The recent BC Women's Amateur was held at Arbutus Ridge GC in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island, located north of historic Victoria via the Trans-Canada Highway over the scenic Malahat Drive.

Aside from providing an outstanding host facility for this British Columbia Golf Championship event, the course and the surrounding Arbutus Ridge village community are part of the magnificent Cowichan Valley region.

Coach Shayain and her able 'assistant' took some time to showcase what the region has to offer along with its outstanding golf destinations. 

Who Wouldn’t Be Entranced By The Beauty & Challenge Of One Of The Great Holes On The Valley Course At Bear Mountain (Photos by Gord Montgomery / Inside Golf)

By Gord Montgomery, Inside Golf

VICTORIA, British Columbia — When you plan a golf trip, the most important thing, of course, is the golf. You want top-end tracks, great hospitality from the pro shops you visit, and pristine turf conditions wherever you tee it up.

You’ll find all of that, and more, on the wonderful Vancouver Island Golf Trail. Here, from the beautiful city of Victoria in the south to the charm of Campbell River in the north, this journey is a joy from beginning to end.

Don’t Let The Tight Fairways At The Fairwinds GC Fool You — This Is An Outstanding Play With Great Birdie Opportunities Throughout Its 18 Holes.
(All Photos by Gord Montgomery / Inside Golf)

By Gord Montgomery, Inside Golf

PARKSVILLE, British Columbia — When you plan a golf trip, the most important thing, of course, is the golf. You want top-end tracks, great hospitality from the pro shops you visit, and pristine turf conditions wherever you tee it up. You’ll find all of that, and more, on the wonderful Vancouver Island Golf Trail. Here, from the beautiful city of Victoria in the south to the charm of Campbell River in the north, this journey is a joy from beginning to end.

While The Fairways & Greens At Crown Isle Golf Resort Are Large & Inviting, The Numerous Water Hazards Spread Throughout The Layout Make It A Challenging, But Fun, Play
(All Photos by Gord Montgomery / Inside Golf)

By Gord Montgomery, Inside Golf

COURTENAY, British Columbia — When you plan a golf trip, the most important thing, of course, is the golf. You want top-end tracks, great hospitality from the pro shops you visit, and pristine turf conditions wherever you tee it up.

You’ll find all of that, and more, on the wonderful Vancouver Island Golf Trail. Here, from the beautiful city of Victoria in the south to the charm of Campbell River in the north, this journey is a joy from beginning to end. And oh, yeah — year-round golf doesn’t hurt either!

image courtesy golfinbritishcolumbia.com

Golf in British Columbia have put together some amazing packages for golf trips in BC. Please take some time to check out the information and terrific golf destinations that British Columbia has to offer below.

There is no better time to explore and enjoy golf in BC than right now.

The Ninth Hole At Fairwinds Golf Course In Nanoose Bay - ^{_{Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf}}

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PARKSVILLE -- It takes more than great golf to make a great golf road trip. Think about it. On a three-day golf getaway, you and your pals are likely only going to spend about 12 hours on the golf course. No matter how good the golf is or how many birdie putts you drain, the quality of the considerable time spent away from the course will ultimately determine just how memorable that trip is.

That’s one of the reasons why the Parksville & Qualicum Beach area of Vancouver Island is such a great destination for a golf getaway. During my recent three-day visit -- we’ll call it the Mid-Island Express -- the golf was terrific. But so was the time spent between rounds.

The Nanaimo Golf Club Is A Hidden Gem Designed By A.V. Macan And Will Celebrate Its 100th Birthday Next Year - All Images Courtesy Nanaimo GC/Helijet

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

I told my wife it was going to be a tough day at the office, but she wasn’t buying it. She knew I was golfing. Again. And she knew this little one-day golf getaway was going to be different from all of the others.

After all, I was travelling in style. My day began at Helijet’s Vancouver Harbour terminal, where I boarded the 8:40 a.m. flight to Nanaimo. Did I mention the sun was shining? As luck would have it, it was one of those picture-postcard kind of days when we West Coasters really appreciate where we live.

The views were outstanding as our chopper flew low over the Lions Gate Bridge and out over the Strait of Georgia. Not even a couple of double-bogeys were going to spoil this day.

Pitt Meadows Golf Club, while a member-owned semi-private golf club, encourages public to come tee it up.

The New Campbell River G&CC Course Was Built Very Quickly On The Site Of The Former Sequoia Springs Layout. This Is The Par 3 Sixth - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

CAMPBELL RIVER -- If the folks at Guinness World Records had a category for fastest construction of a golf course, the newest addition to the Vancouver Island Golf Trail would certainly be a contender.

Campbell River Golf & Country Club, which opened in early August, came to life in about 17 months. Apparently no corners were cut because the course turned out beautifully.

Vancouver Island offers year-round golfing in some of the prettiest places you'll ever swing a club. Just ask Scott McCarron, recent runner up in the PGA TOUR Champions Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship, who had this to say about the Mountain Course at Bear Mountain Resort on the Vancouver Island Golf Trail: "It's really one of the prettiest golf courses I've played in my life." And Scott McCarron has played a lot of golf courses in his life. 

Bear Mountain is not alone in offering views aplenty and gold-medal worthy golf. Vancouver Island is home to more than 40 golf courses, boasting a vast array of golfing options, from mountain-top fairways to oceanside courses, city clubs to world class destination golf resorts.

Andrew Penner (Freelance)

CALGARY, AB - No, it’s not likely the pig-tailed prom queen on the golf course beverage cart is going to be ditching her ice-chilled stock of beer for Australian Syrahs and Oregon Pinot Noirs any time soon. After all, golf and beer go together like cake and ice cream. But, thanks to wine regions like Napa, Niagara – and one you’ve rarely, if ever, heard about, Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley golf and wine are getting paired together more and more often. And, if you’re like me, the palate can definitely make room for the combination.

Over the past decade, Highland Pacific has been an almost silent blip flashing on the edge of Vancouver Island golf radar screen.

But little did almost anyone know that it would turn out to be a supersonic Stealth fighter.

The GBC Golf Academy at Olympic View is taking an innovative approach to getting juniors fired up about the game of golf. From a program that can see kids getting a black belt in the fairway arts to the adoption of area schools over the past two years the Olympic View Golf Club and its Golf BC branded GBC Golf Academy has committed to growing the game with a multi-faceted community based approach.

Ecoasis Developments, who purchased the Bear Mountain lands and assets last October, has announced that the future build out of the community will include keeping all 36 holes of the Mountain and Valley courses.

by Jeff Sutherland

The idea of gracious living on the Westshore is nothing new. As far back as the opening of Royal Colwood Golf Club in 1913, there has been an attraction for residing near golf courses west of downtown.

by Gord Montgomery

At this time of the year in the golfing world a virulent strain of ‘disease’ shows up, simply known as the Golf Bug.

When this ‘sickness’ strikes, especially on the prairies in the early months of spring, sufferers have a tough time dealing with its side effects.

by Gord Montgomery

Everyone needs a little “island time” now and again but one doesn’t have to wing over to Hawaii or Mexico to get it.

Rather, all you have to do is make your way to Vancouver Island and its great array of golf courses to have an ideal “I got away” weekend be it in the spring before the prairie’s golf courses find their way out from under the snow or in the fall, as the cold winter winds begin to blow in.

by Sue Kernaghan - written for Tourism British Columbia

How's this for a golf getaway? You, your clubs and your favourite foursome travel the world, sampling the game in its myriad forms.