The 17 Best Golf Courses in Orlando (Starting at $24 a Round)
Did you know that Orlando is also The Happiest Place on Earth for golfers? With more than 100 to choose from, golf courses far outnumber theme parks in Orlando.
From world-renowned championship courses to breathtaking resort layouts and family-friendly par 3s, there’s something for every player and every budget. Whether you’re an experienced golfer, just starting, or looking for a course to take your kids, choosing one can be daunting. Take a planning shortcut with our curated list of the best courses in Orlando.
How This List Was Made
As a D1 collegiate golfer, I’ve played nearly 75 courses. This list includes my picks of Orlando’s best golf courses.
So, which one of these Orlando Golf Courses will you try out first?
Bay Hill Club and Lodge
Bay Hill has hosted the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational since 1979. It has the ideal combination of a comfortable lodge atmosphere and exceptional golf.
As a guest, you’re treated as family. The Champion, Challenger, and Charger nine-hole loops total 27 holes of tour championship golf consistently ranked among the Top 100 Courses in the United States.
Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course
Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course, a Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuary certified by Audubon International, is a haven for pro and serious golfers and an exciting challenge for players of all skill levels. Named after its majestic magnolia trees and features elevated tees, spacious greens, and challenging water hazards. Wide fairways tempt you to hit it long but beware: 11 of the 18 holes feature water hazards, and dozens of sand bunkers dot the landscape.
Redesigned in 2022 with a newly elevated design and innovative layout, it’s undoubtedly an ideal stop on everyone’s Disney trip. It features new teeing grounds, redesigned greenside and fairway bunkers, and freshly re-contoured Bermuda grass greens with fast and accurate putting surfaces. Everything contributes to one of the best golf course conditioning experiences for guests in recent years.
To commemorate the course’s 50-year history and the decades ahead, each hole has been given a new Disney-themed name derived from a classic Disney film and is coupled with a quote from either Walt Disney or Arnold Palmer.
For example, Hole 5, “The Nice Peaceful Spot,” opens with a clarifying quote from Arnold Palmer on the tee box sign. “What do I mean by concentration? I mean focusing totally on the business at hand and commanding your body to do exactly what you want it to do.”
Disney’s Palm Golf Course
This championship 18-hole course features palm trees, glistening lakes, sloping greens, and tropical sands. It is located right next to The Magnolia Course. Disney’s Palm Golf Course features nine water hazards and 59 bunkers, providing plenty of challenges for amateurs and seasoned pros alike.
The eighteenth hole on this course is one of the most difficult on the PGA TOUR, with plenty of length and a green well protected by sand and water. This course is ideal for everything from a leisurely round to a large group getaway, providing a spectacular end to a magical day in the Florida sun.
In the summer of 2013, the Arnold Palmer Design Company rebuilt and extensively redesigned the Course. The substantial makeover included entirely new green complexes, newly shaped tees, and a whole new bunker design, all modernizing this classic golf course.
Isleworth Country Club
Isleworth Country Club’s 18-hole championship golf course is another masterpiece by Arnold Palmer, later enhanced by Steve Smyers in 2003. Consistently ranked among the top golf courses in the country, it is expressly designed to create a fair but distinctively challenging round.
The hallmark course is situated on rolling terrain, with spacious, undulating, and fast greens set in scenic locations. It’s such a breathtaking course that professional golfers dub it Florida’s version of Augusta, referring to the home of the prestigious Masters Tournament. Membership is required, and there is currently a waiting list.
Lake Nona Golf and Country Club
With Isleworth, Lake Nona Golf and Country Club are regarded as the country’s premier gated golf community development, with Lake Nona’s Tom Fazio-designed course nestled within a private 600-acre estate.
Lake Nona, which measures 7,215 yards from the back markers, starts under a canopy of dense trees on the front nine, becoming more open on the inner half as the final five holes play around natural interior lakes.
