Bay Hill
Arnold Palmer's winter home and one of the most accessible great courses in American golf. The Championship Course at Bay Hill was laid out by Dick Wilson in 1961 and reshaped by Palmer himself, a par 72 in Orlando that has hosted the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational every March since 1979. Stay at the lodge and you can play the King's course yourself.
Photo: Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge via Google.
The verdict
Bay Hill is hallowed ground for American golf fans. Dick Wilson laid out the original course in 1961, but it became famous through Arnold Palmer, who first played it in the 1960s, fell for it, and bought the club in 1974. He lived there each winter, reshaped the course over the decades, and turned it into the home of the tournament that now bears his name. Palmer owned Bay Hill until his death in 2016, and the club remains in the family today, run with the warmth he was known for.
As a course it is a stern, classic Florida test: water in play on many holes, deep bunkering, Bermuda greens and a finish that ranks among the toughest the PGA Tour faces all year. The genius of Bay Hill for a traveling golfer is that you do not need to be a member or a tour pro to play it. A stay at the lodge buys you a round on the same Champion and Challenger nines the professionals tackle, which makes it one of the most attainable bucket list rounds in the game.
Bay Hill at a glance
- Opened
- 1961
- Designer
- Dick Wilson, redesigned by Arnold Palmer
- Type
- Florida parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,381 yds
- Green fee
- Lodge guests, from $105 (2026)
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Bay Hill Club and Lodge and recognized course databases. The Championship Course was laid out by Dick Wilson in 1961 and redesigned by Arnold Palmer, a par 72 of about 7,381 yards across the Champion and Challenger nines, with a third nine, the Charger. Indicative 2026 lodge guest green fees run from about 105 dollars in summer to around 475 dollars in the January to May peak; a lodge stay is required. Always confirm access and current rates directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Bay Hill saves its drama for the closing stretch, one of the most demanding finishes in tournament golf. The par 3 seventeenth plays over water to a shallow green, and the par 4 eighteenth is a brute, a long, curving hole around a lake to a green guarded by water short and right and a wall of bunkers behind. It has decided countless Arnold Palmer Invitationals and humbled the best players in the world, and standing on those tees yourself is the highlight of a round here.
The par 5 sixth is the other signature, sweeping left around a lake that tempts the bold to cut the corner and dares them to lay up. Throughout the round water and deep bunkering force constant decisions, and the Bermuda greens are quick and full of subtle break. It is not a course that gives up pars easily, and the wind and Florida heat add to the challenge.
What lingers, though, is the sense of place. The locker room, the clubhouse and the whole property are steeped in Arnold Palmer's presence, from the photographs to the famous Bay Hill iced tea and lemonade. You play where the King lived and where the Tour still gathers each spring, and few rounds in American golf carry that weight while remaining genuinely playable for the visitor.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private club, but registered guests of the Bay Hill Club and Lodge may play; each night's stay generally includes one 18 hole round |
| Green fee | Lodge guests, indicative 2026: from about $105 in summer, around $230 in the shoulder, up to about $475 in the Jan to May peak |
| Booking | Book a stay and play package at the lodge to secure your round; tee times are tied to the room reservation |
| On the day | Carts standard; collared shirts and proper golf attire required; a caddie or forecaddie can be arranged |
| Getting there | Dr Phillips, southwest Orlando, about 20 minutes from Orlando International Airport and close to the theme parks |
| Best months | October to May for the most comfortable Florida golfing weather; book early around the March tournament |
Access and indicative fees verified June 2026 from Bay Hill Club and Lodge and current reporting. The course is not open to public walk up play; a lodge stay is required and rates change by season, so always confirm directly before planning a visit. Prefer it arranged for you? Use our tee time enquiry to have a concierge secure the round.
Where to stay nearby
The simplest answer is the Bay Hill Club and Lodge itself, the on site hotel whose rooms unlock access to the golf. Staying there is the whole point: it puts you steps from the first tee, the clubhouse and the Palmer history, and it is the only reliable way for a non member to play. For a longer Orlando trip, the Dr Phillips and Lake Buena Vista areas nearby are full of resorts close to the theme parks.
Orlando is one of the great golf trip hubs in the world, with dozens of quality courses within a short drive, so Bay Hill pairs naturally into a multi course Florida week. We can build the stay and play around your group, secure the lodge dates and add the other Orlando courses worth your time.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Bay Hill.
Build an Orlando golf trip
We arrange the Bay Hill stay and play, pair it with the best of the Orlando courses and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Bay Hill questions
Who designed Bay Hill and when did it open?
The Championship Course at Bay Hill was laid out by Dick Wilson and opened in 1961, then significantly redesigned by Arnold Palmer, who owned the club from 1974 until his death in 2016. It is a 27 hole property with the Champion, Challenger and Charger nines.
Can the public play Bay Hill?
Bay Hill is private, but registered guests of the Bay Hill Club and Lodge can play. Each night's stay generally entitles a guest to one 18 hole round on the Champion and Challenger nines, so a lodge stay is the route in for non members.
How much does it cost to play Bay Hill in 2026?
For lodge guests, indicative green fees in 2026 run from about 105 dollars in summer to around 475 dollars in the January to May peak, with roughly 230 dollars at other times of year. Figures are indicative, change by season, and a lodge stay is required; always confirm directly before booking.
What tournament does Bay Hill host?
Bay Hill has hosted the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational every March since 1979. It is one of the Tour's signature events and a long standing fixture on the Florida Swing.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par, yardage and tournament history verified June 2026; indicative lodge guest green fees for the 2026 season. Last reviewed June 2026.