2020 Orlando Solo Trip 3/25-3/27 Itinerary Recs

Hey guys,

Looking for some recs on my trip next month to Orlando from Wednesday to Saturday. I am getting in around 11:15 am on Wednesday and my last round of golf would be Friday. I have a rental car and staying in Orlando. I am open to 36 hole options for Thursday and Friday. 

Would really appreciate anyone’s recommendations for itinerary! Cost within reason but OK to splurge on a really nice one potentially—just wanna get A LOT of golf in. Willing to do a little driving but definitely have to stay in Orlando. Boston cold has me down...

Thanks so much guys!

Wednesday - I would look for something near the airport. Within reasonable costs in the afternoon (2pm-ish) I would say the courses are either North Shore, Eagle Creek, Celebration, Falcon's Fire or Providence. I'd probably get something at Celebration and then go to downtown celebration and get something to eat at Celebration Town Tavern, a Boston bar. Good clam chowder there. If not interested in golfing, you could always watch the practice round at Bay Hill. Just get an Uber to drop you off there. It's Pro-Am day there, so players will still be on the course until 6pm or so. You may also want to take a trip to TopGolf afterward.

Thursday - Hit up Orange County National for possibly 36 holes. You'll want to make sure to play Panther Lake (Crooked Cat is good, but Panther Lake is better)

Friday - I'd go hit up RedTail. Should be $30-$45. About a 20-25 mile drive. Round should go quickly there and you may get some more golf in. Victoria Hills isn't a bad option either. Or Deltona Club. They all run around the same price.

RH

Thank you very much.

So I could increase my budget quite a bit to $100-200 per round (Not $300+), if you think there are some other ones to try and will be available aka GolfNow etc?

Check out winter park 9, just north of downtown Orlando. Could be a nice option to play 9 holes on the day you land. It has gotten a lot of exposure lately and is a fun little track.

The only ones worth paying $100-$200 per round are are:

Ritz Carlton

Southern Dunes

Waldorf Astoria

Reunion (Watson or Nicklaus - can't get on unless you're staying there)

ChampionsGate CC (the CC, NOT the resort, stay away from the resort).

I think OCN would be worth your time and money. RedTail is a great value and is just a darn good track.

In fact, RedTail might be worth your time on Wednesday after the flight in because there should be nobody out there and you could tee off at 2:00 - 2:30 and get in before it gets dark (usually at about 6:15 now).

And then you could do OCN on Thursday and Southern Dunes on Friday.

Winter Park 9 is nice, but if you're looking for something extremely affordable and casual

RH

Awesome recs thanks so much

I recommend Shingle Creek! Greens were fast and true. Course is in great shape.

So far I have 36 at OCN on the agenda but trying to plan on Friday. My flight gets in at 11:17 so hopefully I can sneak around in and tee off around 2 as RH mentioned. And Shingle Creek looks great thanks for the rec!

WED Shingle Creek 2:12 PM tee time bc it’s super close to the Hilton and airport Alternative is Red Tail but a bit far considering timing and rental cars etc

THUR Orange County National x36 Tee times booked

FRI Southern Dunes waiting on booking tee time —its too far out (have a cocktail reception at 7PM so dunno about 36 that day).

I have always set up Shingle Creek the day I fly out due to proximity to the airport. OCN is a must for me as I really enjoy the courses and the facilities. Outside of those 2 properties, I don't have a 3rd favorite.

Shingle Creek used to be one of the very best public courses in Orlando. It was a good-to-great design and always in fantastic condition and they really rolled out the red carpet for golfers as well as being in an excellent location.

Eventually the re-designed the course, done by the Arnold Palmer design group. However, Mr. Palmer did not do the re-design (I think he was the most underrated designer of all time). And it showed because the re-design was a tremendous disappointment.

The re-design kept 9 of the original holes, but greatly changed the green complexes on those original holes. What used to be greens that were not too extreme in their slopes and undulations and rolled fast and smooth was not replaced with big slopes and gradients with much slower green speeds.

They also got rid of some of their best holes there like the classic par-5 4th hole and par-3 5th hole. Now #4 is a short par-4 with a green that is ridiculously shallow to the point of not being very playable. They also got rid of #9 which is now #7, so you do not finish near the clubhouse after 9. They got rid of a great par-4 in #11 and the old par-5 12th hole is now roughly the same length, but now a par-4 with a green that doesn't hole long approaches. They also got rid of the classic par-3 15th and par-5 16th holes.

I don't think the new Shingle Creek is bad per say, but I'm disgusted with the complete downgrade that the re-design presents. A course that I would easily put up there with Ritz Carlton, Waldorf, OCN Panther Lake, Southern Dunes, ChampionsGate CC and the Reunion courses is now well below all of them and is quite frankly below RedTail, Celebration, Victoria Hills (from a design perspective) and a host of others.

RH

Is the Grande Pines course still an option? i loved that course when i was in Orlando a while back, think it was at a mariott or something.

No, it closed a few years back. The Marriott sold it off to make condos. I don't know if they actually ever did anything though.

RH

Very interesting stuff. You really have quite the knowledge base! If I’m not too golfed out, I will see if I can swing another you recommend.

Richie,

Looks like my plans changed with my meeting being canceled and I will still be in Orlando. I now have a little more time for potentially 36 on Friday and 18 on Saturday. I have not booked my Friday or Saturday yet

Thoughts?

Thanks again

What courses have you played so far?

RH

None! Ha. First time playing in Orlando.

Itinerary is Shingle Creek Wednesday at 2, 36 at OCN Thursday, and nothing yet for Friday or Saturday

Definitely hit up Southern Dunes, ChampionsGate COUNTRY CLUB (not the resort).

Trying to get 36 might be a tough pull since most courses are only 18 holes (or the ones worth playing).

If you badly want to do 36 holes, I'd recommend doing 18 at Celebration and then go just a few miles to Falcons Fire. But I'd rather play Southern Dunes and ChampionsGate CC (again, not the resort the country club) than either of those two courses.

RH

Thanks mate!

Guys,

What a bummer but my trip has been cancelled due to the corona virus... Really, really bummed out. Gonna have these courses on my to do list next time I am in Florida. Thanks so much for the recs.