Little GolfNow confusion for my Sunday round at Victoria. My Sunday partner had to cancel so I found a great $26 online rate for Victoria on Sunday at 10:30am. When I arrived at 10:10, they didn't see... Continue »

Little GolfNow confusion for my Sunday round at Victoria. My Sunday partner had to cancel so I found a great $26 online rate for Victoria on Sunday at 10:30am. When I arrived at 10:10, they didn't see it and told me that was only a senior midweek rate. Well fine, but that's what I booked and nowhere did it say anything about a senior rate.

I had to call the GolfNow people and they 're-booked' it for me for 10:37, but the starter told me I could go out and latch on to a twosome who were on the second hole. I made it clear that I was not a senior and then got a confirmation for - you guessed it - a senior rate, but she also failed to send any confirmation to the starter.

He let me go out while I left my credit card and DL with him and come back to sort it out at the turn. When I did get back, still no confirmation, but he was cool and honored the $26 rate (which I also showed him on my phone to prove it was real). Top marks for that.

As for the course, Victoria continues its slow climb to respectability. Some areas on the fairways are actually quite good, but of course there are going to be dirt patches in between on any of the holes. Still, I only had to move my ball twice today into actual grass from dirt hardpan.

The rough was definitely thicker than the fairways but a strange mix of heavy, thin and simply dirt. Luckily I was pretty straight today into the fairways and got many good lies. The tee boxes were all pretty good, and the sand I avoided most of the day but it looked good for the most part, but certainly not fluffy, but just enough.

Greens complexes continue to be the highlight of the course and today was no exception. Medium speed, very receptive and challenging. I would say 90% of them were in very good condition for an LA Muni course.

Cart girl even came by twice, which was very good because it was a hot day and there was only one water station with actual water, and that was at the 14th hole. And despite my horrible triple bogey on 13, had a darn good day playing from the tips with an 89.

Once again - rack rate over $50 here? Never. Well, at least not until the fairways are 100% covered (if that ever happens), but for $26? A definite steal.

Poor Victoria - she's had a difficult life. Her life started hard when she was born on a landfill. So many times it seemed that THIS was the time she would get her act together and everyone would ap... Continue »

Poor Victoria - she's had a difficult life. Her life started hard when she was born on a landfill. So many times it seemed that THIS was the time she would get her act together and everyone would appreciate her but then she would relapse into disrepair and the mutterings behind her back would begin again.

Maybe you have learned - like me - not to visit her unless you've heard from someone that she's feeling ok. Nobody wants to spend 4 hours with Victoria when she's on deaths door - she's poor company. When she's feeling alright - then she's worth hanging with - a fine layout with variety and challenge.

Well, these days, she has a new suitor and things are once again hopeful and moving in the right direction. I read a review that described this situation 8 months ago until now accurately as such - Before hardpan with patches of grass - currently grass with patches of hardpan. Her greens have been and still are in good shape. All of the course is now open. Fairways are a patchwork of grasses and a spot here and there missing grass but I never ended up on a terrible patch and most were actually quite good.

As many of the other courses in SoCal start to lose their beauty, Victoria doesn't seem so bad in comparison. The other benefit of her unpopularity is lack of crowds - I teed off on a weekday at 11 and played in under 4 hours. 29bucks to walk.

No, the driving range hasn't been finished and reopened yet - it didn't even look close to it.

Victoria - you continue giving relatively cheap and quick thrills - and I'll look past a black eye and a couple of scars. Hopefully those will be gone soon enough as well.

Played 7/5/15. The review for this course is always the same, good layout of holes but conditions are terrible. The new program they have in place to get the conditions back in shape is a work in prog... Continue »

Played 7/5/15. The review for this course is always the same, good layout of holes but conditions are terrible. The new program they have in place to get the conditions back in shape is a work in progress. Still many bare dirt patches but surprisingly getting better. The greens however seem to have been neglected due to a lot of work on the fairway, thats too bad because the greens were the best part of this course, medium speed but rolls pretty smooth. I will be back in a couple months to see if the conditions have improved.

Regular playing partner had to bail out so I got a late solo deal to Victoria for $36. Full price for Victoria? Not until it's not all fixed up, but for that price it's fine.

Was excited to see if ... Continue »

Regular playing partner had to bail out so I got a late solo deal to Victoria for $36. Full price for Victoria? Not until it's not all fixed up, but for that price it's fine.

Was excited to see if the changes were really taking shape, and while it's still far from perfect, it's probably the best I've seen it. There are still plenty of roped off GUR areas, and you'll still find dirt patches, but there are some good things slowly happening on the fairways.

Greens are great - not a single complaint - rolling true at medium speed. Rough varies but mostly playable. Never found a trap but others said they were okay. Tee boxes in good shape. POP was around 4 1/2 hours - great for a Sat afternoon on a holiday weekend.

Encouraged by what I 'm seeing and hearing about the fairway work. The layout at Victoria is terrific, so if they really do sort it out, gonna be a real nice track.

I should be kicking myself for playing this course every wednesday morning but I like the layout, it's close to the house and I am accustomed to the daily work that occurs. Well the flag should be red... Continue »

I should be kicking myself for playing this course every wednesday morning but I like the layout, it's close to the house and I am accustomed to the daily work that occurs. Well the flag should be red because they are doing major work in the fairways and the range is closed and under major construction. Some holes are cart path only for those who ride but even if you walk you want to use the cart path or end up with mud caked on your shoes and push carts. You get no release in the fairways and have to clean your ball each time. Some of the other reviews say within weeks the fairways should be more playable but my experience here you should give a few months since grass has a hard time taking hold on this course. Right now it's a course to come practice on not for a serious round of golf.

