Golf in the Rockies at Banff Springs Golf Club

This Banff, Alta. golf club excites even the most discriminating golfer

There are certain word pairings that quicken the pulse of the discriminating Canadian golfer. Tee time, for one. New clubs. And Banff Springs. The grand dame of mountain golf represents the ultimate Canadian union of towering rock and sprawling fairway, from the sheer drama of the par-3 “Devil’s Cauldron” to the finishing majesty of “Windy,” the brawny par-5 closer. The looming Rockies that frame each hole play with your sense of depth perception, and the babbling glacier-fed creek, crystalline lakes and wandering elk drive everyone to distraction. A classic Stanley Thompson design that’s considered his most enduring work, Banff Springs is as much about communing with nature’s glory as it is about playing golf. Regardless of how you might strike the ball, regardless of how you might score, playing 18 holes at Banff Springs is an exercise in restoration. If relaxing at the spa is your thing (or your spouse’s), look no further than the Willow Stream spa, where a full-service hair salon, fitness centre and spa operate in the midst of the natural opulence of the Rocky Mountains. Between the golf, the wilderness and the pampering, if this doesn’t rejuvenate your soul, you might not have one.