Can You Play Banff Springs on Awesome Golf? Here’s How

Banff Springs is one of the most visually spectacular courses in the world. The Stanley Thompson design sits in the Canadian Rockies with mountain views that make every tee shot feel like a postcard. The elevation changes are dramatic. The forest is thick. The wildlife is everywhere.

On Awesome Golf, Banff Springs is a standout course. The mountain views are rendered well enough that you will feel like you are playing in the Rockies. The elevation changes are captured in the LIDAR data. The course plays differently than the flat Florida courses in the library.

How It Plays on Awesome Golf

The elevation changes are the defining feature. Banff Springs drops and climbs through the Rocky Mountain terrain. The 4th hole, a par 3 that drops 40 feet from the tee to the green, plays a full club shorter than the card says. The 14th hole, which climbs back up the mountain, plays a club longer. Awesome Golf’s LIDAR data makes these adjustments correctly.

The forest is thick. Banff Springs is lined with pine and spruce trees that frame the fairways. On Awesome Golf, the tree rendering is good enough that you will think twice about your line. A drive that starts at the right edge of the fairway and draws back to center is the ideal shot. Anything offline is in the trees.

The greens are the other feature. Stanley Thompson designed the greens with subtle contours that make putting a genuine test. Awesome Golf’s green physics handle the breaks well. The 18th green, which slopes from back to front with a tier in the middle, is a three-putt waiting to happen if you land on the wrong tier.

How to Access It

Open Awesome Golf on your iPad. Select Virtual Golf. Browse the course list for “Banff Springs” or “Banff.” Play it in the morning when the light is good. The mountain views are the highlight.

The Bottom Line

Banff Springs on Awesome Golf is one of the most visually rewarding courses in the library. The mountain views, the elevation changes, the forest setting — it is a completely different experience from the coastal courses on the platform. For $199 a year, it is a great addition to the rotation.

For the full list of courses worth playing on Awesome Golf, read The Best Courses on Awesome Golf. Need the full software breakdown? Check the Awesome Golf Review.

Awesome Golf brings a more arcade-friendly approach to simulator play, focusing on game modes and social features. While the course selection isn’t as deep as GSPro, the courses that are available are well-rendered and the gameplay modes make it a strong choice for multiplayer sessions and family play.