Golf In Victoria: Canada’s Island City

Golf In Victoria: Canada’s Island City
Andrew Penner

Thinking about a golf trip to Victoria, British Columbia? Know this: Angus and Reid reported that a remarkable 99% of visitors to this charming island city came away satisfied with the experience. Drenched with postcard-worthy scenes, soaked in culture and old-world charm, the city of Victoria is the perfect drop off point for anyone craving adventure – especially golfers.

Victoria, the capital city of Canada’s most westerly province, British Columbia, is famous for many things. The world-renowned Butchart Gardens, which explodes with flowers and lush vegetation twelve months of the year, is always a top draw. In 2004 they celebrated their 100th anniversary. Actually, Victoria is often called “The City of Gardens.” Whale watching, too, is a prominent activity. Boat tours (don’t think JAWS – whales are friendly creatures) leave from the inner harbour daily in search of the giant mammals. Ever seen a killer whale breach from 50 feet away? You won’t forget it. Strolling along the lovely inner harbour - rife with yachts, buskers, artists, and shops - is always a lasting memory, a must for visitors. To top it off, visitors to the city enjoy the warmest climate in all of Canada. (Sorry, no igloos or dogsled races in Victoria).

For the golf-ball-striking-kind, twisting through the dense fir forests, hugging the water-smoothed rocks along the dazzling shorelines, is a mouth-watering selection of golf courses. Nearly all of them are open year-round.

While the storied semi-private golf clubs in Victoria – Royal Colwood, The Victoria Golf Club, Uplands, and Gorge Vale - have been swooned over for years (Victoria Golf Club is the oldest golf club in Canada still on its original site), it’s a spirited collection of new courses that has vaulted this area into a serious contender when a golf vacation in the Pacific Northwest is considered.

The new leader in public golf in the Victoria area is a jaw-dropper designed by Jack Nicklaus. Bear Mountain, Nicklaus’ third “Signature” course in Canada (Nicklaus North in Whistler and Northern Bear in Edmonton are the other two), is a riveting trek up and down the rugged fall lines of Mount Finlayson. The layout is receiving high praise for its incredible scenery, great collection of holes, and, typical of Nicklaus’ work, exceptional contouring.

Interestingly, many NHL hockey players have purchased lots on the course and have invested into the club. “The fact that so many NHL’ers love spending time out here is a testament to the quality of the golf and the beauty of this area,” says Executive Director of Marketing, Russ Cowan. “They could go anywhere, but many of them choose to come here. We’re proud of that.”

But, unlike the hockey rink, the playing surface here is anything but flat (a tad slippery, yes.) The course starts with a heroic par-5 that awards the confident player an opportunity to slap a drive over a bunker and down the hill for an early shot of glory. But, hockey player or not, there’s a pretty good chance for a stickhandling show once the difficult green has been reached. Like many putting surfaces at Bear Mountain, the green on the dazzling first is a huge, creatively-contoured sheet of green. Nicklaus’ philosophy of width off the tee, big-scale contouring, and hero-making options is a theme throughout.

At the 11th, however, you’re either a hero or a zero. The 145-yard hole features a true island green. The premise is simple, exhilarating, but rather merciless: hit the green and putt for birdie or go fishing. After playing the 14th, a par-5 that swoops up the hill, the course rises to a pinnacle of beauty and “extra-curricular” challenge. At the crest of the course, where the views of Victoria and the Olympia Mountains are out of this world, Nicklaus decided to add a “gambling hole” (not an official part of the 18-hole card) to allow golfers a chance to soak in the views and have some high-stakes fun. The incredible one-shotter, appropriately called “The Gambler,” features a rock-supported green hanging into the valley. “Hang” a tee shot to the right and you’ll never, in a million years, find it. Knock it on the green and you can collect the cash from your chums.

While you may lose a few balls in the ferocious alpine-like terrain at Bear Mountain, you won’t have to hunt for balls among the battered rocks along The Straight of Juan de Fuca. But at the Victoria Golf Club, you might. Easily one of Canada’s most esteemed clubs, the Victoria Golf Club is a classic layout that is well worth the time, effort, and dollars to play. Established in 1893, the club does allow some limited non-member play at selected times. Call or write well in advance.

Another “private” course in Victoria that also welcomes some guest play, especially by those who might be investigating a move to the area, is Royal Colwood, which is consistently ranked among Canada’s greatest. Royal Colwood, which is known for its elegance and sheer tranquility, features towering beech, fir, and spruce trees that provide serene playing channels and beautiful acoustics for play.

Additionally, public courses such as Olympic View, Arbutus Ridge, and Cordova Bay are all excellent championship-calibre courses that have plenty to offer. Olympic View, built in 1990 and designed by Bill Robinson, is one of the more popular layouts in town. It features lush, rolling fairways and plenty of dramatic holes, including the splendid 17th, which is framed by a waterfall. Arbutus Ridge, also a newer layout, is located 30 minutes “up island” from Victoria. It’s home to another unique Bill Robinson layout (including an island green) and great views of Mount Baker and the metallic-blues of Satellite Channel beneath the course.

Popular with both locals and visitors, Cordova Bay Golf Club rounds out an impressive selection of Victoria’s top “playing fields.” It, too, features an outstanding stretch of holes that parade through some of the largest trees in Victoria. Cordova Bay also features a short 9-hole course that’s perfect for travel partners who are in the learning stages.

And, when it comes to learning, one of the best attributes of Victoria is the wide assortment of things to do. In and around the lovely inner harbour is where the city beats. The Royal British Columbia Museum (one of the finest museums in North America), an underwater marine life show, a wax museum, an IMAX theatre, and numerous restaurants that specialize in the local “catch,” are just a sampling of things you’ll want to see and do.

For all the golf-weary legs, the harbour is home to one of the grandest hotels in the world. The famed Fairmont Empress has been an ivy-clad fortress, an opulent stronghold, in these parts since 1908. Famous for its tradition of Afternoon Tea, the Empress is a regal hotel that basks in old-world customs. With its gorgeous gardens, stately dining rooms and lavishly decorated suites, there is perhaps no other hotel in the world that wears its age more elegantly than the Empress.

Besides the Empress, a perfectly situated Delta Ocean Pointe (on the other side of the harbour from The Empress), offers guests a more contemporary, but every bit as enjoyable, ocean-side stay in Victoria. Guests here can enjoy the newly renovated spa at this fine hotel, which Conde Naste considers one of the top-500 hotels in the world.

From whale watching to gardens to golf, there is much about Victoria that is top-rank. And, like most of the visitors to this “Victorian” city, there’s little doubt that you’ll come away pleased with the experience. After all, 99% do, remember? Kind of makes you wonder what happened to the other 1%. Perhaps they had a terrible bout with the shanks.

Andrew Penner’s book, One Flew Over The Caddyshack, is available at Amazon.com.