Victoria National Golf Club

Victoria National Golf Club – Played July 2016

• Rankings: Golf Digest #47
• Location: 2000 Victoria National Boulevard, Newburgh, Indiana
• Year: 1998
• Architect: Tom Fazio
• Course Access: Private
• Walking Rules: Carts & Caddies Available

Score Card Information:

• Victorian: 7,242 yards, Par 72, 77.0 Rating/148 Slope
• Tecumseh: 6,848 yards, Par 72 , 75.1 Rating/145 Slope
• Chinook: 6,423 yards, Par 72, 73.5 Rating/142 Slope
• Ayrshire: 6,130 yards, Par 72, 72.0 Rating/141 Slope (Men’s), 78.6 Rating/144 Slope (Women’s)
• Darlington: 5,013 yards, Par 72, 66.0 Rating/125 Slope (Men’s), 71.0 Rating/129 Slope (Women’s)

Let me just tell you that I was pretty excited for this day!  I had seen plenty of pictures of Victoria National, but that doesn’t really compare to seeing the place for yourself.

I didn’t find much on the history of the course besides what you see in the general description above.  I can give you some tidbits though.  There are accommodations on-site for up to 32 guests.  The golf membership sits at about 270 with half of those being local.  Judging by their website it looks like they are fairly open to outside play, which is really cool.  The course is also home to a Korn Ferry Tour event. 
I was supposed to be paired up with a couple of members, but everyone in the group had to back out at the last minute.  Luckily, they kept me set up for the tee time and everything was ok.  I really appreciated that.  I was also set up with a great caddy who had been there for nine years.  He was second in seniority.  We got along really well and he was an excellent caddy.  He definitely enhanced the experience.  Per my member host, he is the best caddy at the club.

Alright, let’s get into it.  Below is a shot of the modern locker room.  I was set up to use my friend’s locker.  I can also attest that the showers were really good and made the drive back to SC much more comfortable.

Here is a look at the large putting green, with the driving range in the background.  It has plenty of target greens to dial in your game.

Hole 1 – 388 yards – Par 4

It didn’t take me my normal few holes to remember to get a shot of the tee markers at Victoria National.  Check them out below.

The first tee shot at Victoria National is not overly taxing.  You can even go with less than driver.  If you avoid the left bunker you should be in good shape for the second shot.

The approach shot plays ever so slightly downhill to a green guarded by two bunkers on the right.  You can see in the second photo below that the green has some undulation.

Hole 2 – 323 yards – Par 4

This is a cool, shorter hole.  Long hitters can certainly challenge the green, but all you really need is something 200 yards out into the fairway.

The second shot can be a little hazardous.  The bunkers on the right are deep, but there isn’t much room to the left either.  You should only have a short club in your hand though so take dead aim.

Here is a look at the green.

Hole 3 – 508 yards – Par 5

This is a very tough tee shot to me.  The short stuff runs out pretty quickly on the right and the hazard is all the way down the left side.  You need to bear down here and hit a straight one.

A look at the second shot.

There is more slope in this green than it looks.

Hole 4 – 311 yards – Par 4

Another shorter hole here.  This hole fits my eye quite well.  You can take aim at the bunkers and hit a slinging draw.

The second shot is a little more difficult with the deep, greenside bunker.  The green is slightly raised.

Hole 5 – 170 yards – Par 3

This is a really great looking par three.  It doesn’t look like it is all carry, but it might as well be.  The landing strip up the left side is a feature I didn’t recall seeing anywhere else.

The green is two-tiered.  You can see the large ridge running behind this pin location.  You definitely want to be on the correct level.

Hole 6 – 420 yards – Par 4

This hole stretches you out a little more than we have seen so far.  There is more fairway out there past the tree on the right.

If you look back over your shoulder on this tee you can see the clubhouse across the water.

The second shot is played to a very sloping green.

In the photos below you can really see the undulation in the green.  You can also see the sheer size of it.

Hole 7 – 152 yards – Par 3

This one rounds out a good set of par threes on the front.  The plateau green is guarded by a bunker well below the putting surface.  There is some room to the right, but it makes for a tough up and down.

