Orlando might be known globally as the theme park capital of the world, but beyond the roller coasters and character meet-and-greets lies a golfer’s paradise. The region boasts a unique combination of subtropical weather, dramatic topography, and world-class course architecture that draws players from around the globe year-round.
The sheer variety of golf in Central Florida is staggering. From historic tree-lined layouts that have hosted PGA Tour legends to modern, links-style designs with significant elevation changes, the area offers a distinct challenge for every handicap and budget.
Choosing where to play can be overwhelming, especially if you are planning a vacation. You need to know which courses offer the best conditions, the most memorable holes, and the best overall value for your time and money.
To help you plan your perfect golf getaway, we have analyzed the finest public and resort courses in the greater Orlando area. We focused on architectural merit, turf conditions, customer service, and the overall “wow” factor of the experience.
Whether you are looking for a luxury stay-and-play resort or a hidden gem favored by locals, this guide has you covered. Here are the definitive top tracks you should book for your next round in the City Beautiful.
Hawk's Landing Golf Course
| Address | 8701 World Center Dr, Orlando, FL 32821 |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 6:00 AM – 6:30 PM Tuesday: 6:00 AM – 6:30 PM Wednesday: 6:00 AM – 6:30 PM Thursday: 6:00 AM – 6:30 PM Friday: 6:00 AM – 6:30 PM Saturday: 6:00 AM – 6:30 PM Sunday: 6:00 AM – 6:30 PM |
| Phone | (407) 238-8660 |
Beautiful course. Greens were pure and fairways super green and fluffy. Very challenging course so bring extra balls. Water in almost every hole. I will definitely be coming back.
Very challenging course, tons of water, you have to be strategic off the tee on the par 5s, and while not a long course - truly enjoyable. Staff were very friendly and helpful upon arrival and even assisted in getting clubs into the Uber.
Great course and great vibes. Pro shop staff was very welcoming and the Starter “Fran” was fun to talk with! The course was fun and challenging. Hole 11 will take your soul lol. My only complaint was the tee boxes weren’t the greatest and tee markers are hard to see. Highly recommend and price was fair! Got paired up with a very nice couple Ken and Joan from New York.
Always in great condition Bring your A Game this is a very challenging track! Water almost on every hole ⛳ Straight hitters will love it!
I don’t leave a lot of reviews normally, not I think I am gonna start. I like this course a lot. It’s not crazy challenging, but the layout is very cool. It’s not pricey. The staff is very cool. The entire property is very welcoming. I will definitely come back.
Dubsdread Golf Course
| Address | 549 W Par St, Orlando, FL 32804 |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM Tuesday: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM Wednesday: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM Thursday: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM Friday: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM Saturday: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM Sunday: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM |
| Phone | (407) 246-2551 |
Checked out the newly renovated driving range. Which is phenomenal. State of the art tracking through the trackman golf app. Super easy to use and setup. A bucket of 60 balls was like $14 which is pretty fair on how nice the range and bays were. Super nice spot to shoot around, train etc with friends or family.
Course in good condition. Great layout, tight tee shots w homes lining the fairways. Greens particularly fast. New driving range, a lot of fun!
Staff in the proshop, made us feel very welcome. Unfortunately, we were behind a very slow group of golfers.
Second time playing this course as I'm from Illinois. Every time I come to the Orlando area, I will be playing Dubsdread! I really enjoy this course and the staff is top notch. Pace of play can be a little slow but nothing to complain about. Got paired with a couple and another single and it was a great round. Greens are fast and the neighborhood is pretty cool. Again, I love this course!
Good staff. Good location outside of Orlando. I can tell they do alot for their local community including the school kids. Ok condition, good municipal.
Layout for me was boring. I was bored after 7 holes. Just same routine, no change of scenery. Speaking of scenery it's just an old neighborhood. Not bad, just bland housings from the 1980's.
Greens were true rolling.
I was really hyped to go after reading other reviews. One review i read mentioned about so much history of the place. Some guys got mad at some other guys so they started their own golf course. Wow, someone getting mad at someone else and doing it themselves, that's only happened a couple thousand times in American history. Maybe there's alot of history about serving the local area which is great if that is the case. Just the course itself is nothing spectacular. Nothing to remember it by.
