Orlando Golf - Course, Resort and Package Information

From the minute you arrive at the International Golf Club you are treated like a member of an exclusive country club. At the bag drop a cheerful young man will take your clubs out of your car and load them into your golf cart. You head into the pro shop and are greeted with a dynamic display of the best golf accessories in existence, and at reasonable prices. If you have a few minutes before your round of golf, there is a lighted practice range and putting green.

The par-72, 18-hole course is a thing of beauty, with rolling hills throughout the fairways, and 75 sand bunkers positioned strategically throughout the course. Every green is protected by two, three and sometimes even four sand bunkers, so if you are not precise with your approaches shots, expect to be hacking sand. The greens are finely manicured, but not too fast, which is a relief if you usually putt to the back of the cup.

There is water on five holes and every fairway is lined with lush greenery. If you miss the fairways at any point, your ball will be gobbled up by the green stuff for sure. So bring a few extra balls, or buy them in the pro shop beforehand.

There are only 3 tee boxes on the course, so there is not much of a break for the novice golfer. The championship black tees run 6775 yards with a slope of 134 and a rating of 73.0. The middle forest tees run 6190 yards with a slope of 127 and a ratings of 70.2. And the ladies (or seniors if you wish) beige tees run a reasonable 5077 yards with a slope of 117 and a rating of 69.2.

This course review is given from the middle forest tees, and believe me, playing from the middle tees at the International Golf Club is no easy task.

After a fairly easy par-four opening hole, you come face to face with the 505-yard, par-five hole number two, the course's signature hole and the hardest rated hole on the course. It's aptly named, the "Hole of the Beast." (Thank God you're playing from the middle tees, since from the back black tees, this hole runs a ridiculous 665 yards.) This hole contains eight sand bunkers (yes, count them---eight), four in the fairway, two on each side, starting about 250 yards from the tee, and four more protecting the green on all sides. The sand bunker in front of the green is huge and there's no way onto the green except going over this wide and deep bunker.

The tee shot here is not too much of a problem, since the fairway is fairly wide the first 200 yards, or so. But your second shot must be delicately placed between the four fairway bunkers. If you hit sand on your second shot, it's wise, instead of going for the green from a bad lie inside a trap, to whack out of the bunker to a grassy spot and then go for the green from there. This hole takes the bump and run totally our of your arsenal of shots. If you are poor with your wedges, expect to be hacking out of one the the green-side sand traps for sure.

The second hardest rated hole on the course is the massive dogleg left, 533-yard, par-5 hole number 11. For your tee shot, you'll have water on the right, all the way to within 150 yards of the green, plus there's a forest of trees on your left. Where the water ends on the right, its place is taken by a row of trees, which run to within 50 yards of the green, where the water again mysteriously reappears. Where the forest on the left side of the fairway ends, there is a succession of four fairway bunkers which run all the way to the green. The green is protected by two more sand traps, one on the left hand side and one in the back.

The problem at hole number 11 is that unless you place your tee shot to the right hand side of the fairway, directly at the dogleg left, you will be shooting your second shot blind, and most likely into one of the four fairway bunkers waiting for you ball on the left hand side of the fairway. Even if you miss the bunker and have a clear third shot at the green, your approach shot must be precise. Go to the right of the green and your ball is wet. Go too far left, and your ball is again buried in sand.

If you are looking for a place to stay in Orlando, you can't do better than the Marriott's Cypress Harbour, a sumptuous resort of 2-bedroom villas that surrounds the International Golf Club. The villas sleep eight people and contain a whirlpool spa in the master bedroom. There is also a full kitchen with dining area, and all the utensils you could possibly need. You can also eat in the screened lanai, which contains a table and four chairs. There is a huge luscious pool area with karioke singing, if you wish, and a full fitness center on the premises.