Bear Mountain Mountain Course
The Mountain Course is the marquee eighteen at Bear Mountain near Victoria, and the first course Jack Nicklaus designed alongside his son Steve. Opened in 2003, this par 71 of about 6,810 yards sits atop an 1,100 foot summit on Vancouver Island, with dramatic elevation changes and views to the ocean and the Olympic Mountains.
Photo: Bear Mountain Golf Club via Google, by Joe Chung.
The verdict
The Mountain Course is the headline round at Bear Mountain, the 36 hole resort above Langford on the edge of Victoria. It holds a place in golf history as the first design collaboration between Jack Nicklaus and his son Steve, opened in 2003, and it makes the most of a spectacular Vancouver Island site, routed across the top of an 1,100 foot summit with rock outcrops, Garry oak meadow and long views to the sea and the Olympic range.
For the traveling golfer it is a bold, scenic mountain test, shorter than tournament length at about 6,810 yards but full of elevation change, forced carries and exposed greens that ask for precise distance control. Paired with the resort's Valley Course it anchors a Victoria golf stay, and the mild island climate means the season runs longer here than almost anywhere else in Canada. It suits a buddies trip or a couples escape that wants golf, spa and city close together.
Bear Mountain Mountain Course at a glance
- Opened
- 2003
- Designers
- Jack and Steve Nicklaus
- Type
- Mountain (resort)
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- 6,810 yds
- Green fee
- Premium resort (2026)
Designers, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the resort and leading databases. The Mountain Course is a par 71 of about 6,810 yards, with tees up to about 7,083 yards, designed by Jack Nicklaus and Steve Nicklaus and opened in 2003, their first collaboration. It is a resort course at Bear Mountain near Victoria; indicative 2026 green fees are a premium British Columbia resort rate, lower early and late season and at twilight. Rates change by season and time of day, so always confirm current pricing and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Mountain Course earns its name on the routing across the summit, where the Nicklaus team set tees and greens among rock outcrops and benched fairways into the slope. The elevation changes are constant, with downhill drives that carry forever and uphill approaches that demand an extra club, and several holes open to long views over Greater Victoria, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains beyond.
It rewards control more than length. At about 6,810 yards from the back the test is in the angles and the distance judgment, with forced carries over native rock and Garry oak meadow and greens that fall away at the edges. The exposed mountaintop can bring wind and quick changes in conditions, so the smart play is to respect the terrain and take the safe line where the drop is severe.
As the first father and son Nicklaus design it carries a story most resort courses cannot, and it pairs naturally with the flatter, more forgiving Valley Course for a two course Bear Mountain stay. Take a cart for the climbs and the spread of the routing, and try to play on a clear day when the ocean and the peaks are in full view.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Resort course at Bear Mountain; open to resort guests and visitors subject to availability |
| Green fee | Premium British Columbia resort rate, indicative for 2026; varies by season, day and time |
| Cart and caddie | Carts recommended given the elevation and the mountaintop routing; no caddie program |
| Booking | Through the resort, online or by phone; book ahead for summer, though the island season is long |
| Season | Close to year round in the mild Vancouver Island climate, with summer the prime window |
| Getting there | Langford near Victoria, about 30 minutes from the city and its airport and ferries |
Access and fees verified June 2026 from the resort and public sources. Green fees vary by season, day and time, so always confirm current pricing and availability directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Bear Mountain is a full resort above Langford, with a hotel, spa, dining and tennis alongside the 36 holes, which makes a stay and play package the easy way to book the Mountain Course. Downtown Victoria and the ferries and airport are about half an hour away, so a Bear Mountain base also opens up the city and the island.
For a fuller British Columbia golf trip, pair the Mountain Course with the resort's Valley Course, then cross to the mainland for the Coast Mountains golf at Nicklaus North and Fairmont Chateau Whistler at Whistler. See our Golf in Canada hub and our best courses in Canada ranking for the wider plan.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Bear Mountain and Victoria.
Play the Bear Mountain Mountain Course on a Victoria golf trip
We book the Mountain Course tee times, sort the Bear Mountain resort lodging, and route a Vancouver Island week with the Valley Course and a Whistler or Vancouver add on. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Bear Mountain Mountain Course questions
Who designed the Bear Mountain Mountain Course?
The Mountain Course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son Steve Nicklaus and opened in 2003. It was the first design collaboration between father and son.
What is the par and length of the Bear Mountain Mountain Course?
The Mountain Course plays to par 71 and measures about 6,810 yards, with the back tees stretching to roughly 7,083 yards across five tee sets.
Is the Bear Mountain Mountain Course open to visitors?
It is a resort course near Victoria, open to resort guests and visitors subject to availability. Green fees vary by season, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
How many golf courses are at Bear Mountain?
Bear Mountain has 36 holes near Victoria: the Mountain Course and the Valley Course. The Mountain Course is the marquee Nicklaus design of the pair.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designers, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.