The Top Tracer looks so out of place for an outdated course but if that's the course's way of keeping updated then kudos to them. Even if course conditions were PGA level the layout and scenery just isn't there for me.
Nothing bad about the place. Great staff. Just a ho hum boring round that I'm not going to remember anything about other then the place serving the local area more so then the typical golf course.
My favorite local public course. Filled with history and a wonderful staff. Tight and technical, it encourages you to club down and be accurate. Also the teaching programs and Tap Room are exceptional.
My only complaint - soft drink 12 oz cans are $5. It is gouging that apparently comes from the city F&B manager. A soft drink at Disney is cheaper. Let that sink in. When they fix it, Dubs is a five star for me.
Shingle Creek Golf Club
| Address | 9939 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819 |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sunday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | (407) 996-1559 |
This course is pristine!! The golf carts had me in awe as well with the GPS features and the pro shop was to die for! Shot 18 holes and it was soooo enjoyable!!! Club rental ....Im spoiled now I need some TaylorMade clubs in my life!!! Please send me some Santa Im not getting any younger !!!
This is the 3rd Convention my company has come to Rosen Shingle Creek. It never disappoints. The service is to notch. The surroundings are beautiful. It doesn't feel like your in a big city at all. Can't wait to come back.
This course was a gem, undulating greens running about 10 on the stemp meter just right for the amount of break on most putts. All the greens were elevated Protecting the greens from any shots falling short, With the grass Being
Somewhat dormant, it made it very difficult for any pitch or chip. However the saving grace what's that you could putt The ball onto the green. Beautiful views lots of wildlife and the staff were excellent. Valet parking bag drop And overall great customer service. The staff went out of their way to make you feel welcome. I totally enjoyed this course And would recommend it. as a must play to anyone visiting.
Shingle Creek Golf Club is a must play in the south orlando area. Every bit of the course and experience is perfect. The practice facilities are great and the staff at check in are very friendly and knowledgeable. The course puts up a good fight for the best public in the area. The fairways and general area was perfectly maintained with great views of the resort and over water bodies. The architect also did a great job with the trees, bunkers and length keeping the round difficult. The greens were also rolling true to their line and easily 10+. Conditions were great throughout. Can’t recommend this course enough.
This place is a gem. Valet parking, friendly staff, and an awesome layout. Entire course was in great shape and playable for all skill levels. Other than a stretch along the back 9 that runs along a roadway, the course really does immerse you into the natural landscape. Highly recommend
The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, Grande Lakes
| Address | 4040 Central Florida Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32837 |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sunday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | (407) 393-4900 |
For our conference at the Ritz- Carlton we played the golf club right next door on the property. The course pro shop was super fancy and this place was super expensive. 👌 that being said it looked like a very fancy course and it was.
It had just rained the night and morning before our round of golf and this coirse doesn't drain well. The front nine fairways were pretty wet and took till the back nine nit to be hitting mud on every shot.
Our team shot -13 and first place came in at -21 so we were really far off.
I want to come back and play this course when it is dry and nice outside to give it another chance.
Overall it was okay.
Ritz is pure class. Fairways are generous off the tee, but those approaches are tricky and the greens are rolling lightning. You better bring a sharp short game or this place will bite you. Service is absolutely top-tier.
Thanks to Barry, our vacation became absolutely perfect. We truly appreciate everything he did for us.
Without him, especially in a difficult situation, our trip would have been very challenging.
He is an outstanding staff member who truly elevates an already amazing golf course.
Absolutely beautiful golf course that was extremely fun to play. I had the pleasure of being able to play here a few days before the PNC Championship, and the fairway and greens were immaculate. One of the fastest greens I’ve ever played. The service was great as well, and the rental clubs were more than adequate. Price wise, I understand Ritz pricing but there are definitely better courses at this price range around the world. However, it was a great round and was a very enjoyable day.
Bob was amazing, encouraging my son, giving him pointers and made our dream trip a reality, playing at this course. The food was great as well and everyone in the Pro Shop.
Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge
| Address | 9000 Bay Hill Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819 |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: Open 24 hours Tuesday: Open 24 hours Wednesday: Open 24 hours Thursday: Open 24 hours Friday: Open 24 hours Saturday: Open 24 hours Sunday: Open 24 hours |
| Phone | (407) 876-2429 |
During the winrer months we always head down to Florida. Bay Hill is one of favorite places to stay. We used to always see Mr Palmer down there. He was a wonderful person. At one time, he even visited my husband's grandfather in the hospital because some of his golf friends told him his biggest fan was in the hospital (in Penmsylvania) So, Mr Palmer drove up there for a surprise visit! It was very sad when Mr Palmer passed. Now, his daughter's run the resort. There have been many changes, but in a very good way. The staff is always so accommodating and helpful. Everyone goes out of their way for you. The rooms have been updated/redecorated. They are much brighter. They also changed the Grill area, but also in a very positive way. It is much more open and seems bigger. My husband always golf's and the staff with the pro shop are great While there have been changes, I love the new changes. I definitely recommend staying there if you are in Orlando. Also, the area around the resorts had lots of great restaurants and things to do. I think Mr Palmer would be very proud of his daughters and what they have done to the resort.
This place was a godsend on Saturday night, February 14, 2026. My reservation elsewhere was canceled and places to stay were sparse. I called here and Kat was so accommodating and easy to work with. She had a room available and made the reservations possible for 2 nights. She was a sweet and bright light in a dark night of uncertainty. Kudos to her and the other staff.
I had a great experience thanks to Sonia at the front desk. She was extremely helpful, friendly, and professional throughout the entire visit. Sonia made sure everything we needed was taken care of quickly and efficiently, and she went out of her way to ensure we were comfortable and had all the information we needed. Her positive attitude and willingness to help really stood out. Excellent customer service—thank you, Sonia!
We were extremely lucky back in the Hotwire deals day to put in a request for a 5* hotel in the central Florida parks area (Universal) for it to come up with the Arnold Palmer Bay Hill club. This place is on another planet and the pitty is I dont play golf but the walk around the golf course on a morning after our morning cafe to door delivery was enjoyed it was a fantastic walk taking in the desgin and scenery. The kids loved the pool spar area and after a day in unversal to come back to such luxuray was fantastic. The club was that good we changed our park visit plans to spend more time at the club and booked into the pool resturante to enjoy the food as on looking it looked superb and we were not disapointed. On an evening having two children restrictions were in place for the formal club returants and club member only nights, however this was catered for in each room with a coctail bar for the adults to enjoy and it felt very special to be sat on our balcony with a long Island ice tea taking it all in. We have been lucky to have travelled but this place is just another level.
Great hotel!
Made a last minute trip down to Florida, and every hotel was booked because it was Valentines. We got one of the last ones here. The beds were so comfortable!! Literally my cousin had them find out the bed brand as we both slept better than we ever have. The Sunday Brunch was delicious. This is a very "Male" hotel, muted colors, the room smelled of aftershave lol. But we felt welcomed and comfortable, even if we don't know the first thing about golf lol
Grand Cypress Golf
| Address | 1570 Evermore Wy, Orlando, FL 32836 |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM – 6:30 PM Sunday: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Phone | (407) 239-1909 |
Course is in terrific shape!!! Both courses were perfect in every way. Jimmy with the pro shop offered the absolute customer service, he made out entire trip here so much better.
Played The Links side - Jack did a phenomenal job bringing the Old Course to life in FL. Wide open Fairways - but, the bunkers are ridiculously challenging. Found myself in a deep green side bunker- #bunker won. And, when you do get to the green— buckle up. Staff and Service were all five-star. Wish I could’ve played another 18 on Cypress. Highly recommend playing.
Despite only 50F today, the course was absolutely beautiful and love the links style (wide open and clear view ahead). The greens are tricky, very challenging to play but a lot of fun! Hope to come back another warmer day!
Played the links course and what a treat it was!! Staff was great but the course was too cool and in great shape!! What a cool experience and would definitely play it again!!
