Most people headed to Orlando have Mickey Mouse or Harry Potter on their minds, but there’s a lot more to the Central Florida area than theme parks. For traveling golfers, there are dozens of public-access courses within a reasonable drive of Orlando that offer a slew of water hazards and good-player street cred among talented local players.
But as long-time residents (and I count myself among these golfers) might tell you, many of the courses start to look similar after a few go-rounds. Locals in the know seek out a different and interesting experience, and that is reflected in those Central Florida courses that have made it onto Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play list.
Instead of water, water everywhere, several of the courses on the list feature a bit of elevation change – certainly not expected at most Central Florida courses. Other top tracks have hosted professional events, and one is a simple muni with greens that draw golfers from around the country.
For the sake of this article, we have defined Central Florida as the inland area from just north of Orlando and stretching southwest toward Tampa, but without considering courses too near either the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico.
This definition loosely follows the Interstate 4 corridor.
And instead of relying on one player’s favorites for details, this accounting of top courses incorporates comments from Golfweek’s Best raters and what they like about these Central Florida courses.
Each of the nine courses on this list has been rated highly enough to make it onto Florida’s Best Courses You Can Play list, which includes 30 courses around the Sunshine State, and their rankings are included.
Streamsong Red
WHERE: Bowling Green, Fla.
DESIGNERS: Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw
OPENED: 2012
YARDAGE/PAR: 7,148; 72
THE SKINNY: Built on the site of a former phosphate mine about 85 miles southwest of Orlando in a relatively empty expanse of the state, the Red (and the neighboring Blue) appears to play across the surface of the moon more than a typical Florida wetland. The sometimes-immense landforms pitch the golfer among expansive sandy waste areas with long native grasses and dunes created by decades of phosphate mining, and the firm turf allows for a ground game into most greens.
GOLFWEEK RANKING: No. 2 on Florida’s Best Courses You Can Play list
A RATER SAYS: This course blew me away! I would play this course over and over again: It’s fun, playable and the scenery was remarkable. The best design out of the three (at the resort) in my opinion. The design takes advantage of the scenic elements, requires risk-reward strategy and demands shotmaking. … Unlike most Florida courses, the Red has many elevation changes. Coore and Crenshaw have done an amazing job designing the gem that is both beautiful and interesting. – Gary Nurenberg, New York
Streamsong Black
WHERE: Bowling Green, Fla.
DESIGNER: Gil Hanse
OPENED: 2017
YARDAGE/PAR: 7,331; 73
THE SKINNY: The Black was the third course built at the resort, and it sits away from its siblings. Rolling over dunes and with frequent sandy waste areas in play, it offers some of the largest greens in the country – if all the grass mowed at greens height counts. Hanse and partner Jim Wagner created what they called “greens within greens,” where the main surfaces roll and pitch before cascading down into run-offs mowed at green height.
GOLFWEEK RANKING: No. 3 on Florida’s Best Courses You Can Play list
A RATER SAYS: The most stark feature is the green-within-a-green concept. … This design feature not only creates a visual illusion but also places emphasis on shot quality, magnifies misses and demands creativity around the greens. In a way it’s off-putting, but at the same time it’s mentally stimulating. … Because of the different angles and options the player has on each hole due to different shots played and routes taken (afforded by the scale and width of the terrain), the Black is the kind of course that will be appreciated more and more, the more it’s played. – Geoffrey Manton, Farmington, Conn.
Streamsong Blue
WHERE: Bowling Green, Fla.
DESIGNER: Tom Doak
OPENED: 2012
YARDAGE/PAR: 7,176; 72
THE SKINNY: Much like it’s intertwining neighbor, the Red, the Blue features topography unlike anything else. It climbs dunes, drops into a massive bowl-like setting while crossing a pond on the oft-photographed par-3 seventh, and typically demands strategic thinking to set up the best approach into the greens. The first hole sets the tone for the round, as players climb a massive sand hill to tee off into a very un-Florida-like view that encapsulates the entire property. This course proves it’s often personal opinion when ranking a course, as many Golfweek raters find this to be the strongest offering at the resort.
GOLFWEEK RANKING: No. 4 on Florida’s Best Courses You Can Play list
A RATER SAYS: In my opinion, slightly more strategic than the Red and miles above the Black. Has some wonderfully routed par 4s and par 5s that offer great risk-reward challenges. The greens tend to be more severe compared to the Red but are gentle compared to the Black. … Part of the beauty of this is that the Blue can be set up as tough or as easy as you like and still be enjoyable to play. Conditioning was great, and drainage is fantastic. – Jim de Leon, Bluffton, S.C.
Bay Hill Club and Lodge’s Champion/Challenger
WHERE: Orlando
DESIGNER: Dick Wilson
OPENED: 1961
YARDAGE/PAR: 7,381; 72
THE SKINNY: Host of the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and a longtime home to the legendary golfer, Bay Hill features excellent conditioning and all the tall rough, lakes and bunkering challenges featured on TV each March. Played from the correct tees, the course offers fairly wide fairways to navigate the frequent water hazards, but numerous forced carries make it imperative to choose the correct tees.
