Golf Course Review by: Billy Satterfield

The Takeaway:  Absolutely spectacular front nine; world class in every way. Without question one of the best outward nines in North America. The back nine suffers from some oddities and is not nearly as inspiring of terrain or setting.  Grade A

Quick Facts

Designer:  Vernon Macan 1925

Cost:  Private

Phone Number:  250-598-4321

Course Website:  Official Website - Visit Victoria Golf Club (CAN)'s official website by clicking on the link provided.

Directions:  Get here! - 1110 Beach Drive, Victoria, British Columbia  V8S 2M9 – CANADA

Photos:  See additional photos of Victoria Golf Club (CAN)

Similar Course:

• New South Wales Golf Club

What to Expect:  Recognized as the oldest 18 hole course in Canada, in its original location, and the second oldest in North America, Victoria enjoys year-round golf with the mild climate found in southern Victoria Island. Dubbed the "Pebble Beach of Canada" due to its dramatic rocky coastal setting, the front nine is located on one of the most incredible parcels of ground a golf course can occupy. If the back nine was as good as the front, Victoria would be a staple on every Top 100 World Rankings list. As is, the course is still one of the finest in Canada and an incredibly memorable experience. The routing and rhythm of the course is unique with back-to-back par threes occurring twice and resulting in four one-shotters during a seven hole stretch. But the collection of one-shotters and two-shotters at Victoria are fantastic on so many levels, and the setting is so captivating, that it helps justify the unconventional flow. The course barely tips out over 6,000 yards and plays to a par 70, so it isn't there to overwhelm you; instead it is enticing you and reeling you into its captivating charm. It is an easy walk, but carts are available for golfers as they experience Victoria. I recommend walking to fully embrace this historic layout and incredible outdoor experience. In the end, the back nine isn't great, but the front nine may be the best 8,430 feet of golf course you'll cover on a course in Canada.

By the Numbers

Tees	Par	Yardage	Rating	Slope
Gold	70	6157	70.3	135
Blue	70	5899	68.9	131
White	70	5574	66.7	126
Green (Ladies)	72	5033	70.2	123

Individual Hole Analysis

Signature Hole:  7th Hole – 378 Yard Par 4 – The 7th hole is where the course fully commits to its oceanfront identity with a jaw-dropping stretch directly along the shoreline, the middle of a run of holes (5 through 9) that play hard against the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The setting is both breathtaking and distracting with crashing water, rocky edges, and the constant possibility of spotting seals or even orcas just offshore. The slight dogleg left is dictated by wind and angle with shots needing to find the narrow balance between aggression and control. Too bold and you risk bringing the coastline or awkward lies into play, too cautious and you leave a delicate approach into one of the course’s more exacting greens. The putting surface sits exposed to the elements and makes distance control difficult to nail as the humid wind will mess with your Pro V1, but the one thing that can't happen is missing left and watching your ball dive into the ocean. It is one of the most beautiful and captivating holes in all of Canada, and the kind you'd love to play over and over.

Best Par 3:  8th Hole – 116 Yards – A quaint one-shotter where no more than a wedge will be required, the 8th plays slightly uphill and is located at the point of the peninsula in a beautiful setting. What may not be beautiful is what the wind can do to your shot with such a high trajectory club in your hand and a half moon of bunkers crescenting around the front of the green. The first of back-to-back par threes, the 8th is a gentle lead-in to the long uphill 9th hole that awaits.

Best Par 4:  5th Hole – 335 Yards – Set on a rocky outcropping, the tee shot on the 5th hole is as memorable as it is beautiful. The ocean frames the right side of the hole while a tree line creates the boundary on the left side and will discourage golfers from bailing out too far away from the water. At just 335 yards, long hitters will have an opportunity to hit a drive up near the green under the right conditions and perhaps throw a birdie on the card. Players are getting full exposure to the wind at this point in the round, and the hole plays a bit uphill, two factors that can influence how aggressive to get on this tidy two-shotter.

Best Par 5:  12th Hole – 543 Yards – The par fives aren't the strength of Victoria, but the 12th offers the best test. Running parallel to the 11th, this three-shotter travels uphill with trees on the left and a cluster of bunkers in the driving zone on the right. Find the fairway and you'll have a legitimate chance to take a rip at reaching the green in two, but the angles can be a bit awkward to maneuver with a bunker cutting in from the left short of the green and a second bunker flanking the right side of the green. The slightly raised putting surface hides some of the landing areas, so trust your yardage and stick one close to the flag.

Birdie Time:  6th Hole – 344 Yard Par 4 – The 6th hole puts the ocean to your back as you journey inland temporarily with one of the most unique offerings at Victoria. The tee shot plays well uphill and will have a blind landing if hit far enough, but can get close to the green once it crests the hill. Players staying short of the hill can be left with an obscured approach shot to a green that has an inviting entrance and can encourage balls to tumble onto the putting surface when initially appearing to be short. A map of the green and the day's pin location is on display at the tee and is a good tool to utilize when picking a line off the tee to create the ideal angle. It may not be one of the pretty oceanside holes, but it is one of the more quirky and interesting holes on the course; and definitely a birdie opportunity.

Bogey Beware:  3rd Hole – 400 Yard Par 4 – With the ocean off to the player's right and great anticipation building of what lies ahead, the 3rd hole slaps you in your face and demands your full attention. The hole plays steadily uphill from tee to green with o.b. on the left and a series of bunkers on the right. The approach shot to the narrow raised green is flanked by five bunkers and will require at least one extra club, if not two depending on the wind, in order to find the putting surface. The back to front slope of the green is severe enough to commonly generate three-putts, so even if you manage to find the green in regulation, walking off with a bogey happens more often than you might guess. It is a solid test, and if you pass it, you'll enjoy the scoring opportunities that await you in the coming holes.