This golf course was in excelent condition. It is beautiful and not a piece of grass out of place. Both courses have an amazing design. This place was empty, I had the course to myself. So peaceful. Just pricey, wish they offered a Florida resident discount.
Waldorf Astoria Golf Club
| Address | 14224 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln, Orlando, FL 32821 |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Sunday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Phone | (407) 597-3782 |
Awesome course, awesome staff and in awesome condition!! Top notch from atart to finish!! She was definitely wet in some spots in the fairways amd around the greens but the greens were absolutely great
Golf Course Review: Waldorf Astoria Golf Club – Orlando, FL
The Waldorf Astoria Golf Club in Orlando is a truly beautiful course—scenic, well-designed, and a pleasure to play from start to finish. The layout is both challenging and enjoyable, making it a great choice for golfers of all skill levels.
The tee boxes were in excellent condition, and the pace of play was spot on, allowing for a smooth and relaxing round. While most of the greens were well-maintained, a couple could use a bit of improvement, but it didn’t take away from the overall experience.
The staff was friendly and welcoming, adding to the luxury feel you’d expect from the Waldorf brand. We also enjoyed a bite to eat after the round—the food was tasty.
Overall, it’s a great course with beautiful surroundings, quality service, and solid amenities.
What a Great Golf Course in excellent shape, will definitely play here again when we return later this year! The staff was very professional and courteous. I highly recommend this Golf Course!
Course was in amazing shape. But… 1) layout-I found the course to be underwhelming. No imagination. Water on one side-Trees or bunkers on the other. I found 13 to be interesting. But, other than that. Straight down every fairway. Elevated greens but no contour. Just flat greens that you had to climb up and down from. 2) staff- Couldn’t get into locker room until 30 minutes before our tee time. Couldn’t move carts across the driveway because valet has to drive through? It was a fifty foot wide driveway. I think valet could handle it. Overall felt like it was just a business. No passion. Didn’t feel like they wanted us out there. Not rude or anything. Staff just seemed like they were not having fun. Won’t go back.
Had a great time this weekend at the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club from the moment we pulled into the parking lot. The lot attendant was friendly and made sure we knew where we were going when we arrived. Golf shop again verified we knew where to go and the cart attendants rounded out the friendliness. Course was in very good shape and always so relaxing to play. It's a frequent course when we're in the area.
ChampionsGate Golf Club
| Address | 8575 White Shark Blvd, Championsgate, FL 33896 |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sunday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | (407) 787-4653 |
We played both courses on outreach trip. Both great courses, international was a bit links which we liked. However we loved the National. Definitely my favourite golf course of our 2 week trip. The greens on both courses were great. The fairways on the National are the best I've played all year. That includes Europe. The price on both very reasonable. The staff were brilliant, hats of to the custom service, without doubt the friendliest golf club we played. Thank you all.
Absolutely beautiful inside and out. Good food and friendly helpful staff. Golf course is supreme.
Absolutely amazing courses. Both national and international were a pleasure to play. National course had lots of hazards and movement in the fairway that added interesting challenges. I preferred playing the international course due to it being a little more open. I enjoyed playing a few shots out of the sand on the international course. I played in June and the greens were very well maintained and rolled great. The staff was great. Clubhouse awesome. Thanks for a great location to enjoy.
I recently played a round at Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate and came away disappointed, especially given the price. The greens and fairways were in good condition, and I’ll give credit to the staff,they were friendly and professional.
However, for $165 per round plus $90 for club rentals, I expected a much more complete and well-maintained course. The areas outside the fairways and greens were in rough shape. The grass around cart paths and between holes looked neglected, and several areas appeared to be under construction or simply not maintained. It honestly felt like only the fairways and greens were being cared for.
If you missed the fairway, you were often dealing with poor or unplayable lies and had to move your ball just to continue the round. That takes away from the overall experience and makes it hard to justify the cost. There are plenty of public courses in better overall condition for significantly less money.
Additionally, service on the course itself was lacking. We only saw the cart girl twice over 18 holes, once around hole 9 and again on 17, which is pretty surprising at a resort course charging premium rates.
