Victory Ranch G.C., Park City

[Bob_Huntley]

I know Joel Zuckerman has seen the property but has anyone played the course/


Bob

[Lynn_Shackelford]

I have been to this course in the sense I was visiting a home near it.  It is way outside of town.  No clubhouse yet and I suspect just a few members.  It is pretty hilly, no walking, though not as hilly as some of the other silly stuff around Park City.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Prior thread:

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,42007.msg894620/topicseen/

[Matt_Ward]

Bob:

I played VR last year and it's one of the better Rees Jones courses I have played. You still get some of the basic formula with the endless tee pads which are placed in near straight like lockstep. In fact, the place extols the virtues of nearly seven tee boxes per hole which border on the overkill in spots.

The course is as Lynn mentioned -- quite hilly -- one will need a cart to play it.

The course is also removed from the core Park City area and likely is going to experience a bit of issues tied to the slumping real estate market.

The course is well done in spots -- the views of the nearby mountains are spectacular and the plunging gorge which provides glimpses of the Provo River really gives the eye a scene to behold. The layout is fairly straightforward on the front side but on the inner half you get some of the better holes. The final three holes -- a solid uphill par-5 of nearly 560 yards -- followed by a downhill par-3 of 242 and the closing par-4 of 520 is among the best I have played from the handiwork of Rees Jones.

VR just needs a bit of exposure -- however -- I believe the better options are likely with Dye's Promontory and Red Ledges in nearby Heber City.

[Joel Zuckerman]

Played Victory Ranch yesterday, for the 2nd time.

IMO it is the BEST GC, and not by a little bit, in the area.

It suffered yesterday because of soggy fairways, which makes the 7,100 yard blue tees play even longer (7,600 or so from the blacks) but the scenery is spectacular, playing corridors are generous, topography varied, greens excellent, and just a boatload of fun to play.

There's been lots of high-end growth in this area over the last decade, but sadly, much of it is not much fun to play...way too hard and far too taxing for the average player.  VR is a welcome change from this sensibility.

[Matt_Ward]

Joel:

Best golf and by more than a "little bit."

Really?

Please tell me how Rees has changed his style from the stacked tee pads -- see the par-3 8th as one good example. The front is primarily the same Rees Jones style course that just so happens to be in the immediate Park City area. The back nine is the better side by far and I as a said initially the final trio of holes is some of the best Rees has done from the layouts I have played with his signature.

Dye's Promontory is far better and provides all the elements you mentioned about VR. I concede that Jack's companion course there is likely too taxing for many. I also believe you downplay the qualities that Nicklaus did with Red Ledges and you forgot to highlight the qualities that TF did with Glenwild.