IN the mid 1980s, golf began a surge in popularity that would see millions of people of all ages in hundreds of countries take up the ancient sport.
In the Lower Mainland, existing public courses struggled to keep up with the demand and tee times were hard to come by.
In 1993 the Sea to Sky corridor became home to one of the most astounding courses in North America: Furry Creek. Conceived and designed by the late Robert Muir Graves, Furry Creek was unlike anything anyone had seen before, and even today there is nothing quite like it anywhere else.
Carved audaciously out of granite cliffs, ravines and seashore, it is a visual stunner. The layout is a wild rollercoaster ride through the rainforest with spectacular vistas at every turn. Course condition is always first rate, and both the elegant clubhouse and the player assistants service provide what you would expect at a private club.
This is a course that inspires passion at all levels. To be sure, it's not everyone's cup of tea, but if you approach it with a positive attitude, it can actually help you improve your game. Furry Creek's secret (to some it's a cardinal sin) is that it forces you to think: you must play the shot in front if you. The driver-mid-ironputter trance most courses lull you into doesn't fit Furry Creek. Teeing off with an iron on a par 5 or facing a 165-foot drop to the fairway can make you a better player if you relax and go with it.
Twenty years on, it's still impressive. I joined in the fun of the Queens Cross Golf Tournament recently at Furry Creek and it was more enjoyable than I remembered. The run of spectacular weather we've been having means the course is in the best shape it's been in ages. Course superintendent Peter Bondy has kept a careful eye on the turf to coax the very best out of it.
One of my favourite spots in all of golf is on the 14th green. This putting surface sticks out into Howe Sound providing an intimidating target from the tee. Once there, you have the ocean at your feet, the view of the mountains and islands, the scent of the sea and the cry of the gulls.
We are fortunate to have such a facility within a few minutes' drive of home. Even if you don't golf, the Sea to Sky Highway is a beautiful drive and the restaurant in the Furry Creek club house is a lovely destination, particularly if you have out of town guests. If you do golf, the weather gods have been smiling and the course is in tip-top condition. Even if we get a bit of rain, as is forecast, it's been so dry that it will probably make the turf even better. If you have never been to Furry Creek, go. If it's been a while, return. You'll never find it in better shape.
Happy birthday Furry Creek.
