Golf

With dozens and dozens of golf courses and golf academies in and around Orlando, it’s no wonder the International Association of Golf Tour Operators has recognized Orlando as a top golf destination. Sunny weather almost year-round doesn't hurt, and though most of Florida is extremely flat, many of the courses feature hills that make them more challenging.

Resort hotels often let nonguests use their golf facilities. Some country clubs are affiliated with particular hotels, and their guests can play at preferred rates.

In general, even public courses have dress codes, so call ahead for specifics and be sure to reserve tee times. Greens fees usually vary by season, and virtually all include mandatory cart rental, except for the few 9-hole walking courses.

Twilight discounts often apply after 2 pm in busy seasons and after 3 pm the rest of the year; the discount is usually half off the normal rate. Because golf is so incredibly popular, courses regularly raise rates.

GOLFPAC Travel. GOLFPAC Travel packages golf vacations and arranges tee times at nearly all Orlando courses. Rates vary based on hotel and course, and 60 to 90 days' advance notice is recommended to set up a vacation. Their website has convenient searchable, clickable options that let you pick the time and place for a golf outing, adding them to a cart for checkout. 483 Montgomery Pl., Altamonte Springs, Florida, 32714. 407/260–2288; 888/848–8941; www.golfpactravel.com.

Orlando Area

Golf has no better hometown than Orlando. The longtime residence of the late Arnold Palmer, with dozens and dozens of public and private courses along with a moderate climate and predictable weather, the city has enticed scores of PGA professionals to make this their home as well. Palmer's landmark Bay Hill Invitational is held here each March, and the Daytona-based LPGA hosts several tournaments in Orlando every year. Appearing with great frequency (every single day) are the programs and tournaments aired on the Golf Channel, which broadcasts from Orlando. Note that the greens fees listed reveal a wide range of prices, which can change by season and time of day. Call the pro shop, or check the website ahead of time for the current rates.

Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge. It was golf legend Arnold Palmer who helped put Orlando at the forefront of the sport, and this course was his pride and joy. Each March, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, pros and visiting amateurs anticipate the 18th hole here, which is considered one of the toughest on the PGA tour. Courses are open only to those who have been invited by a member or who book lodging at the club's 70-room lodge. But with double-occupancy rates for rooms overlooking the course running as low as $130 in summer, many consider staying at the club worthwhile. Keep in mind this rate does not include your greens fees, which are necessary since staying here in essence buys you a day of "membership" at the club. 9000 Bay Hill Blvd., Orlando, Florida, 32819. 407/876–2429; 407/422–9445; www.bayhill.com. Varies by season, from $75.

Celebration Golf Club. Talk about a great pedigree—the Celebration course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Sr. Located just 10 minutes from Walt Disney World, the course is paired with the master-planned Disney community, just one mile off the U.S. 192 strip. Lovely and serene, the fairways are framed by natural woods and wetlands to create what the Joneses envisioned: "Every hole a hard par and an easy bogey.” Rates drop after 1 pm and again around dusk. 701 Golf Park Dr., Celebration, Florida, 34747. 407/566–4653; www.celebrationgolf.com. From $79.

ChampionsGate Golf Club. Just about 10 minutes west of Disney, from the vantage point of I–4 you can see that there's some serious golfing inside the gates of ChampionsGate. The two courses here were designed by Australia's Greg Norman, and there's an on-site David Leadbetter Golf Academy. The 7,363-yard International has the "Down Under" style of Australia's coastal links, whereas the 7,128-yard National course is designed in the style of the better domestic courses, with a number of par-3 holes with unusual bunkers. The golf shop is ranked among the Top 100, and the Pipers Grille sports lounge is a great 19th hole. At sunset, step onto the veranda and watch a piper play as he walks the greens