifices creating a renewed sense of community. The downtown is a picture-perfect destination; colourful alleyways, tree lined boulevards providing shade for the numerous outdoor patios. Even the angled parking adds to the small city charm.

Southwest Alberta’s fascinating history is honourably showcased at the Galt Museum, where inspirational exhibits focus on the hardships and accomplishments of early inhabitants. The city’s fabric is it’s past, which can be experienced, with a visit to the replicated fur trading post of Fort Whoop-U. One of Alberta’s most popular destinations, Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens, a natural, serene landscape and a testament to early Japanese residents is open once again.

Anchoring the art renaissance of the downtown core is the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, recognized as one of Canada’s leading contemporary art galleries it has spurred a renewal of design and pride for local artisans. Even the two local microbreweries, Coulee Brew Company and Theoretically Brewing Company have once again become a part of the spirit of the city.

A Focus on Sports and Golf

The city prides itself in it sports initiatives thanks to the efforts of the city’s Sports Council and Tourism Lethbridge. The cooperation of these progressive departments and support from local establishments such as Sandman Hotels, the diversity of eateries and passionate volunteers, has resulted in the city becoming regarded as a safe place to visit and one of Western Canada’s leading destinations for amateur and professional events.

Golf is no exception! Last season the city hosted many of the world’s finest players for the prestigious Canadian Junior Girls Amateur Championship. Since 2016, following the arrival of the PGA’s Mackenzie Tour the city has garnered national exposure for its ability to support premiere golfing events. Golf Digest ranks Paradise Canyon Golf Club, in Canada’s “Top 60 Golf Courses.

Golf is an important pastime for the residents and the region does not disappoint. Henderson Lake Golf Club opened in 1917 is an attractive public course where exceptional hospitality and well-maintained conditions make this a favourite for locals and visitors. If you have a member contact then take advantage and experience the private Stanley Thompson designed Lethbridge Golf and Country Club. An “original five historic golf clubs of Alberta” they have been the host to provincial and national tournaments since opening play began in 1913 and is a challenging and beautiful course to experience.

The place where everyone practices is Evergreen Golf Centre, with its state of the art training equipment, a clubhouse, ProShop and driving range. When warmer weather comes try your skill at their fun and challenging miniature golf courses and safe distance measures are in place. Lethbridge is also home to SteepleJAC Athletics, a company whose proprietary software enables golfers to score their game on any course in the world and pair up with assigned professional players on Tour stops. President, Cindy Ayukawa, says, “Our goal is to inspire golf enthusiasts, encourage participation thereby building the game and uniting players, worldwide. We have created a simple to manage scoring system that will add to the entertainment value of a daily golfer’s outing.”

Gateway to Golf

Thanks to the area’s hospitality industry, volunteers and sponsor support for golf Lethbridge is now recognized as a model for memorable events. This dedication has led to an influx of golfers from Western Canada and neighbouring States wishing to experience the fine golf courses of Southern Alberta

There are five courses within ninety minutes of the city’s centre all unique and memorable.  Drive west towards the majestic Rocky Mountains and you will discover the artistry of some of Canada’s most accomplished course designers, Thompson, Browning, Furber and Newis, championship in nature, historical by pedigree and all affordable.

I have had the opportunity to play Paradise Canyon, Lee Valley Creek, Waterton and Crowsnest and I have enjoyed each and every round. In addition, the nine-hole Fort Macleod Golf Course, the oldest course between Winnipeg and the West Coast is a fun and fitting addition to this list of celebrated courses.

I have made an attempt to create a distinct moniker for a golf trail that would unify the marketing efforts for golf in the region, recognizing the one commonality that each course shares – the ever-changing winds!

The “HEAVEN’S BREATH GOLF TRAIL”

Wind appears ever present throughout this southern territory of Alberta and it seemed fitting when attempting to identify a designation for a Trail that could encompass the majestic nature of the land that “Heaven’s Breath Golf Trail” was an apt signature.

Charles Blair MacDonald, the first great American golf architect stated,  “Wind I consider the finest asset in golf: in itself it is one of the greatest and most delightful accompaniments in the game. Without wind a course is always the same, but as the wind varies in velocity and from various points of the compass, you not only have one course but also have many courses.”

From Lethbridge a circuitous route west along Highway 3, 6 and then 5 will bring into play five memorable golf courses, each unique in their playability and vistas.  The Heaven’s Breath Golf Trail takes you along two lane highways ascending from the depths of ancient river coulees to the high passes of the Rocky Mountains. Where 150 years earlier settlers once journeyed for days to reach the Rocky Mountains now it is less than ninety minutes to reach the end of the Trail. Take three days, with Lethbridge as your base, and you will be able to experience five great courses and still have time to take in the views.


Day One

Paradise Canyon Golf Resort, Lethbridge

There could not be a better course to initiate play along the “Trail” than Paradise Canyon Golf Resort. Golf Digest recognizes it as “Canada’s Top 60 Golf Courses” and “Best Course in Southern Alberta.” This eighteen-hole championship course is another highlight of internationally acclaimed Canadian architect Bill Newis. The course is sheltered by the ancient cliffs formed by the adjacent Oldman River where Newis aptly incorporated the hills and undulations from the river’s sediment into eighteen character holes. The course provides four sets of tees ranging from 5282 to 6810 yards

The course is Championship in every way, from the time you arrive to a meal at the Resorts modern clubhouse.