Overall, while the staff was great and the core playing surfaces were solid, the overall course conditions and value just didn’t match the price. I wouldn’t consider it worth it compared to other options in the area
Service at bag drop, the starter and the pro shop were all top notch.
The area had received 5 inches of rain in the days prior to my playing of the National course. The bunkers and some low lying areas had a lot of water in them and the bunkers that didn’t were more mud than sand. Due to the weather gotta give the course a pass on bunker conditions, but there really wasn’t a bunker in playable condition.
The balance of the course was in very good shape - tee boxes, fairways and greens.
Carts and cart paths were also in great shape. The cart gps adjusted for elevation, even though there was little elevation change to worry about.
The layout itself was a bit too similar at least from the white tees.
All the par 4’s were either 390+ or under 320 with nothing in between.
If your consistent off the tee your either hitting a wedge in or mid iron to the green only. The only time I used my 8 and 9 irons were on the par 3’s.
The National at ChampionsGate is a good course, just needs a bit more variety on the par 4’s.
Didn’t see any snakes or gators despite numerous warning signs.
Grande Vista Golf Club
| Address | 12001 Ave Verde, Orlando, FL 32821 |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sunday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | (407) 238-7677 |
came across this executive nine-hole course somewhat by accident. To be completely honest, I didn’t realize it was a nine-hole layout when I booked what I thought was an 18-hole round. That said, I was extremely impressed, especially for a resort-style course.
The greens are in exceptional shape and roll true, and the fairways are consistently well maintained. The staff is top tier across the board—friendly, professional, and genuinely welcoming.
What really stood out was the practice facility, which is second to none in the Orlando area. Because the course emphasizes precision and short-game execution, I ended up enjoying the round far more than expected. The value and overall experience were strong enough that I joined for a year-long membership.
Highly recommend—especially if you’re looking to sharpen your short game while still playing a quality course.
Such a cool spot, only a few miles away. I loved the driving range and practice area. I can’t wait to play my first round there. I am use to playing cheaper courses but I figure if I go in to practice and then play 9 right after I’d truly be happy with what I pay to play here.
It’s a short course. One long par 4, four short par 4’s and four par 3’s. It’s a fun resort course. Play was a little slow. The golf cart with towels was nice. The practice facilities were nice (no mats). I liked that they posted the yardage at the tee box as pictured. Tee to green everything was fine. If l had one issue about the course it would be the (at best) medium paced greens. And they were a little soft, almost spongy. Off course, l got done around 4:30, and the pub didn’t open until 5… All in all l would return if l needed to get a quick nine in.
One of our favorite Marriott properties! We have been coming here since the last century! Great staff always makes you feel like you are coming home!
There was some concern that they have installed but not activated EV stations due to budget considerations. A major makeover is going on inside and out right now and I can agree that maintenance should come before enhancements.
Excellent golf facility next to Seaworld. Practice facility is in great condition. However, the course pace of play in the winter time can be slow. Expect pace of play to be around 2.5-3 hrs for 9 holes during peak snowbird season.
Falcon's Fire Golf Course
| Address | 3200 Seralago Blvd Suite 1, Kissimmee, FL 34746 |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sunday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | (407) 239-5445 |
My husband and I recently had our brunch-wedding here at Falcon’s Fire Golf Course, and we had the most amazing day! The chef, bartender, and staff were all so friendly and memorable. The food and mimosas were absolutely amazing! Our event coordinator, Mary, paid very close attention to detail during the whole planning process. Our rehearsal lunch & decorating time was so much fun, and it was truly a blessing to decorate before the big storm that evening. It made the wedding day that much smoother and more memorable. If there was any room for constructive feedback, it’d be that there were a few questions about the timeline and transitions on the wedding day, and the day-of coordinator was difficult to locate at times, but overall, such a great day! The venue’s flexibility was truly the biggest highlight that made our brunch-wedding possible. We hope to see many more weddings here at this beautiful venue; truly so happy - thank you, Mary and team! Will be sure to tag you once we formally receive our photos back 🙂
This is a wonderful 18 hole golf course. The layout is challenging but fair. It’s been raining a lot so it was cart path only which made it harder but still a wonderful course.
