Famous Golf Courses Across Montana
By Mike Bostwick
 Oh, golf is for smellin’ heather and cut grass and walkin’ fast across the countryside and feelin’ the wind and watchin’ the sun go down and seein’ yer friends hit good shots and hittin’ some yerself. It’s love and it’s feelin’ the splendor o’ this good world.” – Michael Murphy.
Montana is many things to many people, and to increasing numbers it’s a place for golf. It stands to reason, the game is a blissful blend of nature, competition, camaraderie, and self-discovery that, in many ways, personifies our ‘Distinctly Montana’ character.
Since golf seasons now run from February through November, golfers have but a two month sabbatical to forget their bad habits. Couple this with Summer days that linger on past 9 p.m., devotees can more than make up for lost time.
For many, golf is a metaphor for life. Some breaks go your way, some don’t. But in all cases, you have to let go of the past, worry not of the future, and focus on the task at hand. Fail this, you’ll end up in the rough, succeed and it’s winner buy all. In any case, if you have the right attitude, it’s a walk in the park.
Between two magnificent national parks lie an abundant handful of courses that are gaining national recognition and among a growing list of reasons to make Montana a destination. A great place to start is up in the Flathead Valley. Skirted by Glacier National Park to the north, the Mission Mountains to the south, and featuring the largest freshwater lake in the Western U.S. as its centerpiece, the views are just one of the many reasons the Flathead Valley persistently resides among “Golf Digest’s” “top 50 golf destinations.”
The Flathead Valley Golf Association is a consortium of nine championship golf courses within a 45 minute drive of each other. Each offers lush fairways, manicured greens, scenic splendor, and a variety of challenges -- enough to put their $30-$50 rates squarely in the category of “value!”
Just north of Kalispell rests the Big Mountain Golf Course, a challenging and exquisite course designed by Andy North that incorporates rolling Scottish links design on the front nine with a back nine that winds through towering pines along the Stillwater River. Finding the ball in the rough can be as much a challenge as hitting out of it.
Just minutes away lies Buffalo Hill Country Club, a beautiful 27 holes, whose inspiring views and meticulous grounds consistently places it among “Golf Digest’s” must play courses. The least expensive to play, Steve Dunfee, Buffalo Hill’s general manager and president of the Flathead Valley Golf Association, responds to grumbles that his course is often crowded, that “it’s well-used for a reason.”
Make your way up to Columbia Falls and you’ll find Meadow Lake Golf Course, where keeping your eye on the ball rather than the views is but one of the challenges you’ll face. This gorgeous course with its myriad elevation changes places a premium on shot selection and accuracy. Whitefish Lake Golf Club, Montana’s only 36-hole golf complex is a spectacular destination for Montana golfers. Whitefish Lake’s south course is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful courses in Montana.
Eagle Bend – Bigfork
Now, for the main course (pardon the pun)… The Flathead Valley is also home to Eagle Bend Golf Club in Bigfork. Likely one of the few courses in the country sporting the name Eagle Bend that actually has eagles in the treetops, it persistently resides at the top of the list of Montana’s best courses. Originally designed and built by William Hull, Jr. in 1984, Eagle Bend has since had the “Nicklaus Design” team add a few brush strokes to its 27-hole canvas. The signature 16th hole, which is part of the “Nicklaus Nine” is as challenging as any par 3 you’ll find anywhere. Stretching 200 yards over marsh to the green, “It’s a real hold your breath shot,” points out Gina Bright, who has had the good fortune of playing most of the courses in western Montana.
Iron Horse – Whitefish
Tucked neatly among the timber atop the ridges overlooking Whitefish Lake is the Iron Horse Golf Course, the centerpiece of the residential development of the same name. The private, 18-hole course designed by five-time national golf course architect of the year, Tom Fazio, features a breathtaking panorama from nearly every hole. Stretching over 7000 yards from the championship tees, the course has the goods to challenge even the sturdiest of golfers. (www.IronHorsemt.com)
Golf courses may be found all over Montana, with some bigger towns harboring four or more. Each one has special features. In Missoula, for instance, Phantom Hills has five par 5’s and five par 3’s, and Missoula Country Club is noted for having the oldest hole. Listed below are some more outstanding courses to make you want to hoist your clubs into the trunk and travel to play them.
