Pitch & Putt – Picture Perfect

April 18, 2005 - Too often the zeal to get a tee time on one of the Park Board's magnificent full length golf courses makes one forget the easier and slower passed alternatives where swings can be analyzed or new players introduced to the gentler, kinder art of golf.

The Vancouver Park Board operates three majestically landscaped 18 hole pitch & putt golf courses, one in each major sector of the city. What better place to train the old duffers among us or teach the next generation than on one of these evergreen oases surrounded by some of the best plantings you'll find anywhere.

At Stanley Park Pitch & Putt, golfers are treated to giant evergreen trees spotted around the course, some eagle topped and some with the telltale spring board cleavage hinting at a past that saw this land logged three times before becoming parkland in 1886. The perimeter of the course was lovingly planted in the late 1960s with a collection of hybrid rhododendrons and azaleas donated from a famous nursery at Royston on Vancouver Island – we now know this wonderful grouping of plants as the Ted and Mary Greig Rhododendron Garden and though it has something to offer nearly every day of the year as far as bloom goes, late April through the summer dish out a symphony of colour and scent.

At Queen Elizabeth Park Pitch & Putt, the golfer is afforded landscape with high placed views and a 360 degree panorama with a special orientation south to Mount Baker. The park itself boasts an outdoor arboretum featuring every native tree species found in Canada, two superbly planted quarry gardens, the exotic and bird-filled Bloedel Floral Conservatory and Season's Hill Top Bistro . All these attractions make a visit to the Queen Elizabeth Park Pitch & Putt one that could be expanded to encompass the better part of a day.

Rupert Park Pitch & Putt never looked better and its north east sector location offers grand north shore mountain views. Located in an idyllic setting, this par 3 course shows an imaginative use of trees and water. Elevated greens, and a series of ponds that bring water into play on 4 holes make Rupert Pitch & Putt a challenging and enjoyable course but one also ideal for the beginner. The Pro Shop offers club and caddy rentals, as well as club, ball and tee sales. A selection of light snacks and refreshments are also available.

Fees for Pitch & Putt golf on Vancouver Park Board courses are nearly 4 times less for adult play compared to full length courses making it an affordable alternative as well as an excellent break from the fast paced competitive drill.

And there is more than enough time to smell the "rhodos" all along the way!

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