It was founded 100 years ago in 1922 and now in the year of its centennial, the Penticton Golf and Country Club has been selected by the readers of PentictonNow as the best golf course in the region.
What makes it such a hit? Its history certainly. Decades before Penticton was even incorporated, the Kettle Valley Railway -- the key transportation link through the region at the time -- promoted the concept of a golf course as a means of bringing people to the area.
The PG&CC was the answer.
The facility would move no less than four times in the early years before settling into its current spot, a gorgeous setting on the banks of the Penticton Channel, some 60-odd years ago. In 1961, it became the first 18-hole course in the BC interior.
A stunning new two-level clubhouse built in 2008 was positioned to take full advantage of spectacular views over multiple fairways. That clubhouse still features all the amenities a golfer needs, including the casual Blue Heron Restaurant where the walls are filled with the works of local artists.
At any time of day, the PG&CC is picturesque. Despite being just five minutes by automobile from the heart of the city and the mega-popular Okanagan Lake Beach, the course feels far more remote. Mountains rise dramatically to the west and the fairways are peppered with trees and water features.
And then there's the Channel. Several holes border upon it and three are on the other side, accessible only by a footbridge that offers close-up views of the gently flowing water underneath and the wildlife it supports.
Indeed, the course has a reputation as a birders paradise.
"The reality is that there's tons of wildlife here," says member and noted artist Ron Gladish. "We have a fabulous bird population. Some waterfowl species we don't even see except when they stop here.
"And it’s all to do with the water management and the green space. This stream here is part of an overflow water system that was built in the 50s with the city to manage water. It's all integrated."
Today, the Club is in the midst of Audubon International certification and has developed a good friendship with the South Okanagan Naturalists' Club, which regularly takes bird surveys on the land.
It's also well connected. Highway 97, the Okanagan's north-south artery, skirts its northern boundary. Nearby attractions like the South Okanagan Events Centre, Penticton's new brewery zone and the Naramata Bench wine region are mere minutes away. And it's on the cusp of the city's hot new North Gateway neighbourhood.
Most of all, it delivers a great game of golf at affordable rates. For more information, check out the Penticton Golf and Country Club website here.
Check out the runners up here.
