Best golf resorts in Orlando

Orlando is one of the main hubs for golf in Florida with hundreds of golf courses and dozens of golf resorts available for a stay & play golf package.

In this article, we breakdown the very best Orlando golf resorts. Discover world-leading courses, first-class service, and more on your next golf trip to central Florida.

Located in South Orlando just 30 miles from Orlando Airport sits the four-star, 54-hole golf resort of Reunion. The resort boasts 1, 2, and 3-bedroom villas scattered throughout six different communities on resort property. These spacious villas offer fully-equipped kitchens, private balconies/patios, and comfortable bedrooms.

Amenities at this fantastic resort include swimming pools, tennis courts, fitness center, spa, bike rentals, a 5-acre waterpark, and much more! For dining options, choose from a variety of different restaurants and bars spread across the resort including an elegant steakhouse, a tavern, and a sushi bar.

For golf at Reunion, enjoy three 18-hole golf courses all designed by world-renowned course designers. This is the only place in the world where you will find courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, and Jack Nicklaus all in the same place.

All three courses are parkland and resort style as they play through the property with most holes bordering the resort accommodations. The Palmer and Watson courses share a clubhouse in the main area of the resort and have very similar design characteristics, with large waste areas, strategically place bunkers and large greens.

The Palmer Course is the shortest of the three courses and is one of the more unique courses in Florida with elevation changes that offer spectacular views.

The Nicklaus Course is considered the hardest of the three courses at over 7,200 yards with only four tees to choose from. This is a shot maker’s course and rewards those willing to take a chance. The course usually plays firm and fast with tree-lined fairways and small greens to add to the difficulty.

Facilities at Reunion Resort

• Three 18-hole courses
• Private swimming pools
• Tennis courts
• Full-service spa
• Bike rental
• Water park
• Fitness centre
• Array of dining options

Around the corner from the Reunion Resort, three miles away, is the Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate. This four-star property is host to over 850 guest rooms and villas, 36 holes of Greg Norman designed golf, a luxurious spa, 24-hour fitness center, restaurants, and multiple pools.

For those who may be looking for a larger space, the resort offers 2 and 3-bedroom villas with full kitchens, spacious living and dining area, and an in unit washer/dryer. Other amenities on the property include a basketball and tennis court, video arcade, retail shops, and a 9-hole lighted Par-3 course. Dining options at the resort include nine different restaurants and bars with options like a deli, authentic Chinese, and upscale steakhouse to name a few.

Opened in 2000, the 36 holes at Omni Orlando at Championsgate Resort were designed by Greg Norman and both play more than 7,100 yards from the back tees. The National Course is a traditional parkland, Florida-style layout which plays through secluded wetlands and woodlands offering golfers an enjoyable round of golf.

With four sets of tee boxes to choose from, this is considered the easier of the two courses, but bunkers and water hazards are abundant through the course and with small greens, this course is best suited for shot makers.

The International Course is situated closer to the resort and is a coastal links style layout in the middle of Florida, something you rarely see. The course conditions are firm and fast with a myriad of pot bunkers and large waste areas waiting to grab any wayward shot. Recent renovations were done to restore all 18 greens and greenside bunker complexes to their original size as well as replacing the Floradwarf turf with Bermuda grass.

At over 7,300 yards from the tips, the course can be a beast with narrow fairways, small greens, and numerous water hazards throughout. Both courses are a must play when you travel to Orlando on your next golf trip.

Facilities at Omni Orlando at Championsgate Resort

• Two 18-hole golf courses
• Array of dining options
• Full service spa
• Numerous swimming pools
• Tennis courts
• 24-hour fitness centre

Located approximately 45 minutes away from Orlando is the four-star golf resort of Mission Inn. This 1,100-acre property is set amongst the rolling hills and orange groves of central Florida and features a traditional hotel with multiple room options and 36 holes of golf on-site.

The hotel is a Spanish Colonial style with elegant rooms, suites, and villas which is suited for small and large group alike. Other amenities on property include the luxurious Spa Marbella offering a selection of treatments, a state-of-the-art fitness center to keep you in shape, and six restaurants/lounges with a variety of cuisine to choose from.

