41: The ‘Real’ Bear Mountain

WORLD’S BEST 19TH-HOLE VIEW

Victoria, British Columbia | www.bearmountain.ca

Man, that guy Jack is full of surprises. There you are, halfway through the rollercoaster back nine at Mr. Nicklaus’ Bear Mountain Golf & Country Club, coming off the mega-elevated green of the par-5 14th hole, and he sends you off a cliff.

Well, not really. He sends you to a cliff, on which teeters a little par 3 that doesn’t belong — on the scorecard, that is. It’s listed as the 19th hole; you play it, mark the score, move on and decide what to do with it over cold Canadian suds in the clubhouse. Maybe it’ll come into play as a tie-breaker, to settle a bet or just as a conversation piece. Whatever. The score is secondary. It’s the view that matters here: From both tee and green is a 180-degree eyeful of the lovely British-tinged city of Victoria, with the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Washington State’s Olympic Mountains beyond. On a clear day, it just might be the finest golf course view on the planet.

As for the rest of Bear Mountain, be sure to grab the April-May 2006 issue of Fairways & Greens. We’ll take you not only there, but deep into Vancouver Island for a killer north-of-the-border golf experience.

Fairways and Greens - December 2005 Issue