Now and forever the Mouse reigns in Orlando. But golfers know this part of central Florida is a haven for vacationers looking to hit the links as well. In addition to theme parks, visitors to Orlando can enjoy world-class dining and - of course - golf courses by some of the top designers in the game.
MetroWest Golf Club, a Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design in Orlando, has a majestic clubhouse, an award-winning restaurant, beautifully appointed locker rooms and much more. Combine all that with 18 holes of rolling hills and stunning scenery, and you have all the makings for a great day of golf, David Berner writes.
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The Championship Course at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, which reopened in late summer 2009 after an extensive renovation, is one of the best golf courses in Orlando. Nestled within a high-end residential community, it has a "country club" feel despite being fewer than 15 minutes from Disney. With the renovation, bunkers were made larger and more visible, and greens were flattened to allow for more hole locations. The result with the bunkers is more intimidating shots off the tee and into the greens.
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The New Course at Orlando's Grand Cypress Golf Club offers the closest thing to the Old Course at St. Andrews that many Americans will experience. The Jack Nicklaus design mimics the birthplace of golf, in particular with its feel for the game and enormous, shared fairways at the start and finish, Mike Bailey writes. Plus, there's Grand Cypress' Hell Bunker, the Valley of Sin and all the giant greens.
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Yes, there are places to escape Orlando's theme-park screams. Rest assured, luxury golf courses for the vacationer exist here, too. If you're willing to pay a premium for quiet, high-end accommodations and, of course, the best golf, Orlando has a handful of upscale options as good as anywhere in Florida.
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The New Course at Grand Cypress Resort is Jack Nicklaus' tribute to the Old Course at St. Andrews, the birthplace of golf. While it's not a copy hole-for-hole, the feel of the golf course does indeed invoke the feel of the Old Course. Bring plenty of imagination and short-game skill, and you'll have a lot of fun.
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Most golfers who take an Orlando vacation aren't going just for golf. When you consider Disney, Universal, Sea World and all the other attractions Central Florida has to offer, golf can sometimes get squeezed. If you need to cram 36 holes into one day, here are your best options for multi-course facilities that will satisfy your double-looping desire.
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For the Walt Disney World Resort, and for that matter all of amusement-rich Orlando, golf can get lost in the array of amusements and high-octane kids. But golf shouldn't be an afterthought for visitors to Disney, because it's foursome of golf courses are among Florida's best.
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Orlando doesn't just offer high-priced resort and upscale daily-fee courses. You can play golf in Orlando on the relative cheap and still have a challenging and fun time. Tim McDonald reports on some of the better-value courses in the Orlando area.
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It's difficult to find an ally in the ever-saturated and expensive golf equipment world. For years, it's been former USGA Technical Director Frank Thomas' mission to give consumers an honest helping hand, sorting golf's goods from the junk.
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The Disney World empire has overshadowed everything in the Orlando, Florida area for years. But golf is emerging as an important partner to the vacation capital of the U.S.
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