Golfing at Victoria's Bear Mountain - it ain't what it used to be!

While I very much enjoyed staying at the Inn at Laurel Point during our recent weekend stay in Victoria, I was very disappointed with a golf experience at Bear Mountain. If you are not familiar with Bear Mountain is is a master planned community with a checkered financial past. But in recent years, a lot of development has occurred and the community is taking shape.

I booked there since there are two golf courses, each with significant changes in elevation. The facility has a reciprocal arrangement with my golf club in Vancouver and I thought my son-in-law's father would enjoy the dramatic scenery. (He lives by the sea in Chester NS.) 

I stayed at the Westin Hotel a few years ago and enjoyed the golf experience that was associated with the hotel. However, it seems that another receivership has impacted the golf course facility and it is no longer associated with the Westin Hotel. The new owner took over in April.

Our poor experience started when we couldn't even find the proshop. Eventually we found it tucked into the corner of a recreation centre. I assumed this was a very temporary arrangement but I was told it has been like this for a couple of years. I couldn't believe it, especially since the regular green fees are in the order of $265 (including cart), unless you are a Vancouver Island resident (or have a reciprocal arrangement) when they are reduced.

After the disappointment of not finding the proshop, our next disappointment was that there was no where to buy something to eat. But we were told there would be a beer cart out on the course where we could purchase some lunch. (in fact, when it did arrive it didn't have any sandwiches!)

As we were about to tee off we were confronted by a sign that said 'golf paths only' which meant these two old men would have to walk up and down the steep terrain. It was nuts, since the course was bone dry.(The starter explained the owner didn't want to allow carts on the fairway until later in the month.)

While the course was dry, it was too dry. The tee boxes looked awful and while the layout is dramatic, the overall experience wasn't very good. 

While I may go back later in the summer to see if the new ownership makes a difference, it may take a while before the wonderful experience I enjoyed in the past will be repeated.

Don't be fooled by the website. This is no longer an Ecoasis Resort. There isn't a fancy proshop, at least I couldn't find it.  

If you want to play golf in Victoria, there are many better choices. If the situation improves later in the summer, I'll let you know.