Silvertip Golf Resort in Alberta's Canadian Rockies

Silvertip Golf Resort, located in Alberta's Canadian Rockies, is one of the area's newest golf courses, and it's certainly the most dramatic.

The course is located in Canmore, just down the road from Banff, and is set on a mountainside, which sets up more than 600 feet of elevation change from the course's highest to lowest point. As a result, elevated tees abound, starting on the first and second holes and climaxing with the 13th hole, which is downhill 150 feet alone.

Silvertip Golf Resort's 18th hole, which plays back towards the clubhouse, is also severely downhill, making its yardage of over 400 yards a bit misleading. A good drive will leave just a wedge in for many players.

Silvertip is a golf resort with plans for a full-scale residential and village development, set to be built over the next 20 years or so. That said, there isn't much real estate on the golf course at this point. Most holes are framed by pines on either side.