Course Profile: Waterton Lakes

[Alex_Hunter]

In today's modern world of golf it certainly seems that maximalist design dominates the latest and greatest. The word minimalism is certainly thrown around a lot but, the term is likely misused more often than not, rather, restraint-oriented design might be a better terminology fit.

Yet there are still untouched old works like that of Waterton Lakes that are largely undiscovered by much of the golfing world. Located about 3 hours from Calgary and Banff, Waterton is a breath of fresh air that I would strongly encourage any GCA member to visit on a trip to see the likes of Jasper and Banff.

Hope you enjoy this read


https://golfclubatlas.com/countries/waterton-lakes-2024/

[Andrew Harvie]

I have a soft spot for Waterton Lakes. I grew up an hour away and used to go a fair bit, but I think how low-profile the architecture a lot in, as you mentioned, this arms race in attention from Instagram and media outlets.


In such a grand setting, it's well-known that Stanley Thompson added a bunch of pizazz to Jasper Park Lodge and Banff Springs, but Waterton Lakes is the antithesis of that—there are some big moments, like climbing the hillside at the 2nd and 11th—but most of the golf course is intimate and downright weird (2-4 especially).


It's well-worth the additional driving from Banff Springs. The town of Waterton itself hasn't been overrun by tourists like many of the famous Western Canadian towns so it still processes its soul, and where the golf course is generally means a steady breeze is always present.


There is better golf courses in Canada, but I don't know if the list of more fun golf courses in the country to play is all that long ahead of Waterton.

[Greg Hohman]

Alex, who gets credit for the wow-factor photos? Forgive me if the photographer is identified in the piece; the visuals have distracted from reading, for now.

[Alex_Hunter]

Alex, who gets credit for the wow-factor photos? Forgive me if the photographer is identified in the piece; the visuals have distracted from reading, for now.

Hi Greg, glad you liked the profile and photos. I took them on an early mid-September morning last year with my phone!
Shocking how good technology is these days.

[Joe Hancock]

Alex,


Thank you for this. It is a not-so-gentle reminder of the simplicity in which golf can reside in nature.


Joe

[Ben Malach]

Thanks, Alex


I appreciate you writing this and including my curmudgeonly comment that 16 must be experienced from the right hand tee.




Waterton, for me is one of those places for me in golf that just gives me pure joy. It's one of those places that is very simple if you examine it piece by piece but as a whole, it's just special. As it's easy to ignore the topography and how that plays out in the ever constant winds. Some times rivaling those of a tropical storm.


But even then at mother natures rawest, the golf course still works. This is why I find it most Simla to the rugged common land course than that of anything else in North America. As the type of year, the wind on the day have a much impact on your day as the pins and other human choices made in the setup.


Waterton, along with Wild Creek are truly must sees if you're making a tour of Alberta. Skip K Country, or anything else beyond Banff and Jasper to play both

[Matt_Cohn]

I have a question, because this certainly looks like a wonderful place to play. This also looks like a huge and open landscape, and I recall reading other GCA course profiles that say something like, "So-and-so wisely chose to construct wide, flowing fairways and sprawling features here, as narrow fairways, small greens, and straight-line features would have looked woefully out of place against the gigantic backdrop."


Waterton looks to have straight line fairways, small greens, and small bunkers, and it also looks like a really fun golf course. I just wonder how these things all go together. Does Waterton get a pass because it's a low-key, lower-budget course? Is the "out of place" claim in fact generally true, and that's why Waterton is a local gem rather than capital-G great golf course? Or is the "out of place" claim overstated, and you don't actually need to build large-scale features on large-scale properties?

[Alex_Hunter]

Hi Matt,


The property itself isn't all that large. The course sits up on a bench of land between the mountain, road into town and a river. You couldn't really build a bigger golf course here. It fits in quite well within its setting and you (or at least I) never really feel that things should be bigger or more grandiose.


With respect to small greens, they aren't terribly small but of course they have naturally shrunk over the many decades since its last noted work in the 1950's. There is a lot more subtle contouring and internal movement to them than any photos make them appear.


Waterton is more than a little gem. It is a great golf course. Is it World top 100, no. But it also doesn't need to be. Its natural ability to coexist as is within the landscape is what makes it great and evokes a sense of proper old Scottish golf.

[Carl Johnson]

My wife and I played the front nine, maybe 15 to 20 years ago, on a national parks trip.  I thought it was great and would liked to have played more, but my wife is  pretty much done after nine.  At the outset we joked about the sign out toward the first tee that said to beware of the bears, with typical tips on not getting in trouble with them.  Then when we were on the 7th tee (I know from having just read the article) a mother black bear followed by two small, cub-type bears, walked across the fairway just in front of the green.  Since we were a good distance away and have some acquaintance with bears, we were not concerned.  Shortly the family was followed by a course employee driving a golf cart.  When we spoke with him later he said, "We try to monitor bears when they come onto the course."  Not a bad idea.  I'll never get back there, but highly recommend the course to anyone who happens to be in the general area.

[Ian Andrew]

Alex,

My research notes have him making his original visit in 1929 and expanded to 18 holes in 1939. I could never confirm this. The lack of early mentions in any resource is perplexing - as you have said too. It's been so long that I can remember whether its from Bob Moote's list (he made a list of everything Stan did) or James Barclay that was the source of the note. Probably James. It know it was not Cornish, I just checked.

Anyway some notes below about the 1950's work:

"Waterton will definitely have at least the start of a new golf course by next year if the powers-that-be in Ottawa decide to go ahead with Stanley Thompson's plans. 'The expenditure will not be too great,' Mr. Thompson told me. 'Cape Breton National Park's course cost close to a quarter of a million dollars because we had to clear away so much rock, but Waterton will not be nearly so costly inasmuch as I plan to keep five or six of the holes already in operation and inasmuch as there will be few if any difficulties with rock'....."Mr. Thompson was told by Ottawa to come to Waterton and make plans for a new course. 'I am positive,' he said, 'that the only thing that can stop you from getting a lovely golf course now is a war'."
 
Lethbridge Herald - August 31, 1950 

"Stanley Thompson, internationally famous landscape and golf course architect, whose talents have earned him a very profitable livelihood, has been in Waterton for several days making plans for an entirely new layout located on the site of the present golf course."

Lethbridge Herald - September 2, 1950

"Mr. Thompson...spent the past week in Waterton conferring with park officials and putting finishing touches to the alteration plans he began several years ago. 'Golfers who expect the transformation to take place overnight are sadly mistaken,' he said. 'The work will be going on for several years at least before the course looks the way I want it to look'."

Lethbridge Herald - September 13, 1951

"Stanley Thompson, the famous golf architect, was in the park recently supervising preliminary work and laying out the new holes"

Lethbridge Herald - September 14, 1951

[Alex_Hunter]

Ian,

Appreciate the response.


I would be interested to see any documentation you might have to support Stanley's visit in 1929. I'm aware that it's referenced in a couple books like the Toronto Terror but there seems to be no accompanying references for which to accurately check the details of. My research at the University of Guelph archives, Lethbridge Herald archives and others never turned up sufficient evidence to suggest that if there was a visit it contributed to the courses' expansion efforts in the early 30's.

I did review the other items you referenced during my research. For purposes of synthesis in the article I felt it was an accurate summary of his work. I still contend Thompson had limited contribution to Waterton Lakes until his 1952 plan.

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