"The Real" Wolf Creek, Alberta

[Jeff Mingay]

Ben Cowan-Dewar recently wrote a very good, and complimentary, review of Rod Whitman's 27 holes at Wolf Creek in Ponoka, Alberta at his GolfTravelInfromation website.

I thought some of you might be interested to read it: www.golftravelinformation.com/alberta/wolfcreek

Good show, Ben  

[RJ_Daley]

Jeff, Nice article.  Are there any other web sites to see pictures, or could you e-mail me a few if you have some in files?  

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Jeff,
Thanks for nice post.  As you well know Wolf Creek is a great golf course, really one of the best in Alberta and Canada.

For those who do not read the article, think of Wolf Creek when you consider going to Jasper Park.

RJ,
Wolf Creek has a website, they have a few pictures if memory serves.

Hopefully we will find a few in the group who have gotten to Wolf Creek.

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

RJ,
I forgot to ask, you did see the virtual tour option on our site didn't you?  If not there are all the holes on all three nines with pictures.

[Scott_Burroughs]

That is a very nice looking course, only a few holes that don't have a linksy look.  The one with the pond and water fountain looked out of place.

[Jeff Mingay]

The South course, which is the 9-hole addition to Wolf Creek's original eighteen, circa 1990, is so good: an awesome routing that takes full advantage of the natural attributes of a gently rolling property (both terrestrially and in terms of utilizing native vegetation to give the course a brilliant texture), great greens, an excellent variety of holes. Yet, it being in remote Alberta, no one knows about it.

Not to take away from the original course at all, because it's good. But Wolf Creek's South nine is truly a hidden gem in the world of golf.  

Wolf Creek Golf Resort should be on any golfer's itinerary when traveling in Alberta. It's an equal distance between Edmonton and Calgary, right on highway 2. Easy access!

[Jeff Mingay]

Then, wait 'til we open Blackhawk on the outskirts of Edmonton in spring 2003! What a foursome in Alberta: Jasper, Banff, Wolf Creek and Blackhawk.

And, notice to my American friends reading this post, your money stretches a long way up here in the Great White North  

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Jeff,
Perhaps this is a good time to bring up the interview here on the GCA with Rod.

[htm]http://www.golfclubatlas.com/interviewwhitman265.html[/htm]

My favourite question was:

How do you compare Stanley Thompson's work at Jasper Park vs. Banff Springs? Do you have a preference as to which course you enjoy more?

Rod's answer:

They are both nice courses. When I was younger we always made a summer pilgrimage to play at Banff. Some people prefer Jasper. Myself, I think they are both good.

I think that is a classic answer.  Seems typical of the man, I am looking forward to Blackhawk.

[George Pazin]

How close are the 4 courses to each other? Isn't Alberta huge?

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

George,
Alberta is huge, but this is sort of a sqaure.  Think of Calgary as lower right, Banff as lower left, Jasper as upper left and Edmonton is upper right.

From Calgary to Banff it is 1.5 hours.  Banff to Jasper (one of the greatest drives in the world) is about 3 hours.  Jasper to Edmonton is 2.5 to 3.  Edmonton to Calgary 2.5 hours.

I drove that circle this year, it is not bad.  Wolf Creek is actually one hour south of Edmonton.  Blackhawk (which opens next year) is very close to Edmonton.