Courtesy: Predator Ridge, British Columbia

The beauty of golf is that it is played virtually everywhere in the world.

That affords the traveling golfer plenty of opportunities to see some majestic scenery while playing superb resort courses.

Last August, my wife and I experienced the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona and we'd go back there in a heartbeat.

But, first, we'll head to the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia.

The Okanagan Valley is located in B.C.'s southern interior and contains desert-like conditions akin to those you'd find in Arizona.

Cacti in the south of the Valley are offset by vineyards and massive fruit orchards in the northern stretches of the Okanagan.

Summer temperatures routinely crack 30 Celsius or the mid 90s Fahrenheit.

Brush and forest fires are a constant threat in the dry heat of an Okanagan summer.

But the golf is great. And that's why the traveling golfer must put Okanagan on his or her list of places to visit and play.

In 1991 a wonderful property opened for business. Known as Predator Ridge, the resort course today boasts three 9 hole layouts.

The first 18 holes were a Les Furber/Jack Nicklaus design.

Today's 27 holes are broken down into Red Tail, Peregrine and Osprey with each one averaging about 3500 yards from the back tees. There are three other sets of tees for the vast majority of us who can't manage 7000 yards in 18 holes!

The beauty of Predator Ridge is not just its scenery, which is spectacular, but its ability to satisfy the needs of "stay and play" golfers.

The resort offers accommodation in the Lodge, ranging from studio to two-bedroom units.

Or you can opt for one of the 2- or 3-bedroom fairway cottages with up to 1500 square feet of living space. They contain full kitchens, great rooms with fireplaces, balconies with barbeques and outdoor cabanas. Not bad at all.

So how much for all this?

If you are a walk-on player at Predator Ridge, the most you will pay in high season is $115 CDN, which includes range balls but does not include power cart.

However, there are junior green fees for players 18 and under that do not exceed $49 CDN. And there are separate 9-hole rates, reduced rates for a second 18 or a third 9 and so on.

For "stay and play" types, the deal is even better. The most expensive 3-bedroom cottage is $245 CDN per night per person in regular season (mid May to end of September). That also includes one round of golf, a shared power cart and range balls.

If you want to stay in the lodge, a 2-bedroom suite is $225 CDN per person, per night which also includes a round of golf, power cart and range balls.

The nearest major city is Kelowna, population just under 113 thousand. Kelowna is right on the massive Okanagan Lake and boasts a busy, modern airport.

Direct flights into Kelowna originate from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Seattle, Victoria and Toronto.

Predator Ridge is just one of the great golf destinations in the Okanagan Valley.

And it's sure a great place to start.