GOLFWEEK RANKING: No. 8 on Florida’s Best Courses You Can Play list
A RATER SAYS: I last played Bay Hill at least 18 years ago. I really developed a new-found appreciation for it. It has its subtleties: No. 2, the par 3, with the ability to sling it in from the right; No. 3, a dogleg left around Ewater with a very interesting green befitting the short iron in your hands; short par 4s such as Nos. 5 and 13, which play into the prevailing breezes with very small greens. I really fell in love with No. 9, the long par 4, what a gorgeous, virtually straight par 4. … The greens have more slope and difficulties than I recall. – Bill Vogeney, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Victoria Hills Golf Club
WHERE: DeLand, Fla.
DESIGNER: Ron Garl
OPENED: 2001
YARDAGE/PAR: 7,149; 72
THE SKINNY: About 30 miles north of Orlando, Victoria Hills’ surprising terrain and frequently elevated tee boxes give the course the feel of a North Carolina track much more than a typical Florida course.
GOLFWEEK RANKING: No. 15 on Florida’s Best Courses You Can Play list
A RATER SAYS: Drove to Victoria Hills and was pleasantly surprised. … Really nice, aggressive fairway bunkering, and all the holes have run-up, open greens with less aggressive bunkering greenside. Appealing to the eye, hidden cart paths. … A great mid-price range public course. A lot better than many of the Orlando courses that cost two to three times more. – Eric Gersonde, Birmingham, Mich.
El Campeón – Mission Inn Resort
WHERE: Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.
DESIGNERS: George O’Neil and Charles E. Clarke
OPENED: 1917
YARDAGE/PAR: 7,015; 72
THE SKINNY: Part of a classic resort about 38 miles northwest of Orlando with a second course on site, and with old oaks and marshes dotting the course, El Campeón is a favorite among many locals. Several holes flow up and down a steep hill that defies expectation for Florida.
GOLFWEEK RANKING: No. 17 on Florida’s Best Courses You Can Play list
A RATER SAYS: Mission Inn is a special place. Really out in the middle of nowhere, but that is where Florida’s rolling hills are, and this course makes incredible use of them on both nines. The integration of marsh and swamp makes you very aware you are still in Florida, but unsure as you look at the wall of fairway on an 80-foot elevation change for two of the par 4s. – Justin Melnick, Denver
Panther Lake – Orange County National
WHERE: Winter Garden, Fla.
DESIGNERS: David Hartman and Phil Ritson
OPENED: 1997
YARDAGE/PAR: 7,350; 72
THE SKINNY: About 20 miles west of Orlando and just a few minutes’ drive from Disney World, Panther Lake was a longtime host to the PGA Tour’s Qualifying School (along with the facility’s Crooked Cat course). With numerous marshes and ponds throughout, plus almost 60 feet of elevation changes, Panther Lake offers sometimes intimidating forced carries to relatively wide fairways. Local players often consider this to be one of the most challenging tests in Central Florida.
GOLFWEEK RANKING: No. 26 on Florida’s Best Courses You Can Play list
A RATER SAYS: An obviously modern design. At times you feel very removed from Florida. It has large open spaces framed by minimal trees and bunkering. Green complexes are good, but at times it seems to get a little out of hand with slopes, mounds and bowls. Excellent surrounds, both in chipping areas and bunkering. Obviously maintained very well tee to green. Natural areas and landscaping add to a beautiful piece of land. – Eric King, Lexington, Ky.
Winter Park Golf Course
WHERE: Winter Park, Fla.
DESIGNERS: Redesigned by Keith Rhebb and Riley Johns
OPENED: 1914 (redesigned in 2016)
YARDAGE/PAR: 2,470; 35
THE SKINNY: Not far from downtown Orlando, this track – commonly called WP9 – features nine of the best greens in Central Florida. Despite it’s almost dead-flat site among a posh neighborhood, it has drawn national acclaim as a municipal project that provides a quick and always interesting golf experience to all levels of players. Most of the par 4s are exceptionally short, but the three par 3s present outsized challenges in hitting small targets within greens that feature tremendous roll-offs.
GOLFWEEK RANKING: No. 27 on Florida’s Best Courses You Can Play list
A RATER SAYS: The greens and surrounds are the stars of the show at WP9. They are varied and demand thought from the tee. There are some nice strategic elements on a few holes, such as the position of a bunker or oak tree; however, many holes are relatively plain outside of the greens. Conditioning was OK. Overall, one of the better munis that I’ve played. The greens alone are some of the best I’ve played at any course, public or private. – Paul Storie, Clarendon Hills, Ill.
Watson – Reunion Resort
WHERE: Kissimmee, Fla.
DESIGNER: Tom Watson
OPENED: 2004
YARDAGE/PAR: 7,154; 72
THE SKINNY: Located about 25 miles southwest of Orlando and not far . from Disney World, this was Watson’s first design in Florida. Part of a large resort that features a wide array of amenities (the water park, in particular, is top notch) plus other courses built by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, the Watson course offers wide, rolling fairways framed by oaks and native grasses that lead to large, undulating greens that can put a premium on short game.
GOLFWEEK RANKING: No. 30 on Florida’s Best Courses You Can Play list
A RATER SAYS: Very playable course. Good variety of holes, and I thought the routing was better than Nicklaus or Palmer courses (also at the resort). – David Edwards, Long Meadow, Mass.
(Note: This story originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of Golfweek.)
