Purcell Golf Course

About this course

Purcell Golf Course sits in Kimberley, British Columbia, in the heart of the Kootenay Rockies, making it one of the oldest operating golf courses in the province. Originally established in 1924 as the Kimberley Golf Club, the course began as a six-hole layout and grew over the decades into the full 18-hole, par-71 track that stands today, stretching 6,413 yards through classic mountain parkland terrain.

Les Furber Design shaped the course into its current form, and the result is a round defined by undulating greens, towering Ponderosa pines lining the fairways, and the kind of elevation change that keeps approach shots honest. The 12th hole, a par 4, offers a particular sense of place: an elevated fairway opens up to sweeping views of the St. Mary River valley below, grounding golfers firmly in the Kootenay landscape. Throughout the round, the surrounding mountain scenery is a constant presence rather than a backdrop.

At 6,413 yards from the tips, Purcell is a manageable length, but the parkland character, tree-lined corridors, and contoured greens demand accuracy over brute distance. The course suits a broad range of golfers — those chasing a straightforward score will find the yardage agreeable, while the terrain and green complexity offer enough resistance to keep more experienced players engaged. Visitors with an interest in golf history will also appreciate the course's roots: few places in British Columbia offer the chance to play a layout with more than a century of continuous operation behind it.

Kimberley itself sits at a high elevation in the East Kootenay region, adding to the mountain atmosphere that defines a round at Purcell.