The reviews about the people being rude or personality less are kind of baseless. Everyone I interacted with there yesterday (7/4/26) were perfectly fine and nice people. The course conditions complaints though are entirely fair. A good bunch of the bunkers had stagnant water with a considerable amount of pond scum in the bunkers. The ponds themselves in the course (the front 9 in particular) look like Shrek himself is about to come crawling out. The fairways were reminiscent of the desert, and the greens reminded me of the moon. If you’re looking for a good course to play for the same price range, go to The Legends out in Clermont.
After coming to Orlando for a week of golf and fun at the parks, we were amazed at such an unfriendly, unprofessional, and anti-tourist location spot in the area. We played at two Walt Disney courses this week (expensive and under-whelming but still fun) and one round at Mystic Dunes (moderate pricing and rough fairways) we then chose to play at this course called Falcons Fire. We were hoping for something a little less expensive and hopefully a bit more spread out on tee times. The booking online was easy and we read all the reviews and still decided to play here even with the negative comments about the unkept course. It started with the check-in. We walked in, three adults and a 6 year old child. I told the emotionless employee behind the counter that we had a tee time reserved. She ask if there were three players and would I be paying for all? I agreed and paid in cash. She directed us down the stairs to get assistance with our bags again with a lack of emotion as if we had interrupted her plans for the day. We walked downstairs and met a gentlemen by the carts. He asked if we had dropped our bags upstairs of which I stated no, they were still in the car as we were about 45 mins early. He said “THERE ARE NO CARTS IN THE PARKING LOT”. I said fine, I can go get the car pull back up and drop the bags. This was okay, not totally uncommon for Florida, however most professional courses post plenty of signage to warn for this inconvenience. We got our bags loaded up and were about to head out when the attendant asked “ have you paid for the extra rider fee?” I said, excuse me, what rider fee? He said for the extra rider. I asked, do you mean the 6 year old child who is obviously not playing He said yes. They charge a fee here. It's them, not my rule.
I headed back inside the pro shop (it should be called an amateur joke shop) to confront the “excessively friendly” NOT, employee from before about what must be a mistake or oversight. I asked her if this was true what I had just been told. She said yes, there is a fee for extra riders and we had had to pay the 6-year-old rider fee of $25; that's almost half the price of playing the course. We don't mind paying, but they should put that on their website or, again, put a big sign outside before you check in, so we're not gonna be shocked by the rider rules or fee. Mind you, we are 3 golfers, 1 child rider. I looked at my wife at this point and asked, do you just want to go play somewhere else. Obviously, this course is pulling some kind of bait and switch con to grab every dollar from customers. I decided to just pay their ransom fee to go ahead and play, and made a sarcastic comment that you all apparently need the money more than I do. At that time, a little peep of man pipes up his little voice and asks if there is a problem ( I guess to prove his defense of “Ms Friendly”). I asked why, can you help with this because if not, I am not going to waste any more of my time. I asked if I can cancel and get my money back. Get this, she said you can cancel, but the fee for cancelling is the same as what we paid. Have you ever heard of anything so damn ridiculous! These people are desperate and such an embarrassment to the rest of Orlando.
Another huge problem: they're doing course maintenance; they didn't inform us until we got to hole No. 2, and found the fairway full of workers. It was unsafe to hit especially for the workers. We just picked up our balls skipped hole #2 as it was unsafe. Such a disappointment. Dont take my words, look at the photos below for proof. I know that i used alot of sarcasm in this post. I have played golf all over the world and at three other courses in Orlando this week. No where have i ever been treated so unappreciated as a guest. I want to warn any other vacationers especially those with young children prior to going to this course. They told us that they have this rule to cover every seat on the cart that pays for maintenance. Really? So you make singles players pay twice? What a joke!
Customer service was spot on.
Course conditions were a bit iffy for me.
Tee boxes were either standard condition or dry and dead.
