The new Ridge course at Predator Ridge golf resort in Vernon, B.C. (Toby Saltzmam/QMI Agency)

The top courses in Canada

How do you score birdies on a mountainous golf course when stunning views distract your focus from every tee, fairway and velvety swath of undulating green?

You take a cue from renowned golf course architect Doug Carrick, who calls The Ridge -- the new championship course at Predator Ridge Resort in Vernon, B.C., just outside Kelowna -- "one of the more spectacular sites I've had to work with."

Dramatic elevation changes are par for the course at The Ridge, where Carrick's 7,190-yard design -- built at a cost of $10-million -- stays true to the mountain landscape. Running a roller-coaster path chiseled through thick forests and stony terrain, the course features awesome views at every turn. Rocky outcrops that rise like sentinels to Mother Nature. Deep valleys carpeted by wildflowers. Shimmering blue Lake Okanagan framed by snow-dusted mountains beyond. And tucked into shady enclaves, clusters of birds chirping in the trees.

Though intimidating from the first tee, where deep bunkers of silica sand taunt you to target your drive, The Ridge is a delightful test of golf. Four tee decks at every hole suit various levels of play. The tree-fringed fairways are gently contoured, channelling balls to playable lies, thus allowing many a saving grace for wild hitters who veer shots left or right. And the bent Georgia grass greens are generous in scope, adding fun to the putting challenge.

Playing The Ridge proves that golf is a mental game that can boost or bust your ego, particularly for indecisive duffers unnerved by obstacles. For example: On the sixth fairway -- which demands a tight shot through a rocky crevice -- do you lay up or risk a ricochet bounce? The seventh -- where the back tee faces a 30-metre drop over rough growth, yet the forward tee shares the same gorgeous view -- and the 11th -- a long par 5 requiring carry over gully and rocks to a narrow, sloping fairway -- both make you question your ability.

Hence the cue in Carrick's smart advice.

"First, assess your skill level and choose the right tee to match your skill level. Don't play back tees if you're not a long hitter," he says. "Second, as you approach the green, look to see how water would drain off the green to get an indication of the general slope of the green. Reading putts in the mountains can be deceiving. With huge elevation changes, your eyes can play tricks on you."

If scored birdies elude you, The Ridge's live birdies will captivate you. Birdie Lake -- arguably one of the golf world's sweetest hazards -- lies from the 14th green to the 15th tee, a sanctuary for endangered turtles and a bustling habitat for birds. On my visit, blue-billed ruddy ducks basked in sunshine; fat mama geese strutted proudly, trailing fluffy babes behind them; and a big turtle inched along the fairway, oblivious to balls rolling by.

Playing The Ridge is an exciting complement to a round on the adjacent, championship 18-hole Predator Course (built around more dunes than trees and rocks) at the Predator Ridge Resort. The resort itself deserves praise for its comfortable accommodations, spa and restaurant.

Take Carrick's cue, and -- play birdies or bogeys -- The Ridge will suit you to a tee.

-- More information

Green fees include cart with GPS. The Ridge Course: $160. Predator Ridge Course: $140.

Where to stay: Predator Ridge Resort, opened in 1991 and recently refurbished offers a central lodge with rooms, efficiency units and two-and-three bedroom cottages. Contact 1-888-578-6688 and predatorridge.com.

Sparkling Hill Resort, opened in May 2010 with dazzling decor and European-style wellness spa, overlooks both golf courses. Contact 1-877-275-1556 or sparklinghill.com.