Radium Resort

The scorecard of the Radium course indicates it plays to a par 72 and has four tees on each hole. Yardages for the course range from 5,389 yards from the forward tees and 6,269 yards from the tips. On this overcast and cool September day, there didn't appear to be a starter or any other golfers around so we just took it upon ourselves and teed off 12 minutes ahead of our scheduled 11:05 AM tee time.

The tee box and opening fairway on hole 1 looked dry and the grass displayed varying shades of green and brown grasses. A good indication that there was a serious lack of irrigation. Looking around the course from the elevated tee box on hole 2, browned fairways as far as the eye could see confirmed the observation made on hole 1. All the tee boxes on the course were scruffy and to some extent appeared to be neglected. With the dry conditions, fairways played hard and firm and resulted in three unwarranted penalties when three good drives ran through the doglegs and ended up OB.

The greens are smaller targets and played as firm as the fairways. Approach shots didn't stop as anticipated and resulted in only four GIR. The pins were not freshly cut and looked like they were the same pins that they would of played 5-6 days ago. The green speeds were inconsistent. The layout felt awkward and there was a little confusion finding the next tee on two occasions. On top of the dismal course conditions, we unknowingly caught up with 5-6 groups of ladies who just happened to be out playing their season wind-up round which in turn made our round of golf play longer than four hours. During our prolonged five hour, twenty minute round, we had a chance to chat with other golfers that regularly played this course and they readily commented that present course conditions were disappointing.

There are plenty of other courses within a 35 minute drive in the Columbia Valley that will provide you far better value and playing conditions for your golfing dollar than the Radium Course.