The Best Walking Courses in Kamloops
True, there are some able-bodied people that will NEVER, even if a rocket launcher was pointed at them, walk a golf course. And that’s OK. Walking is very risky. You can get tired. You can get a blister on your pinky toe. And nobody, at least to my knowledge, has invented a 4-beer holster that you can install on your belt. Power carts, on the other hand, have this. And they typically have other cool stuff like seats, baskets to store your extra beer, and small coolers to store more extra beer. But let’s be clear about something here: walking – for those who are able, of course! – is an awesome way to play golf. And Kamloops boasts some of the best walking courses in BC.
Unless you’ve been hiding under your power cart, you probably know that the benefits of walking are well documented. Allegedly, walking, just like scrolling on your phone and reaching for your remote control, is a fundamental movement of the human body. You will burn twice as many calories if you walk vs. ride. You will be healthier. And, because you will not be tattooing the golf course with tread marks from your cart, the golf course will also be healthier. (There might be some additional benefits to walking and I’m currently researching this.)
But, for now, enough about the benefits of walking. I’m somewhat confident that I’ve mostly sold you on the merits of walking. It’s time to discuss where to walk. While golfing. In Kamloops.
To cut to the chase, Kamloops has a trifecta (I was considering using the word triumvirate, which is also a very nice word), of sorts, of great walking golf courses. Pause. (This is now the drum roll part of the story.)
And the three best walking courses in the Kamloops area are: (Sorry, this is actually a better time for the drum roll.) The Kamloops Golf & Country Club, Rivershore, and The Dunes.
The Kamloops Golf & Country Club
Situated just west of town on Tranquille Road, this semi-private oasis is about as benign a walk as exists in British Columbia’s spectacular championship golf scene. A gerbil could walk it. While the site is flat, it’s absolutely beautiful. Massive trees of many varieties line the fairways. And the distance between greens and tees is mere steps. Unquestionably, if you’re looking for a friendly and peaceful walk on an exquisite parkland-style golf course, this is it!
The Dunes of Kamloops
True, there are a few dunes to negotiate at The Dunes, a Graham Cooke-designed links-style course located on Westsyde Road in Kamloops. However, this relatively open, beautifully-shaped course is a jolly-good jaunt. There are no big hills and no big distances between holes. And this will definitely help your score as well. Because, this way, you’ll have more energy to devote to your violent lashes at the ball.
Rivershore Golf Links
Hugging the banks of the South Thompson River just fifteen minutes east of Kamloops, Rivershore is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design that is eminently walkable. Again, there are no cardiac-arrest-inducing hills and the routing is nicely spaced. “Walking the course is a great way to observe our beautiful natural setting and the local wildlife,” says Kevin Oates, the General Manager at the course. “Eagles, ravens, and our resident turtles are fun to experience at a walking pace.” Right! Enjoying nature. It’s always much easier to do this when you’re on foot!
While there are some golf courses in Kamloops where walking should only be attempted by Mongolian camels or other hoofed animals, the walking-game is certainly alive and well in Kamloops. And the aforementioned three are the “no brainers.” Personally, in spite of the risks, I love walking golf courses. The best part? The caloric burning that transpires affords the golfer an extra ale at the end of it all.