Fairways were well kept and you could tell they are still recuperating from being aerated
Greens were a hit or miss. There were multiple holes with dead spots that are still recuperating from maintenance. The slope of the greens made putting fun and they would be wonderful greens if the grass was filled out.
The overall course layout is solid and not over bearing.
I would definitely consider coming back in time. The greens just need a few more months to fill in the patches.
Celebration Golf Club
| Address | 701 Golfpark Dr, Kissimmee, FL 34747 |
|---|---|
| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Thursday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Friday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Sunday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Phone | (407) 566-4653 |
The course conditions and the layouts are very good. There are plenty of blind spots, even from the fairways to the greens. The course has plenty of plateaus and the greens are undulated with acceptable speed. Although it's probably invisible from the fairways, most of the greens and their surrounding areas are forgiven. Therefore, without thinking too much, just fire your approach shots to the greens. This course has plenty of characteristics to make you feel fun while challenges every skill of your golf.
great course, super friendly staff. little things like ice and towels for the carts and plush seats made it a great experience. greens were recently punched but rolled well. the range being a big pond was an interesting experience! lunch before the round was reasonably priced and very good.
My son and I did our annual golf trip to Orlando at byte celebration course this year. It was well maintained and had quite a few challenging holes. Loved the smart cart, tells you the distance and kept us on track. The scenery and wildlife was abundant, the houses around the course were quite substantial. Would definitely return.
The course was a little disappointing. Lots of bare in the fairways and the approach areas of the green. Can't understand why the teeing area is in such poor shape too (through out the course). If you pay for a premium steak you wouldn't except less quality. You would be talking to the manager. I did enjoy the cookie and the food voucher. I heard they are in-between superintendents.
This is Robert Trent Jones course, so lots of water but difficultly was appropriate. Course was is very good shape, a few tee boxes and greens were still recovering from a somewhat recent punch but overall very good. Staff was super friendly and helpful! Pace was great, teed off around 7:20 and was done 3 hours later. The best part was the value. About $70 for Florida resident for golf, cart, range balls and lunch. Will definitely be back!
MetroWest Golf Club
| Address | 2100 S Hiawassee Rd, Orlando, FL 32835 |
|---|---|
| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM Tuesday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM Wednesday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM Thursday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM Friday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM Sunday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | (407) 299-1099 |
I started playing golf about six months ago and have played mostly at MetroWest Golf Club. As a new golfer, I honestly thought the problems I was having were because I wasn't very good. I lost countless balls, even on the fairways, because of the condition of the grass. Once you went off the fairway, finding your ball was nearly impossible.
Over time, the course has continued to deteriorate. The greens are losing grass, the fairways are in poor condition, and the back nine has become extremely difficult to play. The 19th Hole has also had no A/C for several weeks with no clear indication of when it will be repaired.
I recently played another public course and realized just how much course conditions were affecting my game. I could actually find my ball, and I cut nearly an hour off my round simply by not spending so much time searching.
I've read many of the recent reviews about MetroWest and seen what appear to be AI-generated responses. **I am not writing this to receive another apology or AI response.** I would like to know what the actual plan is to restore this course.
What is the step-by-step plan? When will the greens, fairways and back nine be restored? What equipment needs to be repaired or replaced? And when will the clubhouse A/C be fixed?
It is a shame to see such a beautiful property and once-great golf course deteriorate this way.
One positive note: the employees are a great group of people. Many have been there for years and clearly care about the course, but they can only do so much without the proper resources.
I sincerely hope someone at MetroWest takes this review seriously and provides a **real plan and timeline to make MetroWest Golf Club the pride of the community again.**
Course is in absolutely garbage shape. Played 18 on 6/20/26.
Cannot tell the difference between the rough and the fairway. Crabgrass everywhere on the tee boxes, fairways and fringe. Rate was only $60 but still no where near worth it.
It reminds me of what I imagine an abandoned course would look like. Overgrown with weeds and dirt and sand and minimal playable lies. Even a simple mow, which is clearly being neglated, could improve the course somewhat.
Greens were in decent shape in comparison to the rest of the course.
