Golf in North Cowichan

Almost 50 years ago, Herb Plasterer—an architect, historian, and artist—acquired 190 lush acres nestled along Thetis Lake, where he envisioned building a public golf course that would preserve the land’s natural beauty. When Herb passed away, his wife, Rose Maria, and their six children decided it was time to realize his dream. Their hard work, along with that of course architect Chris Young, yielded the Audubon-certified Pacific Nine and Highland Nine that golfers tackle today.

While drinking in views of the Olympic Mountains, Thetis Lake Park, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, golfers face close-cropped fairways hemmed in by thick copses of trees and wetlands that swallow balls without even chewing them first. Cybergolf calls the Pacific Nine “truly sublime,” and Canadian Golfer—which lauds the course as being on “the must-play list”—marvels at the tricky contours of its par-4 fifth hole. Although more compact than its sister, the Highland Nine is challenging on its own terms, with uphill approaches that end in fast, unreceptive greens, as well as a number of downhill par 3s.

Before zooming across the fairways in GPS-equipped golf carts, players can warm up at a 300-yard-deep driving range that boasts heated stalls and an illuminated tee line. PGA professional instructors offer guidance during lessons at the golf academy, and students can fuel up for swings with homestyle soups, entrees, and sandwiches at the Range Café, rather than with the usual gulps of petroleum. The café also invites celebratory post-round sips of beer and wine out on a heated patio or next to a crackling indoor fireplace. And to keep guests looking fresh, the course laundromat will even wash sweaty polo shirts right after a round.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-71 course
• Length of 6,603 yards
• Six tee options
• See the scorecard

As golfers line up tricky, round-deciding rolls on the green of the signature 17th hole at Olympic View Golf Club, they might have to block out an unusual sound. Just behind the green, water crashes earthward for more than 60 feet over one of the course’s two waterfalls. The dramatic feature generates a roaring din as well as a beautiful backdrop for players as they near the end of their scenic golfing excursions.

Such tranquil scenes are common on the 6,600-yard course framed by the dense forest of south Vancouver Island and the looming profiles of Olympic Mountains peaks. But the calm can be deceptive, as the Bill Robinson–designed layout aims to challenge. Twelve lakes are interspersed throughout the site, and numerous bunkers intimidate golfers with their depth and walls etched with tally marks. This signature mix of beauty and difficulty earned the club a four-star rating from Golf Digest in 2008, as well as a ranking of 10th Best Public Golf Course in British Columbia by Score Golf in 2011.

The GBC Golf Academy at Olympic View Golf Club aims to prepare golfers mentally and physically for playing the most enjoyable golf of their lives. Located on 14 acres, the academy features nine large grass driving areas with target greens as far as 330 yards. In three short-game areas, players practice putts, pitches, and fake surprise at finding the ball in the cup. The amply appointed grounds complement a teaching philosophy that encourages development of a repeatable swing tailored to the individual’s physical capabilities.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,600 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 72.7 from the back tees
• Course slope of 133 from the back tees
• Four sets of tees per hole

At 3D Golf Performance, CPGA-certified instructors give back to the sport they love by combining their deep knowledge of real-world club swinging with some of the most impressive player-improvement technologies available. The Coquitlam facility's assortment of 3-D imaging technologies and finely calibrated simulators allows players to discover the nuances of club-head speed and elbow angles while teeing off indoors. Staff members quell the anxieties of traditionalists who find electronic contraptions perplexing by offering training clinics and educational sessions that demystify stroke-saving machinery such as operating TruTrac software, analyzing a swing with Target Zone tracking, and learning to reconfigure kitchen toasters as golf-ball washers.

A member on the Canadian Professional Golf Tour since 1998, Matt Daniel calls upon the experience gleaned from 14 years spent competing against some of the world’s best golfers to help fellow players improve their game. Daniel’s professional portfolio includes playing in a PGA Tour tournament and winning the Canadian Tour’s TELUS Edmonton Open in 2002 with a score of 21-under par, after which his scorecard burst into flames.

Matt imparts his pin-hunting prowess in lessons that focus on the mental, physical, and technical elements of the game. In addition, he joins students on the course for playing lessons that present the unique challenges and game-management strategies encountered in rounds, such as how to hit out of a bad lie or manipulate other groups into letting you pilot their cart into a pond.

A nine-hole, executive course consisting of five par-fours and four par-threes, Royal Oak Golf Club provides tee-to-green fun for clubbers of all stripes with an approachable 1,915-yard layout. The course presents two relatively short par-fours on which long hitters can attempt to reach the green in one with a perfect drive or a well-struck golf ball punt. Those who try to overpower the course must steer clear of its water hazards, which come into play on five holes. To prepare for their round, guests can schedule a lesson with Royal Oaks' CPGA pro Bill Wakeham.

After rounds, Royal Oaks' hilltop clubhouse enchants weary golfers with a lounge equipped with two big-screen HDTVs, dartboards, and free WiFi. The Club's outdoor patio overlooks the first and seventh tees, allowing golfers to enjoy a cold beverage or scold an underperforming nine-iron.

The blue and white peaks of the Olympic Mountains overlook the greens at Metchosin Golf & Country Club, where westerly breezes from the Salish Sea stir the pompoms of golfers' hats. Fir trees and deciduous flora have grown up alongside the course's 2,760 yards for more than four decades. The nine-hole, par-34 layout consists mostly of par 4s. Sand traps hug the edges of the putting greens on holes 1, 3, 6, and 9, their coarse textures thwarting clubs and stupefying golfers with the geological miracle called sand.

Between Tuesday and Thursday, the course invites golfers to Nine and Dine during afternoons or evenings. The event pairs nine holes of golf with repast such as flat-iron steaks, pork back ribs, and vegetarian burgers.

Course at a Glance:

• Nine-hole, par 34 course
• Length of 2,760 yards from the farthest set of tees
• Course rating of 67.7 from the farthest set of tees
• Slope rating of 113 from the farthest set of tees
• See the scorecard