The two courses on the resort, Las Colinas and El Campeon, are some of the best golf you can play in Florida. El Campeon is one of the oldest courses in central Florida having opened in 1917 and has been ranked in the Top 10 for course layout in the US by GolfAdvisor. The course is built amongst the tall pines and natural wetlands native to this area of Florida with a handful of holes bordering resort buildings. This course has narrow, rolling fairways, undulating greens, and elevation changes of more than 85 feet (very rare in Florida).

The Las Colinas Course is a little newer having opened in 1992 and is the perfect complement to the El Campeon Course. Las Colinas is more of a resort-style course with many of the holes being bordered by homes. While the course is longer than El Campeon, the inland links-style layout offers generous wide fairways and large greens set amongst the natural landscape of rolling hills. If you are looking for a trip away from the hustle and bustle of Orlando, Mission Inn is right for you!

Facilities at Mission Inn

• Two 18-hole courses
• Array of dining options
• Tennis courts
• Screened balconies
• State-of-the-art fitness centre
• Full service spa
• Shooting range

Situated just outside of central Orlando is the iconic Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, home to the PGA TOUR’s Arnold Palmer Invitational Tournament and an easy addition to our best golf resorts in Orlando list. Just 20 miles away from the Orlando Airport, Bay Hill is home to over 70 rooms including lodge rooms, suites, and cottages all with either lake views or golf course views.

The rooms are very cozy and come with the usual amenities (TV, WiFi, coffeemaker, A/C) making it feel like a home away from home. Also on property, you can enjoy amenities like a private resort spa with the finest treatments, tennis courts, a fitness center, marina, and heated swimming pool.

Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill is home to 27 holes of golf with three 9-hole courses on property and you must stay at the resort to play the courses. The Champion and Challenger courses are the two layouts that make up the Championship Course for the Arnold Palmer Invitational while the Charger Course is a resort-style course with excellent conditions and can be played on your trip as well.

Measuring at 7,300 yards from the tips, the course will be a challenge no matter your skill level. You will need to be precise off the tee as well-placed bunkers are located just off the fairway for any misplaced tee shots. A strong iron and wedge game is also key to scoring well as the greens are guarded by more bunkers.

A number of large water hazards are also in play, especially the large ponds on holes 3 & 6, 11 & 12, 16 & 17 and the 18th. This golf course is a bucket list course for many golfers and certainly one that you should add to yours if it isn’t already.

Facilities at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge

• 27-hole facility
• PGA TOUR host
• Array of dining options
• Full-service spa
• Tennis courts
• Fitness centre
• Private fishing tours

Located right down the road from Epcot, about 20 miles from the Orlando Airport is where you will find the Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Signia by Hilton Bonnett Creek. These separate hotels are situated on the same piece of property with the amazing Waldorf Astoria Golf Club located on-site.

The two hotels are home to approximately 1,500 spacious guestrooms with 12 different restaurants, a massive spa, and multiple pools. Enjoy updated and luxurious finishes in the rooms at both hotels as well as an array of dining options ranging from a steakhouse to a bistro and everything in between. All the Disney parks are within a 10 miles radius of the resort as well as a handful of other golf courses including Celebration, Hawk’s Landing, and the three Disney golf courses.

The resort is home to 18-holes of spectacular golf at the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club. Opened in 2009, this Rees Jones/Steve Weisser design offers golfers an unforgettable experience. Start your round at the large range and putting/chipping area to warm up for a testy round of golf. The golf course plays just over 7,100 yards from the back tees but offers golfers a total of five tee boxes to choose from to ensure you enjoy your round.

During your round, you will enjoy sweeping views of the natural preserve that surrounds the course with the hotels rising high above the trees where you go on the course. There are no homes or buildings on the golf course, but bunkers and water hazards are prevalent throughout testing your shot making and accuracy. The course is always well-manicured and the green complexes, while tricky, always roll true. After the round, make sure to head back to the clubhouse to pick up some merchandise or have a bite to eat at the Clubhouse Grille.

Facilities at Waldorf Astoria & Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnett Creek Resort

• Walt Disney World next door
• 18-hole golf course
• Full-service spa
• Variety of dining options
• Zero-entry swimming pool
• Fitness centre