Alberta’s Silvertip Resort features one of Canada’s most stunning golf courses. (Photo courtesy of Travel Alberta)
Sure, Canmore’s Silvertip Resort is now a destination golf course, its fairways framed in Rocky Mountain dream vistas. But long before the 18 holes were dreamed up, I used to run this network of trails at the base of Lady Macdonald barefoot, playing hide and seek, taunting ranch horses, or sledding through the chinooks with my crew of 5-year-old vagabonds.
That was long before the rise of Canmore as a bedroom community to Alberta’s oil boom. I had a bowl cut, no cable TV, and lived beside the Sundance Motor Inn, a world away from the posh Silvertip clubhouse that is there today. So it was fitting, after so many years, to meet up with one of my oldest friends to revisit the rare landscape and play golf, something that was entirely out of sight when we grew up here in the 1970s.
Golf at Silvertip is nothing short of spectacular. Designed by local golf architect Les Furber, who worked under legendary Robert Trent Jones Sr., the course is a par-72 championship track with more elevation gain than most beginner ski hills. It plays anywhere from 5,100 yards (forward) to just over 7,100 yards (tournament). No matter where you play from, or how well, get ready for a wild ride.
Silvertip is a bit of an amusement park, holes so dramatic that riding between them in the mandatory golf carts feels like it’s an experience designed in a virtual reality lab. It’s a high-quality destination golf course built across roughly 600 acres of exotic earth, where elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and bears are not uncommon. The elevated tees tend to take full advantage of the Bow Valley views and offer more late afternoon sun than other courses nearby. Big drops, tight corridors, and challenging hazards reward smart club selection and shape many of the holes with otherworldly views of Miner’s Peak, Mount Rundle, and the famed Three Sisters.
The No. 8 hole at Silvertip is indicative of the golf course’s open fairways that present breathtaking views of the mountains surrounding Canmore.
Silvertip’s second hole is especially tantalizing. The downhill par 5 is one of the most photographed holes in Canadian golf for good reason. It features more than 80 feet of elevation drop from tee to green, and measures 514 yards from the championship tees (496 blue, 480 white, 471 gold, and 423 forward). However, it plays considerably shorter than the scorecard suggests because of the steep descent. Strategically placed bunkers can quickly penalize wayward shots but there’s a realistic chance of reaching the green in two. All in all the hole sets the stage for the journey ahead, balancing risk and reward against one of the most breathtaking backdrops in golf. And for me it started a flood of memories.
As I’ve gotten older I’ve found that golf brings people together. I use it as an excuse to meet new contacts all of the time. I am definitely a player who doesn’t mind mixing it up with somebody I’ve never met. I like to hunt for conversation as much as I do for stray Pro V1s. Increasingly, however, it’s become a way to reconnect with people I care deeply about, which is a bit unexpected. So when my childhood friend suggested Silvertip I was all for it. And it proved to be the perfect social lubricant, as we swung between shot selection and reminiscing about the joys of playing on Policeman’s Creek or running wild at the Purple House. We agree that most of the best parties we’ve ever been to were before we were 8 years old.
For the two of us, lifelong friends and unlikely golfing partners, playing on luxurious Silvertip brought us back together, speaking the common language of the links and rolling us through the awkwardness of catching up. It definitely felt odd to be passing actual mansions along routes that I am pretty sure we used to take to the town dump. And some of the references to old Canmore felt a little hollow on Silvertip but that’s just because we know parts of Canmore’s real story intimately.
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Navigating the change of being hippie love children in a then unknown highway town must pale in comparison to how it feels for Indigenous peoples from the Stoney Nakoda Nations, who have a relationship with these lands that stretches back millennia. Because the ecosystem is so sacred and rare, the balance of golf, luxury housing, wildlife, and conservation is a bit conflicting.
Rustica is the fine-dining restaurant at Silvertip Resort in Canmore. (Photo courtesy of Travel Alberta)
The Montane grasslands that are the backbone of Silvertip make up less than 1% of the land base in Alberta and are considered among the province’s most threatened ecosystems. However, the resort maintains Audubon Certification and has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program by preserving the natural heritage, limiting the use of pesticides, protecting the local watershed and providing a sanctuary for wildlife.
Silvertip was recognized by National Geographic for its environmental commitment and, in addition to more than 100 documented bird species, supports a kaleidoscope of wildflowers, including arrowleaf balsamroot, Indian paintbrush, lupines, wild roses, purple asters, and sticky geranium. It’s always worth taking time to learn about the connection of the natural and Indigenous past, but nothing should take away from those who are here to play, because it’s truly an amazing wilderness destination that should be experienced by all.
Up until just before the 1988 Winter Olympics, Canmore was the kind of place that welcomed just about anyone, rich or poor, to its priceless landscape. But the cost of admission these days is nearly as steep as Ha Ling Peak. While it historically catered to the boom and bust of a coal miner’s luck, you could now spend a small fortune on a three-day vacation.
For accommodations, the Malcolm Hotel, which ironically sits on or near the site of the old trailer park, is a less than 10-minute drive from Silvertip and in close proximity to all the town’s amenities. It offers high-end luxury suites with private balconies, panoramic views, and a heated pool, ranging upward of $1,000 per night. Other luxury options are plentiful and include the Iron Mountain Penthouse, a three-bedroom three-bathroom condo with custom artwork, a chef’s kitchen, and unobstructed views of the Rockies from every window and the 27-foot deck. While still pricey, more budget-conscious travellers should check out Falcon Crest Lodge and Basecamp Suites.
Rustica is the fine-dining restaurant at Silvertip Resort in Canmore. (Photo courtesy of Travel Alberta)
Dining options are plentiful in Canmore. These range from änkôr, a nationally acclaimed restaurant, to local favourite 4236, and even Silvertip’s highly touted Rustica Steakhouse. But planning ahead is important because Canmore can be packed with tourists and änkôr in particular is open for limited hours. For less highfalutin food options look to Tank310 Brewery or even happy hour at the Bridgette Bar.
Silvertip is built to complement and compete with the likes of Stewart Creek, Kananaskis Golf Course, and the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course. It’s definitely a notch to add to any destination golfer’s belt. Frankly, it’s hard to get these views wrong in almost any context.
You could be scoring horribly on every hole, or just along for the ride in the cart, but like a lifelong friend, it would still be difficult for this golf course not to leave an indelible mark. Truthfully, it isn’t the course quality that will be the most lasting memory of Silvertip for me. It’s the sparks of an ageless friendship and the intimate connection we have, and will always have, to this remarkable place.
