Ho-Hum Sun Rivers

Kamloops, BC - Sometimes it’s not the golf course, it’s the golfer.

That was certainly the case on Tuesday, when Ben and I teed off at Sun Rivers, a golf course surrounded by housing developments on the rims outside of Kamloops.  The course was fair enough, but my drives weren’t.  We didn’t close the day with a terrible score, but it wasn’t what we should have had on a wimpy little 116 slope.  Oh, well, there’s always tomorrow…at least when you’re on a golf vacation.

But while it wasn’t the cause of my lackluster round, Sun Rivers certainly doesn’t inspire great play.  It was named one of Canada’s best new courses in 2003, but it’s hard to see why. Winding back and forth in hair-pin curves, the cart path defines 18 holes that are tiered up and down steep slopes lined with houses.  Many holes offer a full view of Kamloops below – and there aren’t many folks who would say that’s a really special thing  (See “Not our nicest town” blog from June 22), unless they really like power lines and industrial sprawl. The back nine was less house-bound than the front nine, but you never get the feeling that the houses are here because of the course, rather than the other way around. This was a course built with housing development in mind.

The course doesn’t give up its secrets easily.  Several holes had blind tee shots (see photo above), and a couple of holes provided no view of the green from the middle of the fairway, either.  The course book offered some clues to good placement, but that usually only helps the second or third time around a course.  As a newcomer, it’s a crapshoot. 

The only thing other than the touted “view” worth mentioning about Sun Rivers is the restaurant, where diners on the deck can watch putters and chippers on the practice green and offer cheers or jeers as appropriate. (We mainly cheered, not having proven ourselves much better in our round.)  The food was tasty and inexpensive, and the waitress cheered us up after our mediocre round with her chipper attitude. 

At least the weather held.  We hope for the same tomorrow.