The iconic 15th hole borders the shoreline of Buck Lake as it swings slightly left from the tee, separated by a lengthy fairway bunker from a sizable body of water on the left. Anything better than a standard par five here is considered an accomplishment.
Best Courses for Families in Orlando
Orlando is the perfect destination for a family golf trip. Whether you’re taking the kids on their first golf trip or want a break from the theme parks, you’ll find the perfect courses for a thrilling vacation that scores high marks on both.
Grande Vista Golf Club
Located on the headwaters of the Florida Everglades ecosystem, the course is surrounded by magnificent oaks and gorgeous cypress trees. It’s a 9-hole, par-32 course designed by Ron Garl. It encourages learning and development for all levels of play while also challenging the most experienced players.
Grande Vista features a 35-acre dedicated practice facility and a full-service golf school offering golf instruction and special club-fitting services. From weekly to monthly and annual, it offers a membership scheme that will suit your needs and gives you and the rest of the family access to a world-class practice facility and golf course.
Tooth Course at Orange County National
The golf superplex Orange County National is a great place to satiate a budding interest in the game. This is most likely the first time they’ve ever seen a 360-degree circular range. A par-29 course, The Tooth has a 4.6/5 rating on Golf Advisor, higher than most executive courses.
The Tooth features subtle elevation changes, tough bunkers, and four holes that play over a lake. This may be a short course, but it’s challenging. It’s a walking-only golf course that allows you to work out while having fun. The potential to complete nine holes in under an hour will enable you to maximize your time spent with family or improve your overall game.
Crane’s Bend and Legends Walk at Orange Lake Resort
If you’re going on vacation in Orlando with your spouse, kids, and possibly some extended family, finding a place for everyone who wants to come along can be challenging. Good thing there’s Orange Lake Golf Resort, one of the best destinations in Orlando for a family getaway.
There’s plenty of options for every golfer in the family. A par-3 course (Crane’s Bend), a lighted par-3 course (Legends Walk), a “resort” course (The Reserve), and a championship course (The Legend) are all available.
Best Orlando Golf Courses for Beginners
If you’re on the beginning of golf journey, teeing off on an 18-hole course may be daunting, if not downright stressful. Moreover, these 7,000-yard monster courses aren’t exactly conducive to high scores and inviting enough for beginner golfers to come back.
Instead, you’d want shorter courses, ideal for building confidence without wearing you out. It is vacation after all.
Winter Park Pines Golf Club
Winter Pines Golf Club, opened in 1968, provides a terrific experience for players of all skill levels. It measures 5,401 yards and plays to a par of 67. The longest hole is the par-5 ninth, which involves an approach shot over water.
“The Pines,” as regulars refer to it, has several fun-to-play par 3s on the back nine that may make or break your score. This 18-hole local favorite provides an unforgettable experience for players of all skill levels. You have the option of playing all 18 or just nine for beginners.
Champions 9 Course at Champions Gate Resort
The Champions 9 Course has a pitch-and-putt layout ideal for beginners and those working on all phases of the short game.
The course provides spectacular views and challenging play for players, regardless of skill level. The Champions 9’s well-kept fairways and greens keep the course challenging but pleasant. You can ask the staff for handy tips and tricks to help you play your best round.
You will like the place even more in the evening when it’s lit for night play, making the Champions 9 Course perfect for a relaxing outing at the end of a fun day.
Oak Trail at Walt Disney World
Disney’s Oak Trail golf course is a beginner-friendly retreat home to a beautiful par-36 walking course next to Magnolia. This enjoyable 9-hole course is filled with rolling greens and exciting challenges, not just for beginners. Oak Trail, which measures 2,913 yards from the back tees and 1,713 yards from the junior tees, is also considered the quintessential family golf experience.
Its scenic yet challenging layout design has been designated a Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuary by Audubon International. Holes 5, 6, and 7 are some of the most notable. They are routed around a canal and pond, requiring careful planning and a sound strategy.
Best Budget Picks
There’s no shortage of quality Orlando Golf Courses. However, most are inside resorts, and especially during peak season, the required fees to play a round can add up.
