Nestled on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is a vibrant city boasting a thriving golf scene. The city's mild climate and picturesque landscapes make it a golfer's paradise. Golf enthusiasts visiting the city of Victoria are spoilt for choice regarding golf courses, as the region is home to some of the best courses in Canada.

From challenging championship courses to laid-back executive courses, Victoria has something to offer golfers of all skill levels. The golf courses in Victoria are well-maintained, and many of the courses offer stunning views of the ocean, mountains, and forests. This guide to the best golf courses in and around the city is all that golfers moving to Victoria or planning a trip will need to make the most of the links.

Operated by the GolfBC Group, Olympic View Golf Club features an award-winning par-72 course, a world-class golf academy, and exclusive members-only events.

The Bill Robinson-designed course has 18 holes spanning 6,600 yards. Players can enjoy stunning views of the Olympic Mountains, twelve lakes, and two waterfalls while playing through the course. With a rating of 72.7 and a slope of 133, Olympic View Golf Club poses a challenge to golfers of all skill levels. Players can also refine their game with private or group lessons and corporate clinics at the award-winning GBC Golf Academy.

During the peak season from April 1 to October 31, green fees at Olympic View Golf Club start at $105. Meanwhile, rates start at just $69 in the off-season. Members receive 50% off green fees at this course and other GolfBC courses in British Columbia, along with discounts at Table Nineteen and the club's golf shop. Members also gain access to exclusive events, including annual championships, weekly league play, and the Saturday Breakfast Club.

Located near the southern tip of Vancouver Island in the Metchosin area, Olympic View Golf Club is just 20 minutes from downtown Victoria. Nearby neighbourhoods like Latoria, Happy Valley, and the Albert Head community are composed primarily of sizable luxury homes, but the area also has numerous condos, townhomes, and lots for new construction.

Set atop a 335-metre mountain, the Mountain Course at Bear Mountain Golf Resort features 18 challenging holes of golf paired with stunning views of Victoria, the Pacific Ocean, and the Olympic Mountains.

Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus and his son Steve co-designed the Mountain Course in 2003. The par-70 course spans 6,900 yards, with dramatic elevation changes and unique challenges posed by each hole. The Mountain Course's challenging design has earned it a rating of 73.5 and a slope of 152, making it an appropriate setting for hosting tournaments like the Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship.

Prime season rates at the Mountain Course include a $249 green fee and a $20 cart fee. Bear Mountain members can enjoy unlimited golf on the resort's two courses, league play, and an exclusive members' lounge. They also receive discounts at the golf shop, the resort's five restaurants, and the Bear Mountain Activity Centre, which includes a fitness centre, outdoor heated pool, and hot tub.

The Mountain Course is about 25 minutes west of downtown Victoria, just past the city of Langford. Ecoasis developments like Cypress Gates offer luxury homes and lots overlooking the Mountain Course. Buying real estate from Ecoasis comes with the exclusive opportunity to attach a golf membership to the home's address that is transferable at resale, adding even more value to these highly coveted properties.

Bear Mountain Golf Resort's Valley Course offers a friendlier but still challenging alternative to the Mountain Course, with impressive views of Vancouver Island's landscape.

Another masterfully designed 18-hole course from Jack and Steve Nicklaus, the Valley Course made Bear Mountain the only 36-hole Nicklaus facility in Canada with its construction in 2009. The par-71 course sprawls 6,807 yards through forests, around lakes, and across creeks. Elevated tee boxes, more generous fairway widths, fewer bunkers, and larger greens make the Valley Course more playable than the Mountain Course. Not to be underestimated, the Valley Course remains a relatively challenging experience with a rating of 73.5 and a slope of 140.

Prime season rates for the Valley Course include a $219 green fee and a $20 cart fee. However, Vancouver Island residents can receive a special $119 green fee with proof of residency.

Fewer housing options are available surrounding the Valley Course, giving the course more pristine natural views. Located just 25 minutes west of downtown Victoria, One Bear Mountain offers high-rise luxury condos adjacent to the Mountain Course's 18th green, with views of both courses' first tees. Select residences include golf memberships at Bear Mountain, which provides unlimited golf, resort access, and special discounts.

Combining two unique 9-hole layouts, the Highland Pacific Golf Course offers a challenging, flexible, and affordable golf experience less than 20 minutes from downtown Victoria.

Built first in 2008, the Pacific Nine features sweeping fairways and dramatic elevation changes. Added just two years later, the Highland Nine presents a slightly more challenging course with more expansive views of Victoria. Golfers can play the courses individually or combine them into a sprawling 6,603-yard, par-71 course boasting panoramic views of the city, the Olympic Mountains, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Thetis Lake Park.

During the peak season from April 1–October 31, green fees start at $48 for nine holes and $89 for 18 holes. Meanwhile, the off-season sees rates start at $31 for nine holes and $58 for 18 holes.

The Highland Pacific Golf Course offers various membership options ranging from just $179 to $4,299. Benefits include reduced or free green fees, advanced booking privileges, food and beverage vouchers, discounted cart rentals and clothing at Victoria's largest golf shop, and buckets at the course's award-winning practice range.

The Highland Pacific Golf Course sits on the outskirts of View Royal, just east of one of the best parks in Victoria: Thetis Lake Regional Park. Most nearby View Royal homes are new construction or luxury homes, but the area also has some townhomes and condos.

Located about an hour north of Victoria on the outskirts of the city of Duncan, Cowichan Golf Club offers a challenging 18-hole championship golf course overlooking Cowichan Bay.

Legendary architect A.V. Macan designed Cowichan Golf Club's course with nine holes in 1947. It later reopened in 1985 with 18 holes spanning 6,189 yards. The par-70 course is famous for its 11th hole, which might be the most challenging par four on Vancouver Island, but tight, tree-lined fairways also pose a challenge on other holes.

Cowichan Golf Club charges $60 green fees in the summer and $50 during the shoulder season from April 1–15. Club members can attend exclusive members-only events and receive unlimited golf, full play access, practice range privileges, discounted admission to public events, and reciprocal access at associated courses, including Olympic View Golf Club.

With no housing developments on the course at Cowichan Golf Club, players can enjoy uninterrupted views of Cowichan Bay and surrounding mountains. Much of the area around Cowichan Golf Club is rural, with idyllic farms and sizable estates, but golfers are less than 10 kilometres from homes in downtown Duncan. The nearby Cowichan Valley features more affordable homes, including new construction townhomes in Tides at Cowichan Bay.

Victoria, BC, is a golfer's paradise with its mild climate, breathtaking landscapes, and world-class golf courses. The region offers golfers of all levels a chance to play on challenging championship courses or relax on scenic executive courses. With well-maintained courses and stunning views, Victoria's golf courses—spread around the city and in Victoria's best suburbs—are a must-visit for any golf enthusiast.

Visitors to the region can plan their golfing itinerary based on their preferences and skill level, while locals can explore new courses and find their new favourite spot. Overall, Victoria's golf courses are a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by golfers worldwide. So, grab your clubs and head out to explore the best golf courses that Victoria has to offer.