GOLF, CANADA, TRAVEL

Golfing With Bears in Banff

⏱ Estimated Read Time: 3 minutes

Hey everyone, I’m back! Last weekend, I took a trip out to Calgary and spent some time golfing up in Banff and Canmore. Man, it was beautiful up there. I didn’t really know what to expect. I’d been to Banff once for a day, but I’d only ever really seen it in pictures.

The whole experience was surreal. We were out there playing golf, and because it’s Banff, you see a lot more wildlife than you normally would. It was insane. We had freaking elk just grazing on one of the holes. We were like, “What do we do here? How do you play? Do you just play through this? Walk around them? Are they going to attack us?” It was quite the challenge. Luckily, we drove over them, and they minded their own business and walked away. I was thinking, “Holy smokes, what if these things charge at us? What are we supposed to do?” But no one else seemed bothered by them, so we just kept playing.

We played a few other courses. There was another course we played called Stewart Creek, and we were at the driving range when a black bear was just peeking its head out and walking around. We were like, “What the hell?” Then they told us to just ignore it; it was going to mind its own business and try to avoid us. So, we kept playing, and luckily, we didn’t see it again.

Then we played Canmore, another beautiful course. All these courses were really beautiful. I can’t get over how surreal and picturesque they were. It was a little chilly when we went, but it was supposed to rain, and it didn’t. It only rained for about an hour on the tail end of our day at Canmore, but otherwise, it was bright. Not super bright, but it was chilly. Amazing golf.

At Canmore, they told us there was a bear around, and if we saw it, we should let someone know, and they’d chase it off. But it shouldn’t bother us too much. We didn’t see it, but we saw a bunch of bear poop everywhere, so I was a little more hesitant to go into the woods looking for my ball. I was like, “Alright, that ball’s gone. Time to get another one.”

Apart from that, most of the courses weren’t too difficult. They had nice, open fairways, except for Silvertip. Silvertip, man, holy smokes. Unless you’re hitting in the low 90s, that course was brutal. Super narrow, with houses on the left and right. If you have a slice like me, that course was just dangerous. But it was fun and beautiful. Mountain golf is something else. I’ve never experienced it before. We were just rolling on the side of a mountain, playing on these small fairway edges, and it was a fun time. Something I think everyone should experience, especially if you like golf.

My dumb ass, for some reason, decided that the night before I got there, I was on a full-on fever, sweating buckets, having chills—the worst thing. I was just hoping I wouldn’t be bedridden for the next two or three days. I just kept popping Advil and got through it. I’m still recovering and a little hazy, but it was a fun time. Beautiful time, beautiful people as always.

Golf is a beautiful sport and gives you excuses to do these things that normally you wouldn’t. No one’s traveling to Banff just for the sake of it. Maybe when you’re younger, you travel for sports a little more, but when you’re older, golf becomes a perfect travel excuse, especially with your boys.

I highly recommend checking it out. That’s all I got. I just hope I can make a speedy recovery and get back to normal. Peace!

YouTube: Golfing With Bears in Banff

updated_at 31-07-2025
Ai Disclosure: The above posts were transcribed using AI tools. Some language may not have been accurately transcribed.
Ai Header Image Prompt: High-quality, ultra-detailed digital painting with elements of abstract digital art. The scene depicts a surreal golf course nestled within the majestic Canadian Rockies, specifically evoking Banff and Canmore. A lone golfer is captured in a dynamic, slightly blurred motion, their form rendered with a subtle, ethereal glow. Intertwined within the natural landscape are abstract representations of local wildlife: a black bear emerging as a semi-transparent, digitally fragmented silhouette, and a majestic elk composed of luminous, layered geometric shapes. The fairways feature both realistic textures and subtle, integrated digital patterns or light trails, suggesting an otherworldly experience. The mountains rise in a blend of detailed rock formations and abstract, crystalline edges. The color palette is rich with cool forest greens, deep blues, charcoal greys, and highlights of frosty white and amber light, evoking a crisp, wild atmosphere. The overall composition should feel dreamlike and slightly hazy, emphasizing the unique blend of nature and a challenging, surreal experience. Ensure all human limbs and hands are naturally formed and anatomically correct. The image should avoid an overtly 'AI-generated' or 'stock photo' appearance. No text or titles.