golf resorts

I am travelling to Orlando in July and was wondering if anyone knows the best golf resorts to stay in? Have previously stayed at BayHill and Championsgate and both were very good but just wondering if there is anywhere else we should try. Need a good golf course for husband and good pool facilities for the kids.

Thanks

golf resorts

I cant assist you I`m afraid but maybe you can assist me?

Can you just walk in to Champions Gate and have a round of golf?

If so whats the price???

Many thanks

golf resorts

Probably your best bet would be staying at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. Its gotten really good reviews on the site. The rooms aren%26#39;t necessarily that big (from comments by Healin1 and others), but it has some really nice amenities and by all accounts a really great pool. Grand Cypress GC, which is nearby (not right on the property, though a quick drive, and I%26#39;m sure they have shuttles to and fro) has 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus golf, including the 18 hole New Course, Jack%26#39;s tribute to St. Andrews, which has 7 (I think) double greens and a ';burn'; as well. If you wanted someplace larger to stay, The Villas of Grand Cypress are up to 4 bedroom accomodations right in and around the golf courses, and your kids could take the shuttle to the Hyatt pool and grounds. My understanding is that only guests of these two properties are allowed to play the golf courses (don%26#39;t believe outside play is allowed, at least officially). Its an upscale place; I once saw a rate quote of $180 for the New Course.

Other resorts: Reunion Resort %26amp; Club, which is right across I-4 from Championsgate. These are units owned by private owners, and its a new place; so far, no one has given Reunion a bad review on TA (at least last time I checked a few days ago). They have Palmer, Watson, and Nicklaus courses, I think. I%26#39;m not sure everything is finished there, but it might be. Reunion hosted the innaugural Ginn Open for the LPGA Tour last April, and seems to be an upscale place. I%26#39;m not sure if they have full service type facilities such as a restaurant on site, etc., but they might.

Grande Lakes: This has a JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotel on the property, and Grande Lakes GC was designed by Greg Norman. This is east of SeaWorld; Normans is the top restaurant here at the Ritz (named after Norman Van Aken-sp?, the celebrity chef), and was the critics choice for top Orlando restaurant by the Orlando Sentinel in 2004.

Orlando World Center Marriott: Features Hawk%26#39;s Landing GC, which plays around three sides of the (mega) hotel, and is my personal favorite of the touristy area courses (though I certainly haven%26#39;t played them all). Its a Joe Lee course which was redone by Robert Cupp back in 2001 (the whole hotel had a $100 million dollar renovation), and has water on every hole of the back nine, though often not right in play.

Walt Disney World GC: Features 99 holes of golf, and hosts the PGA Tour Funai Classic. However, the courses are kind of spread out, though you should be able to use Disney transportation. The Magnolia and Palm courses, both Joe Lee courses are very close to the Grand Floridian Resort %26amp; Spa (Magnolia is the Sunday course for the Funai Classic, and was lengthened a couple of years ago), as well as the Polynesian Resort. The Lake Buena Vista GC is right by Downtown Disney, Old Key West Resort, and Saratoga Springs Resort %26amp; Spa. Eagle Trace and Osprey Ridge courses (Tom Fazio and Pete Dye did these courses, but I can%26#39;t remember which did which one) are not particularly close to any resort, and I think Bonnet Creek GC is a 9 hole walking course. The best pool on Disney property (officially, you cannot pool hop; you can only swim in the pool at the resort you are staying in) is at the Yacht and Beach Club (and Beach Club Villas), a 3 acre sandbottom pool (Stormalong Bay), but there are no golf courses right by that resort. Of course, Disney transportation is free and goes throughout the resort.

Shingle Creek Resort and GC: Hotel just opened in 2006, and is starting to get some good reviews. I played the golf course before the hotel was built, and it was OK, but it didn%26#39;t impress me particularly; maybe with the hotel built it might be better. Some parallel fairways, and 18 was kind of short for a finishing hole. Not too far from Grande Lakes.

Gaylord Palms Hotel: This is a mega hotel, not really a golf resort, but has an arrangement with Falcon%26#39;s Fire GC, which is nearby and is one of the more popular courses in Orlando.

Mission Inn: This is about 45 minutes from the Disney area, in Howey-in-the-Hills. Has two golf courses which feature elevation changes not typically associated with Florida; El Campeon was designed in the 1920%26#39;s. This is more removed from the action; don%26#39;t know about the pool.

Also, Orange County National has 2 good courses and a lodge on site, but doubt it has the amenities you%26#39;re looking for. It has hosted the PGA Tour Qualifying School Finals before.

Hope this helps. Have a great trip!

A few more things: I list about 30+ places to play golf in the Orlando area on my Go-List ';Nice Golf Courses in the Greater Disney Area';; go to the Orlando main page, and go to the Go-List section.

Tiger Woods has won the Funai Classic twice, but did not play in it last year.

As far as ChampionsGate is concerned, I believe you can call and make tee times for outside play (you might be able to walk up, but unless you%26#39;re a single player, if its busy, best to call ahead). The price will depend on the time of year; I called them a few years back for rates in July, and I think they gave me rates around $55 and $70, depending on which course I played. Summer rates tend to be cheaper, and spring rates tend to be rather expensive, at least until you get into late April.

bssd would kill me (and kobolus would probably lend a hand) if I forgot to mention Orange Lake Resort and Country Club, which has The Legends at Orange Lake (not to be confused with the Legends GC in Clermont), an Arnold Palmer course, and the Resort course (the one by the entrance to the resort). I think there%26#39;s one other course as well. Orange Lake is a timeshare resort; they recently opened up an onsite water park.

Also, there is Marriott Grande Vista, another large timeshare resort. It has a 9 hole course which is private to the resort (maybe a few other Marriott timeshares have priviliges; I%26#39;m not sure), and a Nick Faldo Golf School, and a number of pools. Across the street is Marriott Grande Pines GC, which has some good holes, and I%26#39;d rank between Hawk%26#39;s Landing and Shingle Creek. Grande Vista is just south of SeaWorld.

Not sure about non-residents golfing - am pretty sure they can. It is a great course - quite demanding.

Thanks EddieK - you have given me a great run down of courses in Orlando. Think we will try Grand Cypress.

Cheers

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