Best golf courses in Orlando

Host to the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational since 1979, Bay Hill is the perfect combination of a comfortable lodge atmosphere and outstanding golf. As a guest, you are made to feel like a member and part of the family. The Champion, Challenger and Charger loops of nine make up 27-holes of tour championship golf that is consistently ranked in the Top 100 Courses to play in America.

The signature 18th hole, a daunting par 4 with a sweeping dogleg around a lake, provides a dramatic finish to one of Orlando’s most iconic golf courses.

Key features

• Designer: Arnold Palmer

• Yardage: 7,381 yards

• Hosts the annual PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational

There are three championship courses to choose from at Walt Disney World Resort. Magnolia, a beautifully manicured links carved through 1,500 magnolia trees, is the longest and hosted the PGA Tour’s Disney event for 35 years. The Lake Buena Vista Course meanders through native Florida wetlands surrounded by pine forests, palmettos and sparkling lakes. And finally, the Palm course takes in the natural beauty of the Florida woodlands. Three very different but equally challenging and fun courses.

Water hazards come into play on 11 holes, and the iconic Mickey Mouse-shaped bunker on the par-3 sixth adds a touch of Disney magic. A former PGA Tour host, Magnolia offers a challenging yet scenic experience for golfers of all skill levels.

Key features

• Designer: Joe Lee

• Yardage: 7,516 yards

• Features a Mickey Mouse-shaped bunker on the 6th hole

No resort in the world can claim to offer signature design layouts from Nicklaus, Palmer and Watson (Tom, not Bubba), but at the very lovely Reunion Resort, south-west of Orlando, that’s exactly what’s on offer. The Watson course is the most highly regarded, offering unusual elevation changes and colossal amounts of bunkering, but all three are great fun to play. And if it’s all going wrong, there’s always the Reunion Resort Academy on offer to perfect your game.

The Nicklaus Course is a parkland-style layout with tight fairways, well-placed bunkers, and a focus on precision over power. The Palmer Course is more forgiving, featuring wide fairways, dramatic elevation changes, and risk-reward opportunities that encourage aggressive play.

Key features:

• Designer: Tom Watson

• Yardage: 7,154 yards

• Built with no rough, emphasizing a links-style experience

At the Omni ChampionsGate Resort, you will find two fantastic and completely different Greg Norman designs. The International Course is a links-style course with a classic outward nine before making the turn layout, whereas the National Course is a more typical Florida resort course that weaves its way through 200-acres of secluded woodlands, wetlands, and former orange groves. ChampionsGate is also the world headquarters for the David Leadbetter Golf Academy.

Key features:

• Designer: Greg Norman

• Yardage: 7,363 yards

• Designed with a traditional Scottish links-style layout

You can look forward to a friendly welcome from staff at Waldorf Astoria Golf Club that will ensure a luxurious and memorable golf experience. Designed by the renowned Rees Jones, this 18-hole course seamlessly blends the natural landscape into a formidable challenge that golfers of all abilities can appreciate and enjoy.

The course stretches over 7,100 yards and is known for its strategic design, with wide fairways, large greens, and strategically placed bunkers that require precision shot-making. In true Florida fashion, water comes into play throughout the round so strategic thinking is key.

Key features:

• Designer: Rees Jones

• Yardage: 7,108 yards

• No parallel fairways, giving a secluded, exclusive feel

Orange County National, or OCN as the locals like to call it, offers two impressive courses that have both played host to multiple PGA Tour Qualifying School Finals. Panther Lake is a visual delight, playing over rolling meadows, through native pines, around and over wetlands and with elevation changes of up to 60 feet. Crooked Cat on the other hand, is more of a links-style course, with rolling fairways framed by native heather and large, undulating greens.

Key features:

• Designer: Phil Ritson, Dave Harman, Isao Aoki

• Yardage: 7,350 yards

• Known for its natural elevation changes, rare in Florida

Consistently rated in the Top-10 Orlando Golf Courses, Celebration has held many prestigious tournaments such as the US Senior Open Qualifier and Florida State Links Championship.

Opened in 1996 and designed by the father & son team of Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and Jr., Celebration is the final course co-designed by the renowned masters of golf course architecture and is reflective of the very best of every course they have created around the world. Celebration is a beautifully crafted par-72 course that stretches over 7,000 yards from the back tees.

Key features:

• Designer: Robert Trent Jones Sr. & Jr.

• Yardage: 7,028 yards

• Water hazards come into play on 16 of 18 holes

Gently winding its way around the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort, Hawks Landing is a Robert Cupp Jr. design offering a delightful blend of challenging golf amid beautiful surroundings, wildlife and native Florida vegetation. Water comes into play on 15 holes so bring plenty of balls, and there is a Jack Nicklaus Golf Academy onsite if you need to brush up on your game. This scenic and challenging par-71 course stretches over 6,600 yards. The signature 18th hole, a risk-reward par 5 with a water-protected green, offers an exciting finish.

Key features:

• Designer: Robert Cupp Jr.

• Yardage: 6,810 yards

• Integrated into the Orlando World Center Marriott resort