b'BRITISH COLUMBIA GOLFThe short par-3 known as The Perch is one of the new additions to Purcell. (Photos by Andrew Penner)Purcell Golf Club in Kimberley a British Columbia gem in the makingby Andrew Penner of changes over the years. A new holehave to carry the river with your tee shot here, a back nine addition there. A slightand you can bite off as much as you can S hortly after 9:00am the sun startedrouting change here, a clutch of newchew. It will be an incredible way to get burning holes through the fog andbunkers there. You get the idea. Itsyour round underway. golden light filtered into the valley. Theevolved.However, the recent evolutionA wonderful risk-reward par-5 that sun-bleached fescue on the hill was set including, of course, The Perch, ahugs the riverbank, a strategic short ablaze and the towering ponderosa pinesjaw-dropping 140-yard par-3 with apar-4 with a slender green flanked by a that clung to the arid bank turned copper- beautifully-sculpted green hangingrow of traps, and a meaty par-3 with one red. Peaks in the distance, half-shroudedhigh on the bluffis, perhaps, the mostof the biggest greens youll ever see, are by fog and low cloud, magically appeared.exciting change to date.other highlights of the expansion.I stood on the back tee at The PerchaBut Purcells new phase wont justCurrently, The Perch is played as spectacular new hole at Purcell Golf Clubbe a one-hole wonder. The expansionan optional bonus hole after the 11th in Kimberley, B.C.and watched naturesincludes six additional new holesand the other new holes by the river can, show. And I thought, this is what golf insituated in the valley on a gorgeouson a limited basis, be played by making British Columbia is all about. tucked-away plot of land adjacent tospecial arrangements with the club. They Indeed, the mountain golf genre isthe St. Mary River. While four of thosehave not yet been incorporated into the a hallmark in British Columbia. In thesix holes have already been built andofficial routing.Kootenay Rockies, especially, there areare playable (and, trust me, theyre allUnquestionably, everyone who does dozens of dramatic mountain golf coursesterrific holes with plenty of character),play the new holes at Purcell will be that serve up a thrilling, edge-of-your-cart- there are more wow holes coming.pleasantly surprised by the quality of the seat experience. Add Purcell to the list.The first hole down there, closearchitecture. Designed by up-and-coming Well, to be completely fair, Purcell hasto where our new clubhouse is beingCanadian architect Trevor Dormer, actually been on that list for years. Oneplanned, is going to become one of thean Albertan who currently makes his hundred years, to be exact. most spectacular starting holes in Britishhome in Kimberley, there is a decidedly Originally a 6-hole track laid out inColumbia, says Simon Jones, the Directormodern and minimalistic feel to the 1924, Purcell has, just like many of ourof Golf at Purcell. From an elevated teework. Things blend in beautifully with relic courses still in play, seen plentywith a jaw-dropping mountain view, youllexisting landforms, bunkers are rugged 4 BRITISH COLUMBIA GOLF| MAR 2025'