Golf in Vancouver

Vancouver-area golf courses offer challenging golf with great scenery. Most are open year-round. For advance tee-time bookings at about 20 Vancouver area courses, or for a spur-of-the-moment game, call Last Minute Golf (604/878-1833 or 800/684-6344. www.lastminutegolfbc.com). The company matches golfers and courses, sometimes at substantial greens-fee discounts.

The Vancouver Park Board operates three public courses, all located on the city's south-facing slope. The most celebrated is the 18-hole, par-72, 6,700-yard Fraserview Golf Course (7800 Vivian Dr., South Vancouver. 604/257-6923; 604/280-1818 advance bookings), where facilities include a driving range and a new clubhouse. The greens fee is C$55-C$58. The other two, both 18 holes and with slightly lower greens fees, are Langara Golf Course (6706 Alberta St. 604/713-1816) and 7188 Macdonald St. 604/257-8191.

Furry Creek Golf and Country Club. This challenging 18-hole, par-72 course is on the Sea to Sky Highway, a 45-minute drive north of Vancouver. The course has stunning fjord-side scenery, but with many blind shots it can be tricky to play. The C$109 peak-season greens fee includes a mandatory cart. The course is closed late October to early March. Rte. 99, Furry Creek. 604/896-2224 or 888/922-9462.

Northview Golf and Country Club. Situated in lovely rolling terrain in the city of Surrey, southeast of Vancouver, this club comprises two Arnold Palmer-designed 18-hole courses (both par 72, and both open year-round). The greens fee for the Ridge course is C$85-C$95; the fee for the more challenging Canal course is C$65-C$75. An optional cart at either course costs C$25-C$40. 6857 168th St., Surrey. 604/576-4653 or 888/574-2211.

Seymour Golf and Country Club. A semiprivate course, its holes wend around towering old-growth fir and cedar trees at the foot of Mt. Seymour. It's open to the public on Monday and Friday, and has a fairly strict dress code. Greens fees run C$73 to C$79. 3723 Mt. Seymour Pkwy., North Vancouver. 604/929-2611.

University Golf Club. Located on the city's west-side Point Grey peninsula, this historic course is par 71, and 6,560 yards. Facilities include a clubhouse and dining; it's also home to the British Columbia Golf Museum. Greens fees are C$60 to C$70. 5185 University Blvd., Vancouver. 604/224-1818.

Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club. Westwood is a well-manicured, 18-hole, par-72 course located just east of the city; it's closed November through March. The greens fee, which includes a cart, is C$169. The club also has a restaurant open seasonally. The 9-hole Academy Course nearby (604/941-4236) is open year-round. 3251 Plateau Blvd., Coquitlam. 604/552-0777 or 800/580-0785.