The Top 10 Best Public Golf Courses in Orlando
Besides the usual problems of sprawling cities, what’s not to love about Orlando? It’s generally warm in the winter time, there are museums, sports, nightlife, and fine dining in the City District, and oh yeah, there are those theme parks, most notably Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld.
Those theme parks, of course, have driven much of Orlando’s growth over the past several decades. The good news is the golf scene has grown with it, and the Orlando area offers some of the best golf in the country, particularly when it comes to resort courses.
I know this firsthand, because over the past 30 years, I’ve made dozens of trips to Orlando. Each January, I attend the PGA Merchandise Show at the Orange County Convention Center. I’ve also worked for two companies as a remote employee — The Golfweek Group and the Golf Channel — that were based in Orlando, twisting my arm into several Orlando trips for meetings, retreats, and even a holiday party or two over the years.
When travelling to Orlando, I always bring my golf clubs. You can always find time for what’s important in life, right? And the Orlando area offers some pretty good public golf options.
The Top 10 Public Golf Courses in Orlando
With that said, here is our ranking of the 10 best golf courses open to the public, including some resorts that require a stay, in the Orlando area.
- Bay Hill Club & Lodge Champion/Challenger Course
- Waldorf Astoria Golf Club
- Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Grand Lakes
- Southern Dunes Golf & Country Club
- ChampionsGate Golf Club International Course
- Orange County National Crooked Cat
- Grand Cypress Golf Club Links Course
- Reunion Resort Watson Course
- Shingle Creek Golf Club
- Tranquilo Golf Club
1. Bay Hill Club & Lodge Champion/Challenger Course
Bay Hill Club & Lodge
Location: Orlando, Florida
Yardage: 7,381 (Par 72)
Rating: 75.4 | Slope: 142
Driving Range: Yes
Architect: Dick Wilson; (R) Arnold Palmer Design
Opened: 1961
What avid golfer wouldn’t want to play at Arnie’s place? You pretty much have to stay at the Lodge to play there (book a package deal) or know a member, but it’s so worth it. In fact, before Arnold Palmer passed, it wasn’t uncommon to see him most days, often at breakfast before a practice session or a round of golf.
The course, which was originally designed by Dick Wilson and updated by Arnold Palmer Design several times over the years, is the home of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and the PGA Tour players love playing there. Perhaps nobody found it to his liking more than Tiger Woods, who won there eight times, tying Sam Snead for the most wins at one event.Â
The 18th hole, with its wide kidney shaped green fronted by rocks and a pond, is one of the best finishers on tour. But the 589-yard sixth, which wraps around a lake and encourages long hitters to bite off as much as they can to set up a short approach to go for it in two, is one of the great par-5s in the world.
In 1998, John Daly actually attempted to drive the green all the way across the lake (which was 350 yards in the air) to the green and wound up putting six balls in the water. He eventually cleared the water, hit a 6-iron approach that actually bounced off a rock and into a bunker. He found the green with his bunker blast, and two-putted for an 18. He shot 85.
2. Waldorf Astoria Golf Club
Waldorf Astoria GC
Location: Orlando, Florida
Yardage: 7,103 (Par 72)
Rating: 74.6 | Slope: 139
Driving Range: Yes
Architect: Rees Jones
Opened: 2009
A stunning golf course designed by Rees Jones and Steve Weisser, the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club has a beautiful, classic layout. The course weaves through cypress trees, around ponds and streams with impeccably conditioned rolling fairways, windswept bunkers, and interesting greens complexes. Each hole is beautifully framed, and the course is even walkable. Also, Jones came back in 2022 to expand some of the playing corridors and restore the greens to their original sizes.
This is a first-class experience, from the practice facilities, to the starter on the first tee, and patio dining afterwards at the clubhouse, where you’ll also find an expansive golf shop. The Waldorf Astoria also has an excellent golf academy, so if you need a little help with your game, they’ve got some of the best teachers in the area, plus all the tools to help you with your swing.
3. Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Grande Lakes
Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes
Location: Orlando, Florida
Yardage: 7,122 (Par 72)
Rating: 73.9 | Slope: 139
Driving Range: Yes
Architect: Greg Norman
Opened: 2003
Home of the PNC Championship, the Ritz Carlton Golf Club, Grande Lakes is a beautiful golf course that’s not only meticulously maintained, but fits perfectly into its Florida environment. The PNC Championship, which is played each December, is a team event that features 20 major champions and a family member together, and the course itself was designed by two-time Open winner Greg Norman.
Norman and his design associate Matthew Dusenbury created this course in harmony with the wetlands, live oaks, and cypress trees — so much so, in fact, that the course is Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.Â
As for playing the course, the fairways are fairly wide, and there are six sets of tees, so everyone can enjoy this experience. Couple that with outstanding practice facilities, dining, and the Ritz Carlton and 1,000-room JW Marriott on property, and you’ve got a great resort experience.
4. Southern Dunes Golf & Country Club
Southern Dunes
Location: Haines City, Florida
Yardage: 7,219 (Par 72)
Rating: 74.7 | Slope: 135
Driving Range: Yes
Architect: Steven R. Smyers
Opened: 1993
Southern Dunes has a unique origin story. Originally a citrus grove, the crop was lost to a freeze, but instead of replanting, the owners hired architect Steve Smyers to build a golf course. The course is anything but typical Florida golf. Instead of water everywhere, Southern Dunes has rolling fairways with elevation change up to 100 feet. The bunkers can be difficult, and the greens are challenging too.
In addition to a top-notch golf course that’s always in good condition, Southern Dunes also offers Toptracer on its range, which means you can see all your numbers like yardage, path, spin rate, etc., while firing at lighted targets after dark.
5. ChampionsGate Golf Club International Course
ChampionsGate International
Location: Davenport, Florida
Yardage: 7,363 (Par 72)
Rating: 76.3 | Slope: 143
Driving Range: Yes
Architect: Greg Norman
Opened: 2000
There are two excellent Greg Norman-designed courses at the Omni Orlando ChampionsGate Resort, but the International, with its windswept Australian coastal links look, is the slightly better one of the two (the other is the National Course). The course, which was recently renovated to include new Champion Bermuda greens and paspalum fairways, plays firmer and faster than it used to. And with ever-present winds, you’ll definitely want to be able to flight the ball.
As for the holes, there are a lot of fun ones and some pretty difficult ones, too. The 498-yard par-4 sixth is one of the toughest, with water off the tee and a carry over the water on the approach to one of the smaller greens on the course. The finishing stretch is also memorable, ending with a great risk-reward par-5 with wetlands, high fescue, and water in play.
6. Orange County National Crooked Cat
Crooked Cat
Location: Winter Garden, Florida
Yardage: 7,493 (Par 72)
Rating: 76.0 | Slope: 139
Driving Range: Yes
Architect:Â Phil Ritson/Dave Harman/Isao Aoki
Opened: 1997
One of two 18-hole courses at Orange County National — the other is Panther Lake — we’re going with the more playable of the two layouts; it's the most enjoyable. But the real draw at Orange County National is the 360-degree driving range. Claiming to be the largest in the country, the range has all natural grass and dozens of target greens. And the 42-acre golf facility also includes an expansive short-game area with putting and chipping greens as well as practice bunkers. Host of the annual PGA Merchandise Show Demo Day, it’s hands-down one of the best places to practice in the Orlando area and maybe in the whole country.
Crooked Cat, which played host to a LIV Tour event in 2023, has an open feel, almost links-style, and is always in great shape. Wind always plays into your shots, and the course gets more interesting on the back nine. The 12th, a long par-4 with a carry over water off the tee, is probably the hardest hole on the course. The 17th is a terrific risk-reward par-5.
