Victoria Golf and Country Resort

There are golf courses that are scenic. There are many that are beautiful. But the Victoria Golf & Country Resort is simply spectacular – even non-golfers will love staying here, as it is truly one of the most beautiful courses in South Asia. Victoria Golf & Country Resort is a 500-acre estate on the edge of the vast Victoria Reservoir and overlooked by the Knuckles Mountain Range. The Victoria Resort has a host of activities on offer such as swimming, tennis, horse riding, relaxing Ayurvedic massages and nature trails, but it is the Donald Steel-designed golf course that is Victoria’s star attraction.

Truly part of the landscape, the course is beautifully moulded over every undulation, peak and slope. With holes that will test all your golfing skills, from long hitting on the three 500-yard par 5s to the short, testing par 3s and their icy fast greens, Victoria cannot be regarded as just a pretty course – it’ll make the best golfers work hard for a good card.

All 18 holes at Victoria would be regarded as stand out holes on other courses, it is however the par 4 6th hole that has become Victoria’s signature hole. The tee box is perched on a peak 100 ft above the small-looking fairway. From this great height views are something to behold, even if your tee shot is not quite what you were hoping for. The continual changing in elevation is a feature to this course, whether searching for fairways 100ft below or trying to find greens, with their treacherous putting surfaces, that tower above you. Although the course was only completed in 1997, it is well established and with large Mara trees lining the fairways this course does not show its young age. Quite the opposite in fact, as this course was voted ‘Best in Asia 2005’ by Asian Golf Monthly and ranked in top 100 `Most Beautiful Courses in the World’ by Golfers Digest.

Victoria has an incredibly tranquil environment and is a fantastic place to come and relax. There is a putting green and driving range (again, with amazing views…but watch out for the cows), Pro Shop and PGA Golf academy. Other facilities include: bar and restaurant – Araliya offering Sri Lankan and international cuisine; floodlit tennis court; riding school offering horse riding lessons and horse safaris for children and adults, a large outdoor infinity swimming pool and relaxing Ayurvedic massages. The surrounding reservoir and central hills are ideal for bird watching. Over 100 species of birds can be spotted while going on nature trails within the 500-acre estate. There are numerous accommodation options within the Victoria estate ranging from villas, guesthouse to boutique hotels that cater for all tastes and budgets.