Hole 8 – 391 yards – Par 4

This fairway presents a pretty wide target.  The cart on the left is a perfect target.  The second shot plays to a green framed by bunkers that is slightly elevated.  It’s tough to run up a shot on this hole.

You can see the slope in the green below.  This is one of the easier pins you can get.  It can get tricky off the back portions of this green due to the drop-offs.

Hole 9 – 508 yards – Par 5

There’s plenty of sand out there to catch your eye, but put all of it on the left out of your mind.  There is a lot of room to take it up the right side with a slight draw.  A good drive here can leave you with a chance to get home in two.

The only protection on the second shot is the deep bunker fronting the green.  If you pound one the water is well behind the green.

This is the spot where I played my third shot from and I really liked this angle.  The green slopes away from you here and I really just needed to get the ball rolling even though I was 30 yards out.  You have a lot of options on this shot.

Here is a view from the front and right.

Hole 10 – 506 yards – Par 5

I always like to have back to back par fives that present birdie opportunities.  This one is definitely in that ilk.  There is a large landing area that entices you to hit a big drive.

Below is a look back over the property from the green.

Hole 11 – 176 yards – Par 3

I’ve seen so many people write about their opinions on architecture and one of the things I see is that a par three over water is overdone.  I’m a golf architecture newbie so I don’t really understand this viewpoint.  The eleventh is a great example of a par three over water to me.  The hazard fronts the green and wraps all the way around to the back.  In addition, you have to deal with the elevation change and its effect on club selection.

The green has a large chipping area in front that feeds into a large putting surface.

Hole 12 – 317 yards – Par 4

For most players, this is not reachable.  The smart play is up the fairway about 190-200 yards to leave you with a wedge into the green.  The approach doesn’t have any trouble in front.

Here is a look from behind the green.

Hole 13 – 345 yards – Par 4

This was a hole that is made tougher because of the visual aspect of it.  You can definitely get in trouble up the right side as the tree next to the bunker is in play.  The left side of the hole is an old fairway that has since grown in with some thick rough.  The bottom line is that a straight drive is needed.

The second shot is slightly downhill with a deep bunker on the left.  With all the room though it shouldn’t be in play.

Hole 14 – 406 yards – Par 4

This hole begins a difficult stretch to finish the course.  There is a lot of trouble on both sides, but most players will still need to hit driver.

I thought this was one of the tougher second shots on the entire 18.  It is all carry to the green.  Anything short is a very tough up and down.  The green is also very narrow so distance control is a must.

Hole 15 – 530 yards – Par 5

This is one of the holes I specifically remembered from the tournament being televised.  It is a tough tee shot with trouble on both sides.  With the length of the hole, you will probably need driver so save your best for the day here.

While the tee shot is very tough, the second shot really opens up.  The water is definitely in play so you must focus on a layup or going for it.

The green is pretty large so you shouldn’t have much to worry about if you have executed on your second shot.  The main objective is to carry the water obviously.  Depending on the pin position you can get the ball to funnel towards the hole.

Here is the view looking back up the hole.

Hole 16 – 168 yards – Par 3

This tee shot will get your motor running.  Left is absolutely dead and there isn’t much room right aside from the bunker.  The rock-lined creek fronts the entire green.

Hole 17 – 414 yards – Par 4

This hole calls for a powerful fade off the tee.  The water is the main hazard.  There is a good bit of room to the left.

The green is heavily tilted from back to front.  Putts from the front of the green will be quite slow.  You can see the undulation below.

Hole 18 – 390 yards – Par 4

The last hole at Victoria National is an absolute monster.  I can imagine my heart being in my throat while trying to hit this shot to win a tournament.  Due to my length or lack thereof I could take my shot at the bunkers on the left.

The second shot is much calmer.

The experience at Victoria National is simply awesome.  The course is challenging but doesn’t beat you down.  The little touches are what makes this place so great.  You cannot see cart paths when you walk the course.  It is the thought put into the entire property that really elevates the vibe.  I know they, like many courses in the country, have had a tough summer with the weather.  While I am sure they would prefer the course in pristine shape all the time, I didn’t even think about the conditions.  It was in great shape in my opinion and was extremely playable.  Hats off to this Midwestern gem!