Orlando Golf - Course, Resort and Package Information

As big brother to Disney's championship Palm course, the Magnolia packs a little more punch at 7,190 yards. Additionally, as host to the final round of Disney's National Car Rental Golf Classic for the last 30 years, this mature, Florida-classic course exudes experience.

"Its had all the great tour players play on it -- Nicklaus, Woods, Nelson, Stewart, and Sutton," says Tournament Director and Head Professional, Kevin Weickel. "They've all won here."

Built by Joe Lee in 1971, the Magnolia was field of choice for the PGA Tour Qualifying School finals until the early 1980s. From 1988 to 1990, it hosted the Bryant Gumbel/Walt Disney World Celebrity Tournament benefiting the United Negro College Fund. It has since relinquished the event to its sister courses, Osprey Ridge and Eagle Pines. In 1995, it became home to the AJGA / Polo Golf Junior Classic and this year hosted the ACC Conference Championship.

The course features elevated tees and greens with wide and generous fairways graced by over 1,500 magnolia trees that bloom from late spring to mid-summer. Brightly colored crape myrtles and oleanders, along with beds of blue plumbego and seasonal flowers, add sparkle to an otherwise dense, natural forest. Spectator mounds, added during renovations in 1993, are seen throughout, as is water on 12 of its 18 holes.

Of all the Disney courses, the Magnolia supports a greater abundance of wildlife. At any given time, you're likely to see deer, osprey, alligators and turtles. Weickel says one gopher turtle has lived between holes four and five since the late 1980s. Additionally, a flock of wild turkeys has brought several tournaments to a standstill while they pecked along its fairways.

From the start, the course opens like an exploding double-barrel shotgun. The 428-yard, par 4 opening hole and the 526-yard, par 5 number 10, rip deep into its respective nines sharing only a slender creek and opposing forest walls. Holes 2 and 11 veer away from one another, leading to a series of obstacles meant to humble any long hitter. Of particular interest is the 552-yard, par 5 number 4 with its 14 protective bunkers -- the course carries 98 in all.

Arrival at holes 5, 6 and 7 with their varied look, length and dimension, offers the prettiest set of switchbacks found throughout the course. Hole number 5, for instance, is a wide and sweeping dogleg right, measuring 448 yards. Your approach to its elevated green requires caution, as deer are often spotted darting from one pine hammock to another.

At hole number 6, a 195-yard, par 3, you'll spot something of a different nature. Here, a large sand trap in front of the green resembles none other than Mickey himself. And, while it's the only Disney character you'll find on the course besides the tee box markers, its mischievous angle will create havoc for any attempt at a sand save.

A shared waterway is best revealed at the switchback of hole number 7, a 410-yard, par 4. Off the tee, the water comes into play for almost half the hole. So try to stay focused.

Magnolia's final stretch begins as early as hole number 14 and is truly magnificent. Here, the fairway runs dogleg right along the forest for 595 yards to a green that features water, sand and a false back. The course then turns 180 degrees left to a long, 203-yard, elevated par 3.

A second hairpin turn brings you to hole number 16 where a heavily bunkered, water-protected green limits any birdie chance but is known to reward the aggressive player.