Victoria appoints Mackenzie & Ebert to develop a master plan

Victoria Golf Club in Oak Bay, Canada, has appointed architects Tom Mackenzie and Martin Ebert to develop a master plan for the renovation of the club’s golf course.

The club is one of Canada’s oldest and is historically known as the Oak Bay Golf Links. Since 1893, golf has been played on the seaside property, perched on cliffs overlooking the Strait of Juan de Luca on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. Between the 1920s and early 1950s the course was significantly improved by Irish-Canadian golf architect AV Macan, who was also a member of the club until his death in 1964. Between 2009 and 2012 it was also upgraded by Canadian architect Jeff Mingay.

Mackenzie and Ebert have an extensive portfolio and have been named as architects for 22 of the world’s 100 best golf courses outside the US (by Golf Digest in 2022). They have worked at eight Open Championship venues, including Hamilton Golf & Country Club, host of the 2024 Canadian Open.

“Our decision to partner with Mackenzie & Ebert was driven by their exceptional track record and deep knowledge of oceanfront golf courses,” said Richard Ingle, the club’s general manager. “We are confident that this partnership will deliver significant improvements for the club as we develop our master plan for the next course, which will enhance the playing experience for our members while maintaining the unique character of our course.”

Victoria is one of several coastal golf courses that Mackenzie & Ebert has worked on. “We are delighted to have been appointed to advise such a prestigious club as Victoria,” said Ebert, director of Mackenzie & Ebert International Golf Club Architects. “As every golfer knows, the game of golf began on the coast, and the holes on Victoria’s coast are absolutely stunning. At Mackenzie & Ebert we are fortunate to have a number of classic coastal courses in our portfolio and we are extremely proud that Victoria now joins that list. We are very much looking forward to using our experience to help the club take the course to which AV Macan has contributed so much to an even higher level. During that process we hope to build a strong relationship with the club and its members. We would like to thank the club for the confidence they have placed in us to make this appointment.”

Club president and recently inducted BC Hall Golf Hall of Famer Craig Doell said, “Since taking over as president, the most exciting decision I have been a part of is the hiring of Mackenzie & Ebert as our new architects. They have impressed us with their excellent reputation and their great design and restoration work on some of the highest ranked golf courses in the world. We look forward to working with them.”