Tea Time on Vancouver Island

Canadian Golf Traveller Publisher Sharon McAuley (Image: Brian Kendall)

Great golf and a spot of afternoon tea at Victoria’s stately Fairmont Empress Hotel make the perfect island blend.

Living Large on the 19th Hole

Canadian Golf Traveller Publisher Sharon McAuley visits Camelot Vineyards, Kelowna, British Columbia (Image: Brian Kendall)

What’s a golf trip without great food and drink? From fried bammy in Jamaica to a tall, cool mug of Bootlegger Brown Ale in Quebec, a few of my favourite after-golf nibbles and tipples.

Join the Fun at Ireland’s The Gathering

Irish Pub in Cork (Image: Tourism Ireland)

Ireland’s The Gathering is a year-long “people’s party” designed to draw golfers, ex-pats, long-lost relatives and everyone else who loves the Emerald Isle back home.

My Favourite Après Golf Experiences…So Far

Canadian Golf Traveller Publisher Sharon McAuley at Whistler Summit (Image: Brian Kendall)

From sipping champagne at the Old Course Hotel to a beachfront massage at Jamaica’s Half Moon, a look back at a few of my favourite adventures off the golf course.

At Play with Dolphins Toni and Reggae in Jamaica

Canadian Golf Traveller Publisher Sharon McAuley with Toni and Reggae at Half Moon Resort, Jamaica (Image: Sharon McAuley)

I’m in the ocean lagoon at the famous Half Moon, on the losing end of a water fight. It’s two against one and my playful friends have the unfair advantage of pectoral fins that splash so much water that I’m quickly swamped. Is it my imagination, or are they laughing along with me? I’m instantly smitten by Reggae and Toni, Atlantic bottlenose dolphins who are the star attractions of the Jamaican resort’s unique dolphin experience.

Start Planning Now for Ireland’s The Gathering 2013

Sharon McAuley and James Joyce statue, Dublin (Image: Brian Kendall)

There are more than 70 million people with Irish ancestry. With McAuley as a surname, I’m one of them. And even though our last Irish family connection dates back to the 1840s, I’ve discovered that the allure and romance of the Old Country is surprisingly strong. Especially if you’re a golfer. 

Bouchons French Bistro: Sophisticated Comfort Food in Downtown Kelowna

Canadian Golf Traveller Publisher Sharon McAuley visits Camelot Vineyards, Kelowna, British Columbia (Image: Brian Kendall)

If, like me, you’re a golfer who also appreciates the genius of a perfect food and wine pairing, then the Thompson-Okanagan region of British Columbia — with its award-winning vineyards and championship courses — is a must-play golf destination. Time your visit in the spring or fall to coincide with one of the Okanagan Wine Festivals in [...]

Golfing and Exploring in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Statue honouring Roberta Bondar, Canada's first female astronaut

Take any large map of North America and zoom in on the Great Lakes. That dot where Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan appear to converge near the Canada-US border? That’s Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario — my hometown. We were back recently for a family visit and to check out the local golf courses. [...]

Teeing It Up and Reeling Them In on Vancouver Island

Canadian Golf Traveller publisher, Sharon McAuley, with her Chinook Salmon catch

When I travel, I’m always on the lookout for authentic local experiences to mix with golf. So I was thrilled to discover that at Vancouver Island’s Campbell River, the self-proclaimed “salmon fishing capital of the world,” you can tee it up and cast your line all in the same day.

Pamper Yourself at Whistler’s Scandinave Spa

Sharon McAuley, Publisher, Canadian Golf Traveller

  Though thrilling, mountain golf can take its toll. After 18 holes at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club — playing our way up the slope of a mountain and through a challenging terrain of chasms, granite outcroppings, rushing creeks, and towering Douglas firs — I have to admit that my game was a little [...]