Information:
- Kelowna, British Columbia
- Public – Daily Fee
- Bill Robinson (1980)
- 103th in Canada (SCOREGolf)
Kelowna has always been on the map thanks to Gallagher’s Canyon Golf & Country Club, built in 1980. It was a local favorite, and one people often visited when coming to the city for the wineries, the lake, hiking, or any of the things the Okanagan Valley is famous for. But in 2016, Gallagher’s Canyon played host to The GolfBC Championship and skyrocketed up to 50th on the 2016 Top 100 Canada list, and got thrown into the mix for “must plays” in the area, with Predator Ridge and Tower Ranch. While it may not be up in that prestige, mostly due to the now dated look of the bunkers and a few holes, Gallagher’s Canyon is still a solid option and if you like seeing courses that PGA Tour sanctioned events are held on, Gallagher’s is a good way to spend upwards of five hours.
Front Nine
The opening par 4 at Gallagher’s Canyon is a difficult start to the round at 434 yards
The approach to the short par 4, second, working back up the hill the 1st came down from
The mid-length par 3, 3rd is 175 yards, with the ‘canyon’ on the left
The par 4, 4th swings up the hill to the right, with a lateral hazard on the left
Some odd 440 yards, the 5th tumbles down the slope and to the right
The grass bunker plays as the main hazard on the reachable par 5, 6th, with Kelowna in the background
The approach to the sharp dogleg left 7th, from the corner of the dogleg
The long-ish par 3, 8th is perched up above the bottom of the hill where the 7th green lies
The second of reachable par 5’s on the inner nine closes out the front side
Back Nine
The par 5, 10th plays as a par 5 at 511 yards, and a par 4 for the GolfBC Championship
The approach on the 11th plays slightly uphill through the forest
The par 5, 12th is a weird, double dogleg par 5, but features a good green complex, shown
The uphill par 3, 13th plays to a three-tiered green
Good land and a good approach at the 14th unfortunately spoiled by the cart path
The short and tight par 4, 15th plays 350 yards from the TOUR tee
The downhill par 3, 16th, with the entrance road in the back, plays 218 yards from the back deck, making it the longest par 3 on the course
The par 4, 17th’s approach from the inner corner of the dogleg left
The final hole at Gallagher’s Canyon is a short, 350 yard par 4 playing slightly uphill towards the clubhouse
Takeaways
Best hole: The 511 yard, par 5 10th would be my vote if it was a par 4 (I think it’s a little bland as a 5, but quite good as a 4), so I’m going with the 434 yard, par 4 1st. Downhill off the tee, then playing back up the hill towards the green on top of the hill.
Worst hole: the double-dogleg 520 yard, par 5 12th is my vote. The player is required to hit it in the left rough to even get a chance to get it to the green in two. But the trouble doesn’t stop there, since you’ll have to slice it into the green. Anything in the fairway is almost a necessary layup.
Overall, Gallagher’s is a fun round of golf. Sure, it’s not without its own faults, but there is a lot of shining characteristics that make it worth playing on a weeklong golf trip to Kelowna. If you have time, play the Pinnacle before, as its a fun little 9 hole executive style course. Enjoy the round, and if you ever wanna feel good about your game, remember that the winner of the 2016 GolfBC Championship Dan McCarthy shot -28 through 4 rounds — 66, 66, 63, 64. Sheesh.
