Orlando In January

[asommers14]

I will be going to Orlando in January and I am looking for suggestions. I want to play Bay Hill but I think that you have to stay there to play there. I was also thinking of possibly renting a car and going to World Woods or one of the Streamsong courses. Any other suggestion in the area?

[OrlandoSean]

What part of town are you going to be staying in?

[Chilidog]

Streamsong definitely. OCN if you stay in town.

[asommers14]

I believe we are going to be staying close to Disney. not sure the hotel yet.

[golfheaven69]

Check on Bay Hill condition before you shell out the dough. It's a mixed bag and way over rated IMO.

[G Ham]

World Woods is a hike for a day trip. Streamsong is doable. I always liked Harmony Preserve when I lived there. OCN is great. Victoria Hills out in Deland was a favorite.

[asommers14]

It shows that world woods is only 1 1/2 drive time from Orlando. I might be flying into Tampa because it would be cheaper and renting a car so that might open up my options. My trip will consist of flying into Tampa staying in Orlando for a couple days and Flying out of Fort Lauderdale or Miami.

[OrlandoSean]

Victoria Hills is awesome, the Disney courses are cool along Grand Cypress and Champions Gate. Stoneybrooke West, Legends, Shingle Creek, Sanctuary Ridge.
Courses in South Florida Turnberry Isle ( miller course if possible ), Crandon Park is really tough but probably in not so good shape awesome view it's on Key Biscayne

[WishICouldPlayMoreOften]

Grand Cypress, Champions Gate, and Southern Dunes Golf. Celebration is a decent course if you can get it at a discount - not worth it at full price.

[golfdad907]

[quote name='G Ham' timestamp='1373144652' post='7399278']
World Woods is a hike for a day trip. Streamsong is doable. I always liked Harmony Preserve when I lived there. OCN is great. Victoria Hills out in Deland was a favorite.
[/quote]

Worth it though, World Woods is awesome. Try Grand Cypress as well, New Course is a riot, and North/South is a challenge.

[jptruck]

New Course is one of the more memorable courses in Orlando for me, and I lived there for years. Celebration used to be fun, too. Not sure of its current condition. I'd get in a car and go to World Woods or Streamsong for a day, too. Both might be a stretch. They are a few hours away.

My opinion of Bay Hill is that it's a nice course, but if you're not looking at the golf hole in front of you, it's not really that pretty. It's a course through a dense residential area. The do have great greens (most of the time) and there is a high likelihood of seeing Arnie on the range or course. I'd play it once for the bucket list check-off.

The Disney courses never impressed me. I heard Magnolia got a re-do, but it's still a bland course. I stayed at a hotel overlooking the Waldorf-Astoria Course at Bonnet Creek and it looked awesome. Didn't play it, but it looked nice and not crowded. The hotels in that area are top notch, in my opinion.

[mackepa]

The ritz Carlton is awesome to play. I love some of the Disney courses.

If you wanna try some putt putt, play fantasia gardens. Hardest putt putt in the world. Looks like a real course.

[kftgolfer]

Played Bay Hill last November. All in all one of the most disappointing golf experiences I ever had. Way overpriced and course was in below average shape. We played three times that week it was by far the worst course.

Orange County National is great and I like Reunion Watson course as well.

[jnier75]

IMO, Bay Hill is way overrated and you do have to stay at the lodge if you want to play, barring member or reciprocal privileges. What many people don't know is that Bay Hill is a Joe Lee design updated by Mr. Palmer. 3/4 of the Disney courses are Joe Lee original designs. I can't speak for everyone but when I played Bay Hill, I kept getting the feeling that I was playing a slightly more difficult Disney course for a lot more money. With that being said, whether you wanna play Bay Hill depends on what you're looking for. For value, I would not recommend it. For wanting to play lots of tour places, go for it, since there's a limited number of public courses on the Tour.

With all that being said, there's not much value in Orlando during January. Rates are hiked up to above $100 for most morning times. If Streamsong is pretty near in price to other courses at that time, play it. A few cheaper options in January are Grande Pines, Eagle Creek, and Orange Lake - Legends. You can find discounted rates on Golfnow for a reasonable price.

World Woods is a smart option when flying into Tampa but not worth the $100 they want rack in January. You'd be better off jaunting over to Innisbrook or Streamsong for a bit more unless you score a hot deal on GolfNow or other reduced rate.

[Togatown22]

I've been taking a buddies trip to Orlando for the past few years in February. As stated above, it is harder to find value if you are piecing a trip together one course at a time. My advice would be to check out an outfit like tee times usa and have a package put together for you and whoever you are going with. That's the way to get good value, IMO. You might be surprised how much they can save by packaging car rental/lodging/golf on a per person basis. my golf (5 or 6 rounds over 3 days) usually averages around $35/ round if you break it out. And, pretty much all of the courses mentioned here are available except for Bay Hill, as noted. In the past few years we've played OCN, ChampionsGate, Disney courses, Celebration, Southern Dunes, Harmony, Grand Cypress, Mystic Dunes, etc.

[mike johnston]

I played Orlando a few years back in January. Great golf.

[Hrocks]

Orange County National, two great courses. Grande Lakes at the Ritz/JW Marriott, Shingle Creek is a lot of fun. Barton Creek, the course at the Waldorf in Disney is decent.

[Lionstar]

Orange County National is the best overall with 2 - 18 hole superb layouts and conditioning is always great. I disagree with some other suggestions on here, but to each his own. Shingle Creek is the most advertised but is basically 18 holes squeezed into 9 holes of property with constant views of the freeways and hotels. Mystic Dunes is a stupid layout IMHO and the conditioning is average at best to poor. Eagle Creek near the airport is a real gem,,great layout and always pristine condition. Grande Pines is good to very good. Celebration is in perfect condition but a little bit Mickey Mouse on some holes. Speaking of the Mouse, the Disney courses Magnolia and The Palm are very nice,,maybe an 8 out of 10. Osprey Ridge is/has been my favorite Disney course as well as my favorite Orlando course overall but will cease to be a public course next month as it was sold to 4 Seasons and the word is will only be open to members and guests,,but that could change.It's a Fazio design and shows why he's so highly regarded. Two sleepers are Stonegate at Solivita, the Oaks course NOT the Cypress and Harmony Hills about 15 mins from the airport,,Johnny Miller Design and a lot of fun,,unlike Johnny himself. Metrowest is also a fine Robert Trent Jones layout with lots of elevation changes and usually good to very good condition. Falcons Fire is a fun Rees Jones layout where the final 6 holes will require every club in the bag and is overall a great course. The conditioning there is sometimes poor and sometimes excellent,,no rhyme or reason I can see so ask before you book about course condition. Lastly, Bay Hill,,definitely overrated and not worth half the $250+ they charge for a non-guest or non-member. Sorry Arnie,,it's true. Your opinions may vary, but having lived there 9 years, these are my views and news. Oh yes,,World Woods,,never played there but have heard awesome compliments from every person I've talked to who has been there,,but remember, WorldWoods is about a 90 minute drive from Orlando.

[FSCMatt]

If you're going from Tampa to Orlando, Streamsong is definitely worth the drive. I'm not sure what their rates are in January, but there are two top notch courses.

[troublelove]

My 2cents worth:
World Woods is the best value golf course I have ever played. Beautiful property and a great experience.
If you stay on the Disney estate then the best course is the Waldorf Astoria. Great course, immaculate condition, awesome service and not nearly as congested as the actual Disney courses.