We’ve got you if you’re looking for ways to make playing golf more affordable and are after quality yet reasonably priced Orlando golf courses, here’s some of my best value picks in the peak season or off-season.
Winter Park Golf Course
Winter Park is a par-35 course stretching to 2,480 yards. What it lacks in distance, it makes up for in stunning green contours, steep bunkers, and moss-covered trees. This walking-only, nine-hole beauty, established in 1914, frames the north end of the New England-style town of Winter Park, three miles north of Orlando. Streets and residential establishments surround the entire course.
Meanwhile, holes such as no. 4, a par five that doglegs around a cemetery, and no. 9, a par four nestled near Casa Feliz, a gorgeous historic Spanish farmhouse, have made it somewhat of a cult classic.
With rates ranging from $7 to $29 for kids and adults, you’ll have a hard time finding a better golf deal in Orlando.
Dubsdread Golf Course
Located mere minutes from downtown Orlando, Dubsdread derives its name from the intent of instilling dread in “dubs,” or novice golfers. The course features numerous intriguing doglegs, bunkers, and water hazards to overcome on your way to finding its small greens. It’s widely popular with the locals, who can play this 6,200-yard classic for next to nothing, and non-residents, who only have to pay a minimal rate exclusive of cart use.
“We are one of Central Florida’s oldest public courses, welcoming generations of golfers who want to make their own lasting memories on the same fairways as Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Babe Zaharias, while enjoying some of the finest conditions in the greater Orlando area,” shared Rodney Reifsnider, General Manager of Dubsdread Golf Course.
Hawk’s Landing Golf Club
Renowned golf architect Robert Cupp Jr. developed Hawk’s Landing Golf Club to provide the ideal location for a demanding round of golf as well as a gorgeous blend of native Florida wildlife and tropical foliage.
The course is an excellent way to unwind after a day at the surrounding amusement parks or after a long day of work. As soon as you arrive at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort, you’ll be steps away from taking your first swing on the 18-hole Championship Resort Golf Course.
Hawk’s Landing has beautiful playing conditions and five sets of tees to challenge players of all skill levels. Diamond Zoysia greens, distinctive undulating fairways, and water in play on fifteen of eighteen holes – including the whole back nine – make this a must-play course without breaking the bank.
Best Resort Courses
Finally, if you’re looking to please a variety of interests, a good golf resort can be your best friend. Luckily, Orlando isn’t just home to some of the best theme parks in the world but resorts that will make a golf trip feel like a real vacation. Here are some of the city’s best options.
Reunion Resort and Golf Club
With redesigned greens by the greats, this resort is many players’ go-to in Orlando. It is the only place where courses by Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, and Arnold Palmer are in the same location. The Palmer 7 hole is its most iconic of all 36 holes. Many will recognize it by its view of the Grand Tower and a bridge over the pond.
Reunion Resort also offers ten swimming pools, world-class restaurants, a full water park, and other exciting amenities across its 2,300-acre property, just 20 minutes south of Magic Kingdom theme park.
Waldorf Astoria Orlando
The Waldorf Astoria Orlando and its golf course are visually stunning. Integrated beautifully into the landscape, it feels like it has been there forever, yet prolific golf course architect Rees Jones designed itonly in 2009.
Golf Magazine lists these greens as one of the top courses to play, and with their five-tee system to accommodate golfers of different skill levels, everyone can score bragging rights.
JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes
The Greg Norman Signature Golf Course is one of the region’s best-golfing destinations, located on one of Central Florida’s most biologically diverse and attractive ecological sites. While playing, you get to take in the breathtaking scenery of this certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary golf course, which is home to a vibrant ecosystem of ponds, wetlands, cypress heads, and live oaks.
The full-service golf club has everything you need for a delightful stay in Orlando, from resort-inspired facilities to golf packages. It has 18 championship-level holes and a course that serves as a PGA Tour Challenge event site.
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The 8 Best Public Golf Courses in the South
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