The picturesque Victoria Golf Resort at Digana in Kandy comes to life in the pages of Tony Whitham’s book which was launched on May 11 after the conclusion of the Mark Bostock Memorial Trophy 2024 awards ceremony at the award-winning golf resort.
Sponsored by John Keells Holdings, the top golfing event attracted over 90 golfers this year for the Mark Bostock Memorial Trophy, which was first introduced in 2008 and won by Chris Holloway.
It has become a highly anticipated event in the golf calendar with many top class local and overseas golfers teeing off in the annual board event.
Author Tony Whitham, the first General Manager of the Victoria Golf Resort, recalls the Victoria Golf Resort being declared open back in 1999 by Mark Bostock.
In his newly launched book, he delves into its exciting history and legacy. His narrative encompasses the development of the resort and the golf course, right until John Keells Holdings took over as the official property manager. John Keells Properties re-branded Victoria Golf and Country Resort to Victoria Golf Resort Sri Lanka (VGR) in 2022 and today it attracts professional golfers as well as holiday enthusiasts from across the globe.
Nestled amid the scenic hills of Kandy, Victoria Golf Resort in Digana is landscaped over 517 acres and encompasses an 18-hole championship golf course with the resort overlooking the Victoria reservoir and surrounded by breathtaking views of the Knuckles Range.
Victoria Golf Resort was awarded ‘Best Golf Course’ by Asian Golf Monthly no less than five times, beginning in 2000.
It was without question the best course in Sri Lanka and earned high praise from the renowned golf architect Tom Doak in his book ‘The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses: Volume 5 – Asia, Australia and New Zealand’.
Tom Doak picked Victoria among his top ten in many categories including, best resorts for golf, favourite places to stay and play, most beautiful courses, best trees, best wildlife spotting, favourite stretches of holes – Victoria 3-6, best finishing holes, best courses to own a house on, best new courses built since 1996, ranked number 24 out of 439 courses in the region (which includes Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, Singapore, China, Thailand and Malaysia). The list is impressive and great credit goes to Mark Bostock for his vision in bringing Victoria into being, and to Donald Steel and Martin Ebert, the designers.
