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Top ten great photos of bears on the golf course

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A young bear cub plays with a flagstick on the fairway.
A young bear cub finds a flagstick at Fairmont Hot Springs makes a great toy! — Photo courtesy Fairmont Hot Springs Golf Course

When playing golf in western Canada and the Pacific Northwest is it not uncommon to encounter some wildlife on the fairways.  By wildlife we mean bears!  Bears are a common sight and are often curious about these interesting humans intent on chasing a little white ball through the forest.  Golfers are encouraged to give the bears a wide berth and keep on playing.  Remember, it’s just another one of golf’s many “hazards” to avoid.


#1 - This frolicking bear captured on video at the Fairmont Hot Spring Mountainside Golf Course in the Kootenay Rockies, a couple of years ago, is a hoot to watch. Watch the video here

 

 

#2 - You can see why this photo is tagged “The Bear and Nicklaus North.”  Jack “The Golden Bear” Nicklaus would be proud of his namesake.

A large black bear standing on a golf course.
The Bear and Nicklaus North. — Whistler's Nicklaus North Golf Course

 

 

#3 - Another Whistler black bear enjoying a little play time shredding the flag on a Whistler golf course.  Who says golf has to be a serious game?

A black bear plays with a flagstick at Chateau Whistler.
Playtime at Chateau Whistler! — Photo courtesy Chateau Whistler

 

 

#4 - Mama bear and two cubs meander across the fairway at the Stanley Thompson designed Waterton Lake Golf Course.  Bear sightings are common on this National Park course.

A mama bear and her two cubs amble across the Waterton Lake Golf Course.
A mama bear and her two cubs amble across the Waterton Lake Golf Course. — Photo courtesy Waterton Lake Golf Course

 

 

#5 - Photographer Charles Lindsay took this shot at the Yellowstone Club, in Big Sky, Montana. The golf course is regularly visited by bears. This shot seems like it might have been staged to me?

Three golfers running from a large grizzly bear.
A golf course hazard you may want to avoid? — Photo courtesy Yellowstone Club

 

 

#6 - Bears, Bears, Bears….It was another active bear season at the Whistler Golf Club. The bears are back now this fall grazing in our naturalized areas to bulk up for the winter. Thanks to everyone who posted photos on social media this season, says the golf pro at the Whistler Golf Club.

A trio of curious black bears peeking over a log in an autumn forest.
A trio of curious bears at the Whistler Golf Club. — Photo courtesy Whistler Golf Club.

 

 

 

#7 - Here’s another hilarious video of two bears beating up on the flagstick on the green at Waterton’s National Park golf course.  Who can blame these bears for having so much fun on a beautiful sunny day in the Rockies? Golfers were encouraged to pick up their balls and play around these two fun-loving bruins. Watch the video here

Two black bears play with a flagstick on the fairway at Waterton National Park Golf Course.
Two black bears play with a flagstick on the fairway at Waterton National Park Golf Course. — Photo courtesy Waterton National Park Golf Course

 

 

#8 - Coming face-to-face with this big old bear might give a golfer cause for pause.  This Flickr photo shows a big bear staring down a golfer on an unidentified golf course.

A large grizzly bear seen from across a golf course.
The prudent golfer might want to keep an eye on this big fellow. — Photo courtesy Flickr

 

 

#9 - You can just imagine the excitement this Grizzly caused at Panorama’s Grey Wolf Golf Course as it streaked across the 18th green.

A grizzly bear streaks across a golf course.
A grizzly bear streaks across the 18th hole at Panorama's Grey Wolf Golf Course. — Photo courtesy Pinterest

 

 

#10 - This vintage postcard of 3 bears on Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course from 1940, really makes this foursome a bit crowded.  Evidently these were “tamed” bears brought in for the "entertainment" of visiting golfers.

 

Three black bears play on a golf course in Jasper.
A vintage postcard from 1940, showing some frisky visitors at the Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course. — Photo courtesy Jasper Park Lodge Golf course.

Photos: Various sources including the mentioned golf courses.

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