Rod Whitman's Cabot Revelstoke Nears 2027 Opening

Cabot Revelstoke, a new mountain course designed by architect Rod Whitman in British Columbia, is set to welcome limited preview play this fall ahead of a scheduled 2027 opening.

Who designed Cabot Revelstoke?

Whitman, 72, is a Canadian-born designer who apprenticed under Pete Dye and shaped courses for Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw before striking out on his own in 1984. His solo credits include Cabot Links, and he has also shaped acclaimed courses such as Friars Head and Old Sandwich. Despite that resume, Whitman has kept a low profile: he has no computer, no publicist and no social media presence.

What makes the routing distinct?

Set on a bench of land in the shadow of Mount Mackenzie, the course favors width over the dramatic elevation swings often associated with mountain golf. Creeks, ravines and rock outcrops still come into play, and several holes use visual deception to make certain shots look tighter than they actually play. The opening hole is a downhill, drivable par 4 with the Columbia River in the background, while the second ramps up the difficulty with a tee shot through a saddle to a landing area whose width can't be seen from the tee.

"It's gotta be golfable, or what's the point," Whitman said.

The par-3 8th offers a bailout to the left, but reaching the green from the back tees requires a 240-yard carry over a gorge. Most greens on the course are open in front to invite running shots, though a handful reward a higher, more aggressive approach.

Whitman's background invites a natural comparison: Stanley Thompson's Banff Springs and Jasper Park Lodge are widely cited as two of the finest mountain courses ever built, and Cabot Revelstoke arrives as the latest entry in that Canadian mountain-golf tradition.

What else is planned for the resort?

Cabot's broader plan for Revelstoke includes a 155-room lodge, real estate and a short course called the Rail Yard, aimed at giving the mountain town a golf option to pair with its existing reputation for heli-skiing and fly-fishing. Revelstoke got its start in the 1800s as a railroad town along the Canadian Pacific Railroad before growing into a year-round destination.