B.C. golf: Tee it up for a true, north, strong and free-swinging journey

Golfers are the Indiana Jones of the sports world. But instead of the bullwhip and brown fedora, they're decked out with ball caps and graphite-shafted clubs, roaming the globe in search of rare gems -- those terrific, sought-after courses tucked away in exotic locales.

That's why Vancouver Island is a dream destination, with more than 40 courses sprinkled across one of the great expanses of mountain and oceanside wilderness in North America. And much of the island is swaddled in a weather zone that features moderate temperatures and golf throughout the year.

The Island course generating the biggest roar is Bear Mountain. Opened in the summer of 2003 and situated 20 minutes north of downtown Victoria, the island's largest city, the course is a design collaboration between Jack Nicklaus and his son Steve. Built for around $15 million, the money behind the golf and real estate expansion comes from a group of current and former National Hockey League stars.

The stunning 1,000-acre property is all rocks, rivers, valleys, forest and mountain peaks. Nicklaus has stamped the landscape with his special paw print. The fairways are wide enough to keep the average player in the game, but to go low, you are forced to play a heroic brand of golf.

Bear Mountain has been assigned a slope rating of 152 (degree of difficulty), making it one of the toughest layouts in North America. Since the owners are mostly tough guys, they love the character of the course and have commissioned the "Golden Bear" to build a second 18.

Part of Bear Mountain's appeal is attention to detail. Instead of jumbo hot dogs at the halfway house, the menu includes lobster and blue crab sandwiches that can be washed down with chilled shots of vodka.

Players may require even more than that before tackling the back nine, with holes such as the 11th, a tricky, 152-yard, par 3 island green.

GOLF VANCOUVER ISLAND

The Olympic View Golf Club north of Victoria has a postcard pretty front nine that gives way to a series of tight doglegs and risk-and-reward holes on the back.

The 14th hole is a 523-yard, par 5 that seems to climb about three time zones, all straight up the side of the mountain.

When Nicklaus was making a site inspection, he discovered a spur of land that jutted out above the 14th green. He figured it was the perfect spot for a 19th hole and shoehorned in a 141-yard, par 3 with a green that seems to float halfway between the mountains and the Victoria skyline.

For more adventure on the green, a number of other top courses are in and around Victoria. Just north of the city is Olympic View Golf Club, with a handsome, glass-fronted clubhouse that juts out above the first hole, looking out to the Olympic Mountains in nearby Washington.

Inside the entranceway is a photo of a smiling Tiger Woods, who played the course as an amateur. In true Tiger fashion, he launched a massive drive over the ridge on 18 and finished his round with an eagle.

Olympic View's front nine is postcard pretty, but it's in the back loop where the game really begins, with a series of tight doglegs and risk-and-reward holes. Keep an eye out for the waterfalls that crash down at the back of the 17th green. Olympic View also boasts the most widely regarded practice facility on the Island.

Not far away is sister course Arbutus Ridge, which straddles Cobble Hill, above Satellite Channel and looks out across the Strait of Georgia to the snow-capped peak of Mount Baker in Washington. Opened in 1987 and designed by Bill Robinson, the course is famous for its 17th hole, a knee-rattling 214-yard, par 3 that plays to a peninsula green. Water swirls around three sides of the green and the other edge is guarded by an out-of-bounds marker.

GOLF VANCOUVER ISLAND

Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community in Courtenay is tucked under the shadows of the Comox Glacier and Beaufort Mountains. Mount Washington is just 40 minutes away, so golfers can hit the links in the morning at Crown Isle, then ski all afternoon.

Arbutus Ridge is a terrific value, with an $73-$89 (U.S.) package that includes return transportation to Victoria, greens fee, power cart and souvenir.

The Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community in Courtenay is tucked under the shadows of the Comox Glacier and Beaufort Mountains. In fact, Mount Washington is only 40 minutes away, so golfers who need a winter fix can tee up in the morning at Crown Isle, then ski all afternoon.

The accommodations at Crown Isle are some of the best in the province. The one- and two-bedroom golf villas are equipped with everything from high-speed Internet access to swimming-pool-size whirpool tubs. The adjacent resort center is also all encompassing, featuring an English-style pub, a steakhouse, a classic car museum, a pro shop and an exercise center.

The Fairwinds Golf & Country Club on Nanoose Bay is another spot that offers something for everyone. The 1,350-acre resort includes a hotel, 360-slip marina, tennis courts, beach volleyball, exercise center and championship golf course.

GOLF VANCOUVER ISLAND

The Fairwind's Golf & Country Club on Nanoose Bay offers something for everyone. The 1,350-acre resort includes a hotel, 360-slip marina, tennis courts, beach volleyball, exercise center and championship golf course.

The Les Furber-designed course is a nice throwback to the days when golf was more Albert Einstein than Arnold Schwarzenegger. At Fairwinds, you need to think your way around the course, not overpower it.

Save some time to hang out by the Fairways' marina where you can spot eagles, seals, sea lions and the occasional whale. Just another example of Vancouver Island's lineup of rare gems.

Golfers can find plenty more courses along the east coast of the island, especially around Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville and Comox -- together forming what's known as The Vancouver Island Golf Trail.

Vancouver Island golf -- www.golfvancouverisland.ca, 888-465-3239

B.C. tourism information -- www.hellobc.com, 800-435-5622

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