VICTORIA HILLS GOLF CLUB (386-738-6000)
Florida Golf Course Review
Victoria Hills Golf Club in Deland about 30 miles north of Orlando, is a Ron Garl designed championship course that upon opening (in 2002), was honored
as the best new course in the state by the Florida Golf News. Rolling hills, lush vegetation and finely manicured course conditioning and landscaping
highlight this superb golf environment. The course annually receives a 4 1/2 star rating from Golf Digest Places to Play! Other awards include mention as
"Best Public Course in the Greater Orlando Area "(Orlando Sentinal 2005), 7th Best Public Access course in Florida (Golfweek 2004/05), and Top Ten
You Can Play (Golf Magazine 2003). The course also served as a Senior US Open Quailfying site in 2004 and 2005. Victoria Hills has been honored as #
41 in the Top 50 Public Courses you can play in the US is 2010 by Golf World Magazine. It is also annually recognized as one of the top 12 courses in Florida!
On property is a full service clubhouse featuring a beautiful restaurant/lounge that is open daily for lunch, with a Sunday brunch plus dinner menus
Wednesday through Saturday from 5 to 9 pm. Corporate outings and functions are a specialty of Victoria Hills. There also is a pro shop and locker rooms
with showers for both men and women. Practice facilities include a double-ended targeted grass range, 2 short game areas with sand bunkers, plus large putting green.
The layout is quite a challenge from the back tees, with some formidable carries over sand waste areas, ravines and water hazards. From the whites and
forward tees however, many of the hazards are out of play or located only along the perimeter. There are over 100 sand bunkers of various sizes and
shapes - many of them penal in nature - with trimmed pampas bushes lining the walls and creating even more of a challenge.
Water comes into play on four holes on the front and just one on the back nine. For a number 15th handicap, Hole #5 is one of the toughest par threes we
have encountered - as it plays to 221 yards with a forced carry over a natural area leading to a well bunkered, undulating green complex. On the front side
, a right to left shot shape will come in handy as the 3rd, 6th and 7th holes all bend in that direction. The par four 13th and 17th also dogleg to the left.
Generally speaking, there are sufficient landing zones along the tree lined fairways, but golfers will have to avoid the many sand traps that squeeze the
playing surfaces. Greenside - collection areas, swales and deep bunkers serve to protect the large sloping putting surfaces, with the green complexes
often raised as well. There is room for error, but a good short game is necessary to score well here.
Five sets of tee boxes play to distances and slopes measuring 7149 yards/ 142 slope, 6495 yards/136 slope, 6065 yards/131 slope, 5500 yards/124
slope for men and 128 for women, and 4852 yards with a slope rating of 125 for ladies hitting from the forward sets. Uplink GPS is standard on the fleet of
upscale golf carts, providing accurate info from tee to pin. There are 150 yard stakes, 100, 200 and 250 yardage blocks, and sprinkler heads on all par
fours and fives are measured to the center of the green.
Elevation changes are mild, but the topography is constantly rolling - not your typical Florida golf environment. Players will experience uneven lies and
inevitably will be required to escape from fairway bunkers. This is a beautiful course and extremely interesting layout that can be enjoyed by all levels of
players - choose the correct tee area! The Blues are just over 6000 yards, but the slope rating is 131 - enough of a challenge for the average golfer. For
more info, visit our page for the property, with direct link to their website by clicking here.
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