7. Evermore Orlando Resort Links Course
Evermore Resort Links
Location: Orlando, Florida
Yardage: 6,773 (Par 72)
Rating: 72.2 | Slope: 122
Driving Range: Yes
Architect: Jack Nicklaus
Opened: 1988
The former Grand Cypress Resort is now rebranded as Evermore Orlando Resort. In late 2023 the resort opened the new Cypress Course, a completely new design, contracting the former 27-hole layout down to 18 holes. I haven't had a chance to play it yet, but I’ve played the Links Course many times over the years and always enjoyed it.
For the Links Course, Nicklaus drew inspiration from one of his favorites, the Old Course at St. Andrews, to create this gem. The first and 18th holes on the New Course are basically the corresponding pair at the Old Course, which means left is just fine on both tee shots, and the 18th has its own Valley of Sin in front of the green. As for the rest of the course, it’s fairway everywhere, pot bunkers, and magnificently contoured large greens that make this experience a blast and a different experience every time you play it.
8. Reunion Resort & Golf Club Watson Course
Reunion Resort Watson Course
Location: Reunion, Florida
Yardage: 7,154 (Par 72)
Rating: 74.7 | Slope: 140
Driving Range: Yes
Architect: Tom Watson
Opened: 2004
Truthfully, all three courses at Reunion Resort are really good, but I think the Watson Course is the most fun. Formerly known as the “Independence” Course — the other two courses are designed by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus — the Tom Watson designed course has an open feel to it. One of the Watson nines (the other was from the Palmer Course) was the site of an LPGA event a few years back.
The bunkering and contours are what make the Watson Course most intriguing. For example, on the par-4 ninth hole, there are too many to count as you’re playing, so your goal there is just to avoid them. The par-3 seventh is not only long — 240 yards from the tips — but the green is surrounded by gigantic bunkers. Around the greens, you’ll find all kinds of different lies, which makes the short-game shots challenging and interesting.
9. Shingle Creek Golf Club
Shingle Creek
Location: Orlando, Florida
Yardage: 7,213 (Par 72)
Rating: 75.1 | Slope: 139
Driving Range: Yes
Architect: David S. Harman
Opened: 2006
This is a convenient quality play for anyone attending meetings or a trade show at the giant Orange County Convention Center. One of Orlando’s most popular daily fee courses, the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel next door is just minutes from the OCCC.
The course was renovated in 2016 by Arnold Palmer Design, and got several new holes, including the 610-yard eighth, as well as more undulating terrain and 18 new greens. The integrity of the course, with its water features on all but three holes, and bunkering, didn’t change, though.
10. Tranquilo Golf Club
Tranquilo Golf Club
Location: Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Yardage: 6,901 (Par 71)
Rating: 72.3 | Slope: 127
Driving Range: Yes
Architect: Tom Fazio
Opened: 1992
Located at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando near the Disney theme parks, Tranquilo Golf Club offers a very enjoyable Tom Fazio-designed golf course. Originally opened in 1992, Fazio’s design team renovated the course in 2014, and it’s never been better.
This course is also Certified Audubon Sanctuary, so it’s not uncommon to see plenty of wildlife among the manicured turf, oaks, and water features.Â
The 16.5 acre practice facility is impressive with all-grass driving range stations to target greens as well as an extensive short-game area.
Orlando’s Honorable Mentions
There are a couple of municipal layouts that didn’t make our list, but well worth considering. Dubsdread Golf Course, which goes back to 1924, is an excellent test of golf and fairly reasonable green-fee wise, especially compared to many of the expensive resort courses.
A real local favorite is the nine-hole Winter Park Golf Course, which is known as “WP9.” The course was renovated a few years ago to near perfection with super interesting greens complexes and terrific conditions. It’s just 2,500 yards or so, and the perfect place to play if you’re looking for a quick nine.Â
If you’re going to Orlando and can build in a couple of extra days or so, consider getting out to Streamsong Resort. It’s a little more than 90 minutes from Orlando toward Tampa, so it’s outside a reasonable radius inclusion on our Orlando list, but it’s a special experience to say the least. Some incredible links-like courses built on towering sand dunes by Tom Doak, Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, and Gil Hanse/Jim Wagner await, as well as a new short course called The Chain.