Today, Northlands is a superb test of your game for golfers of almost all abilities.
Having the same management in place over the years has allowed them to listen to their patrons and it has resulted in a consistently excellent experience every time you pay the course a visit. Staff are friendly, efficient and professional in the pro shop, on the course and in the Northlands Bar and Grill. It's private club-level service, but with a friendly "everyone is welcome" vibe, a quintessential North Shore
I have played many courses in British Columbia over the years. There are some spectacular facilities to be found both in the Lower Mainland and beyond. Yet Northlands remains tough to equal in terms of course condition, level of service and sheer value.
The truth is that the pursuit of recreational golfing dollars has become very competitive and savvy course operators understand the need to provide a superb experience if they want to keep people coming back. The crew at Northlands gets it. They are adding new power carts with GPS screens. Companies or organizations can hold tournaments here, and drainage has been upgraded on holes 12, 13 and 17.
They have also taken advantage of the last couple of years of benign weather to bring the playing surfaces in to the best condition they have ever been in. In mid May, the course was in mid-summer condition. By the time summer arrives in earnest, it will be magnificent.
It is always interesting to watch the reaction of someone playing Northlands for the first time. I was joined on a recent weekend by friends Larry Verigin, Dan Rothenbush and Les Gaspar. Of the foursome, only Gaspar had never played Northlands before.
We arrived in time to warm up on the putting greens and stretch aging muscles. It is possible to walk Northlands but it's quite a hike and we opted for power carts.
Standing on the first tee at Northlands is exhilarating. Above the bustle of the city in the quiet of the forest, a day filled with possibilities lies before you. Accompanied by friends, there is nothing to do but play.
At 6,504 yards from the back tees, Northlands can appear daunting. That is part of Les Furber's design strategy: he is a master of distraction.
A case in point is the first hole. With a lake at the bottom left of the slope and trees running down the right side of the fairway, it appears to offer a narrow landing area, yet when you arrive there it's wide open.
The tendency is to go too far right to take the water out of play, and we did. It almost doesn't matter how many times you play Northlands, falling for its tricks of the eye is hard to avoid. With us to guide him, Gaspar was getting into the swing of things. His tee shot on Number 2 was about 200 yards out with a great look at the putting surface.
He was on and down in regulation for the day's first par. On the third hole, the first par-3 at 177 yards from the tips, the free Northlands smart phone app came in very handy. As well as allowing you to book tee times, keep score, and find out about special offers, there is a GPS-linked distance calculator. For some reason, I always have difficulty judging distance on Northlands' third hole. I tend to land too short or too long. With the GPS to assist me, I landed short but only just. Gaspar's real initiation began on the tee of the fourth hole.
Ranked most difficult on this challenging course, it's a 558-yard leviathan and almost all up hill. It's the opening salvo of a six-hole gauntlet that doesn't ease off until you putt out on the ninth green. A competent player, his tee shot was centre left and a respectable distance. He walked off with a bogey, a good result for a first attempt. There is a duality to Northlands. The front nine, with its topographical pyrotechnics, is more about managing your round. Playing it steady and down the middle will allow you to emerge with a respectable score and leave you in good position to attack the pin on the back nine.
That, at least, is the theory.
We held our own against the more arduous stretches of the front nine, even recording a birdie by Verigin on the 220 yard par-3 eighth hole. At the snack shack, we paused a moment to refuel before returning to the fray.
The 10th hole at Northlands is all Les Furber. At 337 yards from the back tees, the large green visible in the distance is fronted by a lot of water. The fairway runs downhill toward the pond and a fairway wood or long iron is your best bet off the tee. Unless you manage to make the bottom of the down slope, you are almost guaranteed a tricky lie, but push it too far and you are in the soup.
Holes 11 through 14 give you some excellent scoring opportunities. Number 11 is a longish par-4 but with few distractions, 12 and 14 are par-3s and 13 is a short par-4 with the green tucked out of sight from the tee box.
A good tee shot of about 230 yards down the middle gives you an excellent look at the putting surface. Gaspar managed our group's second birdie of the day here.
Number 15, ranked second most difficult, is in close competition with number four for most difficult hole. About 270 yards out from the tee box is the first of Northlands' environmentally sensitive hazards. It's a long way across and if your second shot is anywhere near fat, you can kiss your ball goodbye.
Number 16 is a downhill par-3, 17 is a 491-yard par-5 and both give you a chance to score if your tee shot is accurate.
The final hole at Northlands is a great finish to an enjoyable round. An elevated tee gives you a look across a broad vale to the green and clubhouse rising in the distance. It's as fitting an end as the first tee is a start. Surrounded by all that beauty, playing golf with friends.
You can book tee times up to five days in advance by using the free Northlands mobile app for iTunes or Android. For Saturday, book noon on Monday prior. For Sunday, book noon on Tuesday prior.
Adult green fees are $65 Monday to Thursday and $70 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Junior green fees are $32 (under 18) Monday to Thursday and $35 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Senior green fees (65+) are $48 Monday to Thursday, $56 Friday, and $70 Saturday and Sunday.
First Twilight $50 daily. Second Twilight $40 and Sundowner is $30. Early Bird (Monday to Thursday before 8 a.m.) $55, Fridays $60. Sunrise (Monday to Thursday before 7 a.m.) $45, $50 on Friday.
Nine and Dine special: Adults $42, kids $28. Starts 5:30 p.m. Includes green fee and meal voucher: $10 for adults, $7 for kids. Cart rental not included.
Tee times can be arranged online at golfnorthlands.com. Proper golf attire is required.
Video below by Mark Hood.