A new management team headed by Newport Beach developer, Jeffery Klein took over Victoria's lease on April 1. Klein hired Greenway Golf to maintain/operate the golf course. Greenway has a good reputat... Continue »

A new management team headed by Newport Beach developer, Jeffery Klein took over Victoria's lease on April 1. Klein hired Greenway Golf to maintain/operate the golf course. Greenway has a good reputation for fixing up golf courses, check them out on the web. Greenway has a US-one-of-kind machine called an over-planter that is used to plant new grass in the fairway, that is what the previous reviewer mistook as over seeding. They have used this method with success, we expect Victoria will be no exception. They are planting a hybrid Bermuda called Santa Ana, once it starts taking hold, it will spread throughout the fairway. Yes, right now as they do the over planting the fairways are all chewed up, but this shouldn't last for long, maybe 2-3 weeks. They will probably complete all 17 fairways (they aren't doing 14) by the end of this week. Electric carts will have to stay off for about 10 days after the hole is completed. Walkers can go anywhere. With success, Victoria will have some of the best fairways in the county, go ahead and laugh and we'll see who gets the last laugh. Greenway's agronomist, Marc Logan, has had great success at other courses they have fixed. Finally, Greenway plans to greatly improve the driving range. I was told they will close the range for about a month while they do this. Victoria is one of the best layout in the county but has suffered from below average fairway conditions. Once Greenway fixes the fairways and driving range, we will have one really good golf course.

FYI, they are overseeding. There are long parallel cuts of grass along fairway. Looks to me they are trying to allow another fescue to grow as they do this, but honestly call me silly, but this cour... Continue »

FYI, they are overseeding. There are long parallel cuts of grass along fairway. Looks to me they are trying to allow another fescue to grow as they do this, but honestly call me silly, but this course suffers from compaction -- the clay soil literally chokes the roots of the grass promoting dead spots. Why not use larger tines and put sand in the holes like you would aerate greens. I seem to remember an article by another golf superintendent that soil composition needs to be 50 % soil, 25% water, and 25% air. Placing sand would amend the soil and turn into something that will allow the absorption of water; not to mention loosening the soil to allow the roots to take hold. The funny thing is the fairways 1-9 are being reseeded but the rough along these holes are actually healthier looking that the fairways. Shouldn't they consult some horticulturist and do one hole to see if the theory works? I mean the course is in sad shape as it is. Will doing that make it any worse? Anything above what they are doing now will be an improvement. OK my rant is over here is my review. It won't be pretty. Fairways 1-9 being reseeded. Hole 9 was closed when we played. Still we paid full price (twilight) -- $29.25 with cart. Fairways are sad. They are in poor shape, it's certainly an improvement from the last time I played here but not by much. The rough is greener than the fairways and appears more healthy. Tee boxes are a mixture of different fescue. They are just flat and thin looking. Greens are in OK shape. Green complexes are in decent shape. Sand in bunkers are OK, compact sand. The course feels like hitting off a really bad grass range. Mileage may vary but I think it's fair to say I will not be coming back in YEARS. I will tell all my friends here that venture to consider Victoria to reconsider. My money is better spent elsewhere. The sad thing is I really like this course. I love the layout. I enjoy the greens. The funny thing is they appear to water and maintain the rough better than the fairways. As a buddy said, why not stop watering the rough and concentrate on watering and maintaining the fairways? Logic has left the room and doing sensible things have left Victoria. Do I stand behind my reviews? Yes. Will I recommend this course to others? Short Answer -- NO FREAKIN' WAY. I won't even recommend this course to enemies because quite frankly I wouldn't want anyone to play in these conditions. One last thing, my cart died halfway through the round. Called to replace? yes, no answer. Walk back to the clubhouse with a significant chip on my shoulder? You betcha. No recompense or make it right? No comment. Never going to come back here again, so why even bother to ask them for some kind of "make good?"

After a year and 4 months since my last visit, I teed off at 11:30 with a co worker. You know the story with this track and I wanted to see for myself how it was playing after the work last year. Well... Continue »

After a year and 4 months since my last visit, I teed off at 11:30 with a co worker. You know the story with this track and I wanted to see for myself how it was playing after the work last year. Well, I can't see how others were reviewing this course so high. 6.0, 7.0, come on now. Really? Greens- Like always the best trait here. Smooth, nice and rolling great. Not punched or sanded yet. Fairways- Same as always. Hard to tell its a golf course. Dry dirt hardpan with occasional grass under the ball. Rough- None or ESA. Bunkers- Thin, dirt, but playable somewhat. Tees- Ok and level. Pace- Slow 6 hours, but it was Saturday afternoon so I expected it. Service- was good and they actually had a starter on 1. Hard to feel this track when there are other courses in much better shape for a few $$ more.

Not much to add since last review. Fairways are pretty awful but better than in years past. Not too difficult to find some grass if you need to move your ball over. Greens (and green complexes) are pr... Continue »

Not much to add since last review. Fairways are pretty awful but better than in years past. Not too difficult to find some grass if you need to move your ball over. Greens (and green complexes) are pretty terrific, and tee boxes in good shape too.

The rough is very thick and will kill any ball momentum so keep it straight. Still, can be difficult to hit irons if you're in the thin grass. Sand was below average. Took a friend for his first visit and we both agree the layout is great. If they ever get the fairways to above decent, this place would be great.

Would never pay rack rate here but deals can always be found - we played today for $35. POP was fairly slow, finishing I just about 5 hours. Hot out there today!