Golf in Orlando
More golf within an hour than almost anywhere on earth. Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill, Jack Nicklaus at Grand Cypress and a fairway for every standard and budget, the courses that matter, the season and how to plan it.
Photograph: Shingle Creek Golf Club, Shingle Creek Golf Club, via Google
Why golf in Orlando
Orlando is one of the densest golf markets in the world, with well over a hundred courses inside an hour's drive and a roster of designers that reads like a hall of fame. Arnold Palmer made his home at Bay Hill and built it into the host of the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational. Jack Nicklaus laid out two contrasting courses at Grand Cypress, including the celebrated New Course that pays tribute to the Old Course at St Andrews. Tom Fazio, Tom Watson, Greg Norman and Rees Jones all have signature courses here, and the conditioning, practice facilities and clubhouse service are pure American resort quality.
What makes Orlando the easy golf trip is the combination of warmth, access and value. It is an hour's flight from most of the eastern United States and a direct long haul from the UK and Europe, warm and playable through the northern winter, and stocked with everything from invitation only clubs to excellent public daily fee tracks. Add the theme parks, the dining and the family friendly hotels the city is built around, and you have a destination that works as well for a serious golf group as for a family that wants golf and a holiday in one.
The areas
Bay Hill and Dr Phillips
The southwest suburbs where Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill sits beside the Butler chain of lakes, an upscale, leafy district close to the convention area and the start of any serious Orlando golf trip.
Lake Buena Vista
The resort heartland near the theme parks, home to Grand Cypress and the Four Seasons Tranquilo course, the natural base for a family golf trip with the parks on the doorstep.
ChampionsGate and Reunion
The golf rich corridor south toward Davenport, where Reunion Resort's three signature courses and the Greg Norman designs at ChampionsGate anchor a true stay and play cluster.
International Drive
The tourist spine, with Shingle Creek's Arnold Palmer redesign beside the Rosen resorts and the Waldorf Astoria's Rees Jones course nearby, convenient for the convention centre and the outlets.
West Orlando and Winter Garden
Out toward Orange County National, a perennial host of PGA Tour qualifying and one of the best value high quality public 36 hole complexes in the state.
Beyond golf
The theme parks, the dining, the outlet shopping and the easy day trips to the Gulf and Atlantic coasts give non golfers and rest days plenty to do.
The courses that matter
Bay Hill Club and Lodge
Arnold Palmer's home club and host of the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational each March, a classic Florida championship layout of water and bermuda greens climaxing at the famous lakeside par 4 18th. Play is for members and guests of the on site lodge, the marquee round of any Orlando trip.
Grand Cypress, New Course
Jack Nicklaus's affectionate tribute to the Old Course at St Andrews, with double greens, stone bridges, a burn and pot bunkers transplanted to central Florida. Paired with the parkland Cypress Course, it gives a resort group two very different and memorable Nicklaus rounds in one place.
Reunion Resort
A rare resort with three signature courses, the Palmer Legacy, the Watson Independence and the Nicklaus Tradition, on a single gated estate south of the parks. The variety and the villa accommodation make it one of the best stay and play bases in the region for a golf group.
Shingle Creek
A championship daily fee course beside the Rosen Shingle Creek resort on International Drive, redesigned by the Arnold Palmer Design Company into a winding test of oaks, wetlands and interconnecting waterways. Polished, central and accessible, a reliable headline round without club membership.
Designers, layouts and host history verified June 2026. Yardages are approximate from championship tees. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| October to May | Warm, dry and comfortable, the peak season | Prime golf, book ahead around the holidays and spring |
| March | Spring weather and the Arnold Palmer Invitational | A great time to watch the Tour and play, busy and dear |
| June to September | Hot, humid, near daily afternoon storms | Morning golf and the lowest rates, plan early tee times |
The courses stay green and playable all year, but the summer brings near daily afternoon thunderstorms, so an early tee time is wise from June to September. The winter peak coincides with the northern cold and the holidays, when rates and crowds are highest.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marquee green fee | Around US$150 to US$350 | Bay Hill and the signature resort courses at the top, peak in winter |
| Public and daily fee | Around US$60 to US$150 | Quality public courses such as Orange County National offer fine value |
| A week, all in | Around US$2,500 to US$4,500 per person | Several rounds, resort or villa, transfers, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. Orlando offers more golf value and variety than almost anywhere, with steep summer and resort guest discounts. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Orlando International Airport is one of the busiest in the United States, with direct flights from across North America and long haul services from the UK and Europe, and the smaller Orlando Sanford airport adds more options. The city is built for driving, so a hire car is the norm for a golf trip: the courses are spread across the suburbs and resort corridors, and the wide highways make hopping between them straightforward. Many resorts also run shuttles to their own courses and to the theme parks for the non golfing days.
Where to stay
Match the base to the trip. A golf group chasing variety often picks a villa at Reunion or ChampionsGate, where three or four courses sit within the gates and the accommodation suits a fourball. A family blending golf and the parks leans toward Lake Buena Vista, near Grand Cypress and the Four Seasons, while the Bay Hill lodge is the choice for those who want to play Arnold Palmer's own course. Book the winter and spring beds early, and let one planner line up the tee times, the resort and the car.
Plan your Orlando golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge lines up the tee times, the resort and the car and costs the whole trip to the head, with no obligation.
Orlando golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in Orlando?
The prime season runs October to May, warm, dry and comfortable while the north freezes, and busiest and priciest around the winter holidays and spring break. June to September is hot, humid and prone to near daily afternoon thunderstorms, so morning tee times and the lowest rates go together. The courses stay green all year.
What are the best golf courses in Orlando?
Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill, home of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, is the marquee name, for members and lodge guests. Nicklaus's New Course at Grand Cypress, the three signature courses at Reunion by Palmer, Watson and Nicklaus, Shingle Creek and the Rees Jones course at the Waldorf Astoria are among the best resort and daily fee rounds, with Orange County National a favourite public option.
How much does golf in Orlando cost in 2026?
As an indicative guide for 2026, a green fee at the leading resort courses runs roughly 100 to 350 US dollars, highest at marquee names such as Bay Hill in the winter peak and lower at the many quality public courses, especially in summer and for resort guests. Orlando offers more golf value and variety than almost anywhere. Confirm directly before booking.
Can you play Bay Hill as a visitor?
Bay Hill is a private club, but it operates an on site lodge, and guests staying at the lodge can play Arnold Palmer's championship course. Booking a lodge stay is the usual route for a visitor to play it, outside the week of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Always confirm access directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Florida resort golf openings, Orlando season tips and the booking windows worth moving on first. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, layouts and host history verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.