Stock Farm – Hamilton
Here Tom Fazio has left another spectacular footprint on the Montana landscape. In true “links” form, The Stock Farm in Hamilton meanders in the shadows of the Bitterroot Valley’s Sapphire Mountain Range. Originally home to famed industrialist, Marcus Daly, the Stock Farm, in its contemporary incarnation, is a series of 18 postcards that present members and guests with a variety of championship challenges: elevated tee boxes, tiered rolling greens, pot bunkers, and striking water features. (www.StockFarm.com)
 Old Works – Anaconda
Among the most unique courses not only in Montana, but in the nation, Old Works is the metaphorical phoenix that has risen from the ashes of Anaconda’s mining heyday. Designed by the Golden Bear himself, Jack Nicklaus, Old Works invites the public to play on what “Golf Digest” has touted as a triumph in modern golf architecture. Set amongst a backdrop of relics from the old Anaconda smelter, Old Works is the result of a massive Superfund project that has brought life back to a barren ecosystem.
While the course’s mile high elevation helps reel in its gargantuan 7700 yards, plenty of pitfalls contribute to its 75.8 rating, including its signature slag-filled black bunkers. Fear not, moderate to high handicappers can choose from five tee placements in order to tame this beast.
While courses of this caliber typically command fees well over $100 per round, the cost to play Old Works tops out at $44, making it easily the most bang for the buck. (www.OldWorks.org)
Meadow Lark – Great Falls
If J. Crew, Adirondack lounge chairs, tennis, and the feel of a traditional country club are to your liking, the Meadow Lark Country Club in Great Falls fits the bill quite nicely. Founded in 1919, Meadow Lark sits at the confluence of the Missouri and Sun Rivers. Devious greens are this course’s primary defense; however, a slew of strategically placed bunkers are ready to lay claim to many an ill-conceived shot.
With half the back-nine racing the Missouri River to the magnificent clubhouse, to say water is in play is simply an understatement. Mature elegance is the mainstay of Meadow Lark; a country club in the truest sense of the word. (www.MeadowLarkcc.com)
Bridger Creek – Bozeman
Situated along Bridger Creek and the East Gallatin River in Bozeman, the golf course offers plenty of water. With moderate elevation changes throughout the tract, every hole provides picturesque views of the surrounding mountain ranges. Tight, undulating greens are difficult to read and have the potential to tack a few “snakes” on the score card. Among “Golf Digest’s” favorites in Montana, Bridger Creek has hosted qualifying rounds for the U.S. Amateur. A value for sure, 18-holes at Bridger Creek weighs in at less than $30. (www.BridgerCreek.com)
Yellowstone Country Club – Billings
If you’re thinking that it’s only been recently that top flight designers have plied their craft upon the Montana canvas, there are three words to dispel the myth: Yellowstone Country Club. Designed by the master, Robert Trent Jones, in the 50’s, the course is situated on 190 acres along the Rimrocks. In true Trent Jones fashion, the course has an uncompromising ability to judiciously punish bad shots while paying dividends for well considered risks.
Owned by its members, the Yellowstone Country Club is among the most beautiful in the Yellowstone region. With gentle slopes and an abundance of mature trees, an inspiring backdrop highlights a course that is simply fun to play. (www.Yellowstonecc.com)
Red Lodge Mountain Resort – Red Lodge
At the base of the Beartooth mountains lies a golf escape that features mountain streams, lakes, and groves to influence a variety of shots. Trees and water hazards threaten the game through most of the front nine. The greatest hazard is on the ninth fairway, however, as it plays in plain site of the clubhouse. Lose your concentration here, and you’re sure to suffer the indignity of a few cat calls.
No worries though, the 10th hole gets you back on track with a promising birdie opportunity before you move into the “links” section of the course, in which tall rough presents a formidable hazard. With broad fairways, though, the course is plenty forgiving. (www.RedLodgeMountain.com)
The Reserve at Moonlight Basin – Big Sky
Jack is back! As part of the evolution of one of the state’s premier destinations, the folks at Moonlight Basin have enlisted the Golden Bear to design what promises to become one of the best our state has to offer (opening in 2007). Although Nicklaus claims the course will challenge a golfer’s precision rather than his power, we’re betting that any course measuring 7,800 yards will take plenty of power (even if it is at 7,500-foot elevation).
 Like an alpine meadow, the course fits effortlessly within the scenic Madison range and is consistent with Nicklaus’ other signature courses. The Reserve will not just be a round of golf, it will be an experience. Nicklaus adds “The Moonlight Basin course is beautiful and dramatic. Between the natural terrain contours and the incredible views…it has the potential to be among the finest courses in the Northwest United States.” (www.MoonlightBasin.com)
Of course, this primer barely scratches the surface of what Montana has to offer, but it is a good start. Just remember, when your day comes to a close and you make your way into the clubhouse, whether you’re on the buyin’ or receivin’ end of the drinks, tip your glass to another day in heaven and give a wink as you encourage your pals to keep the secret to themselves.
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