5 Must-Play Golf Courses in Orlando

Home to major amusement parks, Orlando, Florida is more thought of for family vacations than golf trips. However, this tourist destination has top golf courses that should be on the top of the list as a destination for everyone’s next golf trip.

Regardless of if it's a golf trip with friends or sneaking in a round while on a family vacation, there is plenty of great golf to be played in Orlando. Make these five courses a priority when planning a golf trip to Orlando.

Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Club and Lodge offers PGA Tour-level challenges and scenic views in Orlando.

Home to the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill Club and Lodge offers world-class golf for visitors to Orlando, Florida. With 27 holes on property, there’s something for every level of golfer.

The Champion/Challenger 18 is where the Arnold Palmer Invitational is hosted, and is also home to Bryson DeChambeau’s iconic shot where he nearly hit the green on a par 5 off the tee. They also have the Charger 9, which is perfect for average golfers looking for a fun nine while on vacation. 

Bay Hill is a private course, but opens its doors to those who book a stay at their resort. Rates start at a reasonable $60 for the Charger course, but run up to $475 for the Champion/Challenger courses during peak season. However, that is still reasonable compared to other resort courses, and is worth the money.

Lake Buena Vista - Disney

While not officially in Orlando, the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course in Disney World is a great course to enjoy while taking a family trip. Reasonably priced for a resort course, this is both challenging and enjoyable for players of all levels. 

One of three courses on Disney World property, the Lake Buena Vista course winds through several different Disney resorts, providing golfers with unique views throughout the course. Additionally, the course offers challenges for those looking to test their games, with tight tee shots and undulating greens that make hitting it to the right tier a premium.

Green fees start at $70 for twilight and run up to $150. Additionally, they have TaylorMade clubs available for rent, giving golfers the chance to play premium clubs 

Orange County National 

Orange County National offers golfers of all different skill levels a variety of challenges, including two championship-caliber courses and a nine-hole executive course. Whether looking to squeeze in a quick nine while on vacation with the family or planning a golf trip with friends, Orange County National is a must-play. 

The course has started to gain serious notoriety, appearing both in YouTube videos and hosting a LIV Golf tournament in 2023. That tournament was won by Florida-native Brooks Koepka.

Tee times at Orange County National run from $35 for the executive course, to $129 for either of the championship courses. 

Reunion Resort

Similar to Orange County National, Reunion Resort offers three distinct golf courses for visitors to choose from. Unlike Orange County National, none of them are executive-level courses. Instead, the three courses were designed by three of the best to ever play the game: Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, and Jack Nicklaus. 

Each of the three courses at Reunion brings a unique design that provides a fun challenge to visitors of all skill levels. Arnold Palmer’s design challenges players with a rolling terrain that requires precision over power. Tom Watson brought a bit of links golf to his design, with strategically placed bunkers lining the fairway to make hitting your targets off the tee a must in order to score well. Jack Nicklaus designed his course with elevated tee boxes and greens to reward those who hit their tee shots well and challenge players on their approach shots.

Celebration Golf Club

Visitors to Celebration Golf Club will see something unusual on the scorecard: a marking showing recommended tee boxes based on golfer’s handicaps. With the recent boom in golf, offering a guide for which tees would be best for golfers of different levels to play is a great idea from Celebration, helping to improve pace of play on their course.

Unlike the others, Celebration isn’t terribly long by current standards, but still offers plenty of challenges for golfers of all skill levels. Green fees for the course range from $80 at twilight to $170 at peak hour, making this a reasonable spot for a golf trip to Orlando.