Are you a golf nut who also visits Walt Disney World_® from time to time?

Golf and Disney may seem mutually exclusive, but believe it or not, they don’t have to be!

Over the years, this destination has become a centerpiece in my family’s travel lives. While I only made one trip to the iconic resort as a child, my wife’s Disney-obsessed family has fully immersed me in the “The Most Magical Place on Earth” over the years, to the point where multiple trips a year is becoming commonplace.

While our first few trips were a bit overwhelming to me as a Disney novice, I’ve since come to cherish these vacations and the memories they produce. Not many places offer as complete of an entertainment package as you’ll find here, with its four famous theme parks anchoring the experience.

The parks and resorts are phenomenal, but several days of hustle and bustle can easily wear one thin, and we’ve made it a point to build in plenty of downtime in recent trips. Relaxation at the pool and around the resort are now prominent features of our vacations, allowing us to recharge to hit the parks later with more fervor.

The extra time has given me the opportunity to satisfy my golf craving, as well. Fortunately, four terrific golf courses are conveniently on site, a great way to escape the crowds for several hours at a time without venturing off too far.

Golf has been in Walt Disney World_®‘s DNA ever since its inception in 1971, with the Joe Lee-designed Disney’s Magnolia and Disney’s Palm Golf Courses opening concurrently with the groundbreaking of Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park. Many of us also remember this venue as the long-time host of the PGA Tour’s Walt Disney World_® Golf Classic from its grand opening all the way up to 2012, a stint that saw Tiger Woods’ second career victory in his rookie season.

The centerpiece property features 45 holes of golf in a beautiful natural setting mostly free of residential development. With recent renovations and excellent course conditions under the diligent care of Arnold Palmer Golf Management, this facility boasts one of the best public golf experiences in Orlando.

Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course

Widely regarded as the crown jewel of the resort, this is arguably the most challenging design you’ll find on site. Featuring wide fairways and large, elevated greens, Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course packs a punch with stout length that demands great ball striking. This layout was certainly designed for the pros with its length and challenging green complexes, but casual golfers will still find it playable thanks to generous width. This compelling layout sprawls over a picturesque savanna setting filled with character, making it a unique and memorable Florida golf experience.

A Ken Baker renovation has rejuvenated the layout with elevated, undulating greens that feature a wide variety of pinnable locations. The 14th through 17th holes have been completely redesigned and are slated to fully open later in 2024. In my recent round here, I played a shortened version of this stretch, with all of the new greens open for play. The revamped green complexes are massive surfaces filled with heaving slopes and contours and were a treat to play towards the end of the round.

Having glimpsed the new full hole layouts, as well, I already can’t wait to take in the finished product during my next visit. This closing stretch looks like a major upgrade that will provide a strong finish to an already-excellent track.

Disney’s Palm Golf Course

Even though it is often cited as the “second” layout on site, I consider Disney’s Palm Golf Course to be my favorite. This layout is shorter and quite tight, featuring half-par yardages sprinkled throughout the round to set the stage for strategic options. Venturing into a heavily wooded section of the property, there is a steep emphasis on accuracy but smaller and flatter greens will yield plenty of makeable putts.

As a shorter hitter, this track sets up quite well for my game, provided I can keep the ball in play. Last fall, I did just that, and the resulting 78 was one of the few sub-80 rounds I’ve ever enjoyed in Florida.

Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course

Designed by Ron Garl, also known for his work at Minocqua Country Club, this shorter 9-hole loop offers a quick add-on to an 18-hole round or a more playable experience for beginners and youngsters. I’ve only played Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course once several years ago, but I still remember short, tight holes framed closely by tall trees and water hazards, with risk-reward shots into small greens. A par 36 clocking in at under 3,000 yards from the back tees, this layout rounds out the 45-hole property nicely, offering a change-of-pace in a pleasant setting.

Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course

In recent trips, my family has fallen in love with Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, and it’s now our go-to homebase. The sprawling venue offers a buffet of amenites, great pools, excellent food and dining and a convenient location next door to Disney Springs.

For me, though, I especially love this spot because it is also home to Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course. Having a solid layout just steps from our hotel room has certainly enhanced my recent trips to the area.

This is the “resort course” of the bunch, with a layout that winds its way across the resort property and through dense forest. Its tight corridors lined with trouble more than make up for shorter length on the scorecard. It’s imperative to keep the ball in play here, but if you do then birdie chances will likely follow.

Closing Thoughts

When Disney became a recurring vacation spot for my family, I never thought that golf could be a prominent part of the experience. However, with the high quality and great convenience of its courses, I’ve found it easy to work in a couple rounds every visit and always come away satisfied with the experience. The engaging layouts and superb course conditions have proven to be more than enough to whet my golf appetite on our trips, allowing me to hit the parks in even better spirits than before.

In future articles, I plan to write more about Orlando area golf, and there’s no doubt that Walt Disney World_® is a major player in the region’s public golf scene. If you’re planning a trip here or will be visiting the greater area, I highly recommend carving out time for a “magical” round or two.

Walt Disney World_® Golf Website