It's no secret that the Okanagan is one of the top golf destinations in Canada.
Whether you're looking for a challenging round, amazing views or just an excuse to spend four hours in the sun, there's a course for you.
From the Harvest Golf Club in Kelowna's Mission to The Rise near Vernon, there are plenty of wonderful courses that each have a signature hole.
While we didn't feature every course, we've featured 11 signature holes from 11 courses that includes six par fours, four par fives and a single par three.
How many of them have you played and are there any signature holes in the Okanagan that should have made the list?
Kelowna Golf & Country Club
HOLE: 12
PAR: 5
The 12th hole at Kelowna Golf and Country Club may not look like much from the tee, but once you approach your drive you can see why it's the course's signature hole. The hole goes downhill towards a green that's surrounded by water on all sides except the front. Throw in some greenside bunkers and you've got a beautiful, yet challenging hole.
Predator Ridge (Ridge Course)
HOLE: 6
PAR: 4
Not only does the sixth hole at the Ridge Course offer some spectacular views, but it also gives you a chance to tee off of a high tee box to a lower elevation fairway, which always adds some yardage to your drive. With bunkers on the left and hills leading off the back and right of the green, it's not an easy one to hit in two.
Gallagher's Canyon Golf & Country Club
HOLE: 6
PAR: 5
It may not look treacherous, but Gallagher Canyon's signature hole is a long, tough par five that can punish you in a number of ways. With trees lining both sides of the fairway, a straight drive is important. It's also important to avoid the large berm that runs through the middle of the fairway with your second shot. Finally, the elevated green is surrounded by bunkers, making the approach shot a tad dangerous.
The Rise Golf Course
HOLE: 15
PAR: 4
There are a number of holes at The Rise that could be labelled as a signature hole, but the course picked number 15 for that honour. The tough par four doesn't give you much room off the tee and then forces players to hit a tough approach shot over to a green that has water in front of it and to the left, as well as trouble to the back. Pictured below the signature 15th hole is the 4th hole, which features one of the many amazing viewpoints at The Rise.
Tower Ranch Golf & Country Club
HOLE: 17
PAR: 5
Located literally on the side of a hill, the 17th hole at Tower Ranch is one that you need to keep it straight on. If you miss right, you'll be in tough on the side of a hill and if you miss left, your ball is likely going all the way down the other side of the hill. Tower Ranch's signature hole is another one that offers amazing views of the Okanagan Valley.
Okanagan Golf Club - Quail Course
HOLE: 18
PAR: 4
The finishing hole on Okanagan Golf Club's Quail Course is a gorgeous, dogleg par four that forces players to make a good tee shot. For most longer hitters, driver is not the play off the tee as a long iron will put you in a good spot to approach the green that is protected by a large pond in the front. You can also try to cut the corner off the tee, which forces you to clear some trees to find an extra sliver of the fairway, taking the water out of play on the approach.
Okanagan Golf Club - Bear Course
HOLE: 13
PAR: 5
The other half of Okanagan Golf Club, the Bear Course, has a signature hole that deals with a water hazard as well. The 13th hole is a par five that you can reach in two with a good tee shot, but it's also a hole that forces players to be accurate. With water on the left and out of bounds on the right, finding the short grass off the tee doesn't only give you a better chance with your second shot, but it avoids a penalty for losing a ball.
Sunset Ranch Golf & Country Club
HOLE: 17
PAR: 3
The only par three on the list, Sunset Ranch's 17th hole is a beautiful little downhill hole that punishes players for missing the green left, right or long. With a small pond guarding the front right of the green and bushes swallowing up any balls that miss left or long, it's important to hit the green if you want to save par. Sandwiched in between a pair of par fives, the finishing stretch at Sunset Ranch can truly make or break for your score.
The Harvest Golf Club
HOLE: 17 (not pictured, however, this is the Harvest's signature photo of the course.)
PAR: 4
The 17th is the longest hole at the Harvest. The tee box is slightly elevated, so you have a good look at the hole, for the most part, meaning there are no excuses for a bad score. While it may not be the most picturesque signature hole in the world, Harvest's website says it's by far the most talked about hole on the course.
Black Mountain Golf Course
HOLE: 5
PAR: 4
The fifth hole at Black Mountain is home to the only true island green in the Okanagan, but the water comes into play well before that. There's not much room to miss off the tee with the water running down the right side and a nasty hill and road running down the left. If you do hit the fairway, you're still in tough as you stare down the intimidating island green. Hole five at Black Mountain is surely one of the prettiest in the Okanagan.
Kelowna Springs Golf Club
HOLE: 17
PAR: 4
Like the 18th at the Okanagan Golf Club's Quail Course, the 17th at Kelowna Springs is a dog leg par four with a large pond as the center piece. While it's nice to look at, the pond can easily come into play and swallow up a golf ball or two, leading to a big score. If you can hit a smart drive down the middle, or even slightly through the dogleg and into the far rough, it makes the water a bit less of a threat on the approach. On your shot into the green you want to miss long, not short!
