With the golf season just around the corner, enthusiasts and first-timers have been given another great reason to choose Whistler as their mountain golf destination – green fees at all four of the resort’s signature golf clubs have been reduced for 2011.
The Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, Nicklaus North Golf Course, Whistler Golf Club and Big Sky Golf and Country Club have each dropped their rack rates by at least $20. Full prices at peak season now range between $129 to $159, with even greater deals to be found at twilight, sunset and early season periods. Early season green fees range from $85 to $109 with sunset rates starting from just $40. The new rate structure is very competitive; not only regionally but also in comparison to other premium resorts throughout North America.

“”Whistler sets itself apart from other golf destinations by offering four designer courses in a true resort setting with an unmatched choice of off-course options – from kayaking and glacier hiking to award-winning dining and a renowned nightlife scene,”” said Breton Murphy, senior manager of communications for Tourism Whistler. “”The enhanced value for 2011 and the stunning drive along the improved Sea to Sky Highway are sure to add to Whistler’s reputation as one of the country’s top-rated golf destinations.””

As spring weather converts the valley snow into lush grass, Whistler’s courses are preparing to open. The season swings into high gear on April 22, when Big Sky Golf and Country Club opens. Whistler Golf Club and Nicklaus North are taking bookings for May 6, and the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club is slated for a May 14 start date.

Other value enhancements to Whistler’s golf scene this summer include:

• Golf Whistler Passport from $199 includes a round at three courses
• Golf + Stay packages start as low as $355 for three rounds of golf and two nights of accommodation
• Kids Golf Free program: All three village-based courses in Whistler – Nicklaus North, Chateau Whistler, and the Whistler Golf Club – offer free golf for kids aged 10-18 when accompanied by a paying adult.

Whistler offers incomparable experiences for golfers and their families off the golf course with an extensive range of activities to choose from, including alpine hiking accessible via the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, ziplining through a temperate rain forest, and white water rafting along rivers that run past Whistler’s five glacier-fed lakes.

From May through July the resort also provides the opportunity to experience what’s become known as the Whistler Trifecta: a full round of 18 holes, glacier skiing atop Blackcomb Mountain and mountain biking in the world-famous Whistler Mountain Bike Park – all in one day! An extensive selection of activities, plus a vast range of restaurants, spas and shopping in Whistler gives visitors a new take on the 19th hole.

Located 668 metres (2,190 feet) above sea level, Whistler provides an unmatched setting for golf – ranging from valley floors surrounded by stunning farmland to mountainside courses skirted by one of Canada’s only temperate rainforests. The four signature golf courses – designed by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones and Bob Cupp – feature sprawling fairways and spectacular views of the region’s snow-capped mountains. Area lakes, mountain streams, stands of ancient cedars and forested course borders offer shelter for local wildlife such as brown bears, coyote, beaver, deer, birds and more. Whistler’s climate is exceptional for golfing – with mountain air cooling the mornings and evenings and average daytime highs of 24 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit). And with some of the longest days of the year May through August, with sunrise around 6 am and sunset after 9 pm, players have more than 15 hours of daylight to log up to three rounds daily.

Special Offers & Packages:
The Golf Whistler Passport provides great value all season long starting from $199 CAD. Available to BC and Washington State residents, the passport includes one round of golf at Nicklaus North Golf Course, Whistler Golf Club and Big Sky Golf and Country Club, plus the option to play additional rounds at any of the three participating courses for just $99 CAD for the entire season. This means a savings of up to 40 per cent every round. Call 1.800.376.1777 for information or to book.

Whistler’s Stay + Play Golf Packages, including two nights’ accommodation and three rounds of golf at any of the four courses, start at $355 CAD per person. Information, tee times and complete Whistler golf vacation packages are available at www.whistler.com/golf or by calling 1.800.WHISTLER.