Don’t go here if you’re trying to improve your game in any way. There isn’t a good lie on the entire back nine. That doesn’t mean you’ll find any on the front side either but the back is especially bad. Fairways are nonexistent patches of crabgrass and weeds. Rough hadn’t been mowed in at minium 2 weeks, so balls would disappear if you missed the green by a few yards. Majority of greens either have massive dead patches, weeds growing or a terrible combo of the two. Save yourself the money and the frustration. But god forbid you take your cart in the parking lot to drop your bag(????). The staff was the only ok part of the place.
I hadn’t played at Metro West in at least 10 years because the last time I played it was lacking grass and the entire course looked like it lacked love. So I was pleasantly surprised on May 16th that the course looked and felt like someone had given it the love it deserved - the greens (aerated) were lush, and the whole course looked like they were trying very hard to restore this Robert Trent Jones Sr. design by giving it the love and care it deserved. If they keep on giving it some more love, the summer rains are going to help restore this wonderful layout and the wonderful elevation changes. I wish the high rise apartments that surround the course didn’t block the view of the downtown skyline, but the area feels full of life and that energy may be helping energize the course. Come give this classic another try - I think you will be pleasantly surprised!
This course was in horrffic shape. From teebox to green. It had 1 nice fairway and 3 nice greens. I dont think even 1 tee box was in even resonable shape. The 1st cut of rough was so thick it looked like it has not been mowed in at least a month. If you got 1 foot off the fairway or didnt carry it far enough off the tee that ball was lost! I had terrible experience from ceck in where i way over paid for balls to the starter that must have asked for my recipt at least 8 times, all the way to the cart return not letting me take clubs off inside his area but closer to my vehicle, without going into the parking lot. Just an all around bad golfing experience. Would not go to this course i would even pay more to play a different course in The area. Too many nice places to choose from to tolerate that mess.
Tips for Planning Your Orlando Golf Trip
Successfully navigating the Orlando golf scene requires more than just a set of clubs and a tee time. The market is heavily influenced by tourism, seasonal weather patterns, and high demand, meaning a little preparation goes a long way. Below are essential strategies to ensure your golf vacation is smooth, affordable, and enjoyable.
1. Book Early Morning Tee Times
During the summer months, Central Florida experiences almost daily afternoon thunderstorms. The lightning is dangerous, and the rain is often torrential. To ensure you finish your round, always book the earliest tee time available. Not only does this help you beat the weather, but it also helps you avoid the peak heat and humidity of the midday sun.
2. Understand the Seasonal Pricing
Orlando golf rates fluctuate dramatically based on the time of year. Prices peak between January and April when the weather is perfect and the “snowbirds” are in town. If you are looking for value, consider playing in the late spring or fall. You will often find the courses in excellent condition with significantly reduced green fees.
3. Look for Stay-and-Play Packages
Many of the major resorts, including Reunion and ChampionsGate, offer bundled packages that combine lodging with golf. These packages often provide substantial savings compared to booking rooms and tee times separately. They also usually include perks like complimentary breakfast, range access, and shuttle services to the clubhouse.
4. Consider the “Resort Surcharge”
Be aware that many courses adjacent to hotels or major attractions charge a premium simply for their location. If you are willing to drive 20 to 30 minutes outside the main tourist corridor, you can often find equally impressive golf for a fraction of the price. Courses in areas like Clermont or Sanford offer great value for the traveling golfer.
5. Don’t Underestimate the Rough and Water
Florida golf is defined by water hazards and thick, Bermuda grass rough. Bring plenty of golf balls, especially if you are a high handicapper. The rough in Florida is often sticky and grainy, making it difficult to control the ball. Playing conservatively and keeping the ball in the fairway is often the best strategy for a good score here.
Orlando truly offers one of the most diverse and exciting golf landscapes in the United States. Whether you are walking in the footsteps of legends at Bay Hill or enjoying a modern masterpiece at a luxury resort, the quality of the golf is undeniable.
By planning ahead, respecting the weather, and choosing the right course for your skill level and budget, you can create a golf trip that rivals the magic of the nearby theme parks. Pack your sunscreen, bring extra balls, and get ready to experience some of the best fairways Florida has to offer.
