A sleeping giant will come to life this summer as Wildstone Golf Course officially opens for players.

On June 1st, the Gary Player-designed course will welcome its first golfers - and general manager Chris Andrews said they are in for a treat.

"When it opens, the golf course is going to be exceptionally fun for everybody of all levels to play," said Andrews.

The 18-hole course is the first course in Canada designed by South African golf champion Gary Player and his company, Black Knight Design. Player has designed more than 300 courses worldwide, but according to Andrews, Player has said that Wildstone is the nicest place he's built a course.

Fisher Peak is the star of the show. The prominent mountain is framed at the end of the 18th hole, with the clubhouse in the foreground. The practice range - which includes a driving range, practice and chipping greens - faces Fisher Peak as well.

"When you come around the corner and look down the fairway at number 18, Fisher Peak is rising in the distance. That to us was the epitome of the experience here," said Andrews.

Overall, the fairways are wide and the tree line is sparse, but players will find some challenges - especially on the 6th and 12th holes over water.

"There is a bit of water and some bunkers - the regular golf course hazards - but playability wise it's really, really good," said Andrews.

Wildstone Golf Course was purchased out of receivership in November 2009 by Calgarian developers Eric Sweet and Todd Croft, operating as Coast to Coast Development. The company bought part of the residential development, Penley Greens, but it doesn't plan to develop the land until the golf course is well established.

"Our first mission is to get the golf course fully functional and ensure it is running. I think that will help the entire site," said Andrews.

The rest of the residential development is maintained by separate owners.

"The golf course is our main concern at this point: getting it open and running and developing a good, loyal customer base that likes the golf course and plays it regularly," said Andrews.

The course was about half done when Coast to Coast purchased it, and they spent last summer finishing the remaining holes, building the practice facility and landscaping.

"That was completed at the end of last growing season," said Andrews. "By August everything was ready. The golf course is now in maturing mode. There were some test rounds played last year by the crew and some industry people to get some feedback about the course. The feedback has been exceptional."

A representative of Black Knight Design visited at that time and gave it the tick of approval.

"The head of their design team was in last year to assist in the final shaping and prepping of the golf holes. The maintenance and construction team here worked very closely with the Gary Player designers last summer," said Andrews, adding that their experience was invaluable.

With its proximity to Alberta, Andrews expects between 50 and 70 percent of its market will be in southern Alberta, but hopes that 20 to 25 percent of its market will come from East Kootenay locals.

Rates are priced to compete with other local courses, such as St. Eugene and Bootleg Gap. On a weekday, 18 holes is $59 and on a weekend, $69. Wildstone is offering a member passbook - 20 passes for $980, which works out to be $49 a round. That's designed to appeal to locals, said Andrews.

"Those passes are two-for-one at twilight. So that's pretty good for a lot of people to come out after work; as a couple they can play two rounds of golf for $49. That's basically a locals' rate that keeps our structure simple," he said.

A promotion is currently running to give away the first tee times on opening day, and several were given away last Saturday in a chipping competition during the intermission at the Kootenay Ice game.

Locally, the key for Wildstone is to dispel rumours about the course's fate after the development entered receivership in 2009.

"There have been some misconceptions about the golf course - such as when it was going to open, or people just didn't realize that it was going to open, or thought it was going to open as nine holes instead of 18. But no, it's 18 holes and they're ready to go," said Andrews.