Hockey meets golf at course opening

Flames’ Jarome Iginla helps open The Rise

Fred Couples, professional golfer and a self-described hockey nut, invited Calgary Flames’ captain Jarome Iginla to play the inaugural round of golf at The Golf Club at The Rise in Vernon, B.C.

Joining the pair for the official opening of the Okanagan Valley’s newest golf course — and first Fred Couples’ Signature Golf Course — were ex-Flame and current Boston Bruin, Chuck Kobasew, and former NHLers Brent Gilchrist and Jeff Finley.

As part of the opening ceremonies,which included 150 invited guests, Couples conducted a golf clinic and then hit the first ceremonial drive before playing the Freddy and Friends exhibition round.

“The lake views up here are so incredible,” said Couples.

“I have such a passion for golf that we reall ywanted to take our time and build a course that is as stunning as its location. It’s exciting now that it’s open because I know golfers from all over will want to get up here and experience it for themselves.”

The Rise is a golf and winery resort built by Okanagan Hills Development Corp. on a south facing hillside above Lake Okanagan.

It will have high-end housing spotted in enclave neighbourhoods. There will also be vineyards, a lakeside beach club, hotel and village centre.

For home buyers, The Rise has a wide variety of home site options. Clearview—the first neighbourhood to be released— is now sold out, but four model homes are available for purchase.

Home sites are still available in the neighbourhood of Sagecroft, which boasts beautiful lake views and backs on to a nature preserve. The quiet, secluded neighbourhood of Watermark, with its infinity edge to Okanagan Lake, has a few home sites still available.

This year, The Rise will be releasing three new neighbourhoods of home sites around the expanded vineyard. Details on these neighbourhoodswill be announced in July.

Speaking at the course dedication, Iginla said of the course: “The views are amazing and it looks like it’s in mint condition. It’s a course that I’ll look forward to coming back to.”

The championship coursewas designed by Couples/Bates Design, an affiliation between Fred Couples and award-winning golf course architect Gene Bates.

Construction for the 18-hole signature course was by BMR Golf, whose credits also include the award-winning Greywolf at Panorama Mountain Resort and The Dunes in Kamloops.

“The course has turned out even better than we could have dreamed,” said Leona Snider, president and CEO of The Rise. “It is a beautiful addition to the communitywe are building here at The Rise and a wonderful expansion of the recreation opportunities in Vernon.”

Tee times can be booked immediately at 250-545-7425, or by e-mailing golfinfo@therise.ca. Green fees during peak hours are $115 including golf cart, and twilight tee times are $65.