The Northwest Montana Golf Association (NMGA) is proud to be a new member of IAGTO and will be attending the NAC Conference in Bend later next month. The association is comprised of ten area golf courses along with spectacular lodging properties specializing in group hospitality.
Golf Digest named Northwest Montana in the USA one of the world's top 50 golf course destinations. Nestled in a valley in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, with more lakes, rivers, and streams than you can count, and the West entrance to Glacier National Park peeking through from the Northeast, all comes together to create a golf destination like none other. Operating under the brand NMGA, these courses offer visitors a terrific mix of very affordable golf along with a myriad of outdoor recreation opportunities.
Getting to Northwest Montana is actually easier than you might think! Direct flights are offered from more than ten cities to Glacier Park International Airport (FCA). When guests arrive, the area has excellent ground transportation options and resorts offering roundtrip porterage to make group travel a breeze. The airport is centrally located less than 15 minutes away from area lodging properties.
Kalispell is a bustling, vibrant city home to about 30,000 people in the metro area, and is the hub of the NMGA consortium. Guests could stay in Kalispell and be on the tee of almost any course in the group in no more than an hour. Other communities in the area such as Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Eureka and Polson all have their own unique charm and attractions over and above the superb golf courses. Kalispell itself is home to Buffalo Hill Golf Club, Northern Pines Golf Course, and Village Greens Golf Club, providing a terrific variety of golf right within the city limits. Buffalo Hill is perhaps the most popular layout in the area featuring 27 holes and an all-new, state of the art practice facility, and is close to both Kalispell’s historic downtown area and the city’s excellent variety of shopping and dining facilities.
Northern Pines was designed by two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North, and is more than enough challenge for any player from the 7,100-yard tips, while offering yardage options suitable to any player’s skill level. Village Greens features shimmering lakes, gently rolling fairways and incredible mountain views, combined with immaculate course conditions.
NMGA has courses just south of the Canadian Border including Indian Springs Ranch Golf Course in Eureka, 18 holes of links style golf set at the western edge of the Rockies about an hour north of Whitefish. A stroll through historic downtown Eureka is a walk back in time amongst the town’s beautifully maintained Old West buildings which is simply charming.
New to the NMGA for 2018 is the prestigious Wilderness Club Golf Course - a Sir Nick Faldo design ranked in the top 100 in the Nation. The Wilderness Club has ranked consistently as the #1 golf course in Montana by Golf Week. The course was completed in 2009. Since that time, many additional amenities have been added - including an exclusive real estate community. In 2018, new plans include a future village center, direct access to Lake Koocanusa, and an expanded equestrian center with 15 horses will now be open year round. Plans for 2019 include tennis courts and an organic farm.
The only 36-hole facility in the group is Whitefish Lake Golf Course in Whitefish. The North 18 stretches out to nearly 7,000 yards of beauty and challenge, but both layouts offer a multitude of playing options for anyone. Their delightful log clubhouse was built in the 1930’s from lumber harvested when the course was being built, and the restaurant offers some of the best dining in the state.
The NMGA has a 27-hole another stunning course, Polson Bay Golf Club in Polson, a pleasant one-hour drive south of Kalispell along the shores of Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. With several holes bordering the lake, Polson Bay combines incredible scenery with unsurpassed value.
Cabinet View Golf Club is Libby, Montana’s contribution to the NMGA collection. About ninety miles west of Kalispell, the drive to Libby is nothing short of Montana magic. Wildlife such as deer, moose and elk are often spotted out meandering on the fairways sharing their natural habitat with the golfers. The breathtaking views of the Cabinet Mountains and the beautifully conditioned course make the trip to Libby more than worthwhile.
Glacier View Golf Course is about 45 miles northeast of Kalispell in West Glacier. The après-golf warmth of the clubhouse fireplace, combined with a unique family-friendly golf course and on-site RV hookups make this the perfect getaway.
Also located in the Gateway to Glacier Park is the very popular Meadow Lake Golf Resort in Columbia Falls, featuring perhaps the area’s most challenging layout, on-site accommodations, and a 4.5 star rating from Golf Digest. Meadow Lake has been a ‘must play’ golf destination for Albertans for decades, and with good reason.
The golf in northwest Montana is both spectacular and very affordable. With all the crowds flocking to better known golf destinations, and with resort green fees often bordering on the ridiculous, it is so refreshing to find an undiscovered golf mecca without a green fee in the bunch even approaching $100. Throw in the great dining, outdoor recreation and endless fun; the Northwest Montana Golf Association fully deserves their reputation as a world class golf destination.
Check out all the courses and book tee times online at golfnorthwestmontana.com.
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