Kananaskis Country Golf Club – Mt. Kidd Course
- Canada
Course Architect:
Par: 72
Course Length: 7136 metres
The Kananaskis Country Golf Club is a facility born of government vision and reshaped by natural disaster. Commissioned by the Alberta government in the early 1980s to diversify the provincial economy, the facility features two courses: Mt. Kidd and Mt. Lorette. Both were originally designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones Sr. The Mt. Kidd course, established in 1983, quickly garnered a reputation for its spectacular setting at the base of the 10,000-foot Mount Kidd.
The restoration, led by architect Gary Browning, was not a mere repair but a reimagining. Reopened in 2018, the "new" Mt. Kidd retains the routing and spirit of Jones Sr.'s original work but features modernized infrastructure, improved drainage, and white silica sand bunkers that contrast vividly against the emerald bentgrass and grey limestone peaks.
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The round commences with a stern test, a long par 4 playing directly toward the mass of Mt. Kidd. The fairway is generous, a signature of Jones Sr., allowing players to open their shoulders. However, visual intimidation is high. The approach requires a mid-to-long iron to a large, receptive green guarded by bunkers. It sets the tone: ample room off the tee, but precise iron play is mandatory. Wind often swirls in the valley, making club selection on this opening approach critical to avoiding a bogey start.
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This is a true three-shot par 5 for the vast majority of players. The drive is framed by trees, but the strategic complexity arises on the second shot where the Kananaskis River guards the entire left side. The green complex is set back slightly, but the water remains the primary psychological barrier. The layup must be calculated to leave a preferred yardage, as the angle into the green from the right side of the fairway is superior.
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Situated at the edge of the property, this hole offers some of the best isolation on the course. From an elevated tee, the hole doglegs slightly left around a prominent fairway bunker. While the bunker dictates a draw, plenty of bailout room exists to the right. The green is relatively docile, offering a scoring opportunity if the fairway is found.
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Widely considered the signature hole of the front nine. This par 3 plays downhill to a peninsula green that visually mimics an island. The river flows to the far right, while a constructed lake surrounds the front and left. The bailout is to the right into a bunker—a far better fate than the water. The drop in elevation requires a club adjustment, but the swirling winds can negate the downhill benefit.
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A short, drivable par 4 for long hitters, but fraught with peril. The right side is dead territory. The prudent play is a long iron or hybrid to the wide fairway on the left, leaving a wedge to an elevated, shallow, and undulating green. The green complex repels indifferent approaches, punishing those who get greedy off the tee.
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This reachable par 5 sweeps to the left. The river and forest flank the left side, naturally pushing players to bail out right towards fairway bunkers. To reach in two, a player must challenge the left side perilously close to the hazard. The green is accessible but guarded by sand, rewarding the brave drive.
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A medium-length par 4 defined by a large pond guarding the left side of the green complex. The drive is open, but the pressure mounts on the approach. A deep bunker on the right of the green creates a "pincer" effect with the water on the left, demanding exacting precision on the approach shot.
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This par 3 plays directly over the rushing waters of the Kananaskis River. Although the green is set well back from the water's edge, the visual of the river is intimidating. The primary hazards are actually the bunkers short and the forest long. Players often over-club due to the visual intimidation of the water.
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A relatively short par 4 returning to the clubhouse. The approach is played to a massive double green shared with the 18th hole of the Mt. Lorette course. This is a clear birdie opportunity to close the nine, provided the drive avoids the fairway bunkers.
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A slight dogleg left around a cluster of trees. While aesthetically pleasing with Mt. Kidd as a backdrop, it is a straightforward hole. The only severe mistake here is a drive pushed wide right. A solid drive sets up a mid-iron approach to a receptive green.
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Not a long hole, but deceptive. The river runs sneakily close to the right side of the fairway, often unseen from the tee. Staying right of center provides the best angle to the green, but brings the water into play. It is a classic risk-reward geometric challenge.
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A challenging, long par 3. While the river is present, the deep bunker guarding the right side of the green is the primary scorecard wrecker. A bailout area short and left allows for a reasonable up-and-down. Attacking a right-side pin is dangerous.
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A straight par 4 playing through a tighter corridor of trees than most holes on the course. The green is elevated behind a deep face bunker. Players must hit a high, soft approach to hold the surface. Ground games are rejected here.
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A shorter par 5 that visually tricks the player. From the tee, the fairway appears to bend left more than it actually does. A hillock on the left encroaches on the landing zone, pinching the fairway. Layups must contend with a 20-yard long bunker starting 75 yards out. The green features a spine that repels approach shots.
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A dogleg left par 4. The drive is open, but the approach is to an elevated green protected by two deep bunkers. The optimal angle is from the left side of the fairway, which requires challenging the fairway bunker off the tee.
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Perhaps the most photogenic hole on the property. A long, downhill par 3 framed by evergreens and granite peaks. The shot plays one club less due to elevation. The green is protected by bunkers left and right and features a spine that complicates putting.
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A straight par 4 that serves as a bridge to the finale. It requires a solid drive to position a short iron approach. A fair hole offering a scoring chance, but focus often wanders here in anticipation of the 18th.
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A massive par 5, consistently ranked as one of the best finishing holes in the region. The hole plays long and often into the wind. The drive must avoid fairway bunkers to have any chance of advancing the ball significantly. The green is large, elevated, and protected by a creek at the front, demanding an aerial approach for the third shot.
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