I still smile at the comment made by Director of Golf, Matt Barkway when discussing the opportunities in creating the Heaven’s Breath Golf Trail,  “The perfect name but here the winds can seem a little less heavenly and much more devilish.”

This course is a true treasure!


Day Two

Lee Valley Creek Golf Club, Cardston

From Lethbridge take Highway 5 to Cardston less than 50 minutes away. For 115 years the centre of Mormon faith, the area has been  “dry” yet there is a spirit of the town reflected by the populace's pride in its historical preservation. Birthplace to King Kong’s girlfriend, Faye Ray, Cardston is also the site of North America’s largest collection of horse-drawn carriages and stagecoaches housed at the Remington Carriage Museum, so well known that an episode of The Simpson’s identified it as a vacation destination.

But it is not just the historical buildings and collections that have visitors coming to the area.  The Les Furber designed Lee Valley Creek Golf Club has been an area attraction since it’s opening in 2004. The course features numerous elevation changes and some of the regions most challenging greens and demanding par threes, a few measuring over 200 yards. But with four sets of tees there are alternatives for every level of golfer.  Furber is regarded as one of Canada’s most respected course architects, a protégé of Robert Trent Jones, Furber’s signature courses are found throughout the world, including Predator Ridge, Silver Tip and the Springs Course at Radium. His design philosophy is straightforward, create a course where the average golfer has alternatives for shot-making and “learn what people do not like about a course and avoid doing those things”. Lee Valley does not disappoint as the course conditions are kept to a high standard and the pace of play should be four hours and fifteen minutes. A grass driving range with plans to build a new clubhouse, Golf Advisor rates the Lee Valley a 4.2 rating out of 5.

 “Where Mother Nature would build a course.”


Waterton Lakes Golf Club, Waterton Lakes National Park

There are few courses in North America that are as scenic, historic and affordable as Waterton Park Golf Club. Inspired by the acclaimed Stanley Thompson and constructed in 1929.  Set in the shadows of the great peaks of The Rocky Mountains, the setting they offer is the perfect backdrop to the lushness of the fairways and greens.

In the true sense, this is not a course where one should think of as championship, no, Thompson designed this course to encompass the breathtaking beauty of the land. Not to say there are not challenging holes, there are many, but this is a course for a relaxed game with friends and family, a course where elk and bear keep their distance enriching the natural experience of this historic location.

The course has two sets of tees, white and red that play 5421 to 6108 yards. You will use every club in your bag!

The clubhouse and ProShop are rustic in their design adding to the historic sense of the course. Definitely enjoy a beverage and a bite to eat on the deck; there are few more scenic spots!

Situated within Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park, the Park borders Montana’s Glacier National Park. In 1932, it became the world’s first international peace park and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Waterton Lake Golf Course is an easy forty-five minute journey from Cardston, a proper finish to your second day of golf.

Another Stanley Thompson gem!


Day Three

Crowsnest Pass Golf Course, Blairmore

Crowsnest Pass Golf Course is Rocky Mountain golf at its finest. First opened in 1918 it has always been recognized as a beautiful and enjoyable course to play.

Where most courses across North America have been “watching their pennies” with regards to major capital expenditures Crowsnest has recently completed a major redesign and renovation of it’s property thanks to the fortuitous needs of the local mining company that required some land for a rail siding.  The opening series of holes were considered the weakest of the eighteen – they are now gone and in return the mining company provided all of the funds necessary to redesign the course and clubhouse.

With the funds available the course set out to contact one of Canada’s premier golf course designers, Gary Browning, whose award-winning projects include The Glencoe Club, Stewart Creek, Priddis Greens and the re-development of Kananaskis.

Under his watchful eye eight new or redesigned holes were created that have transformed this course as a definitive destination for golf in Western Canada. Every fairway and every undulating green is spectacular by nature; pristinely integrating glacial streams, majestic stands of pine with the distinctiveness of the terrain. There are four sets of tees; many of them elevated making the course playable by every level of golfer.

Crowsnest Pass is now the definitive destination golf course. With the completion of the new clubhouse this year, Crowsnest Pass Golf Course should be considered in Alberta’s “Top Five Public Courses.”

Rocky Mountain golf at it’s finest!


Fort Macleod Golf Course

If you have time, as you return home along Highway 3, it would be a shame if you did not have the opportunity to play one of Canada’s most historic courses, the nine-hole Fort Macleod Golf Course.

In 1890 it became the first course built between Winnipeg and the West Coast. With it’s mature tree-lined fairways, well kept greens with half the course historically designated, it is a pleasure to play. Where the Prince of Wales teed it up in 1924; along the coulee of the first hole, where wagon trail can still be seen that carried the earliest of settlers to Calgary and beyond; on the third, bones from a cattle that perished in a blizzard in 1898, as well as buffalo bones, are still found to this day - golf and history for less than forty dollars, the perfect course to end your journey along the Heaven’s Breath Golf Trail.

The nearby fort, according to the RCMP was the site of the then North West Mounted Police’s first musical ride, in 1876 and is still a popular spectacle.

Historic from tee to green!

As Macdonald aptly stated,  “I have travelled many a road experiencing golf courses of many designs but one thing is constant, a breath of air is always satisfying, providing rejuvenating bursts of freshness”.

The Heaven’s Breath Golf Trail will certainly be a a satisfying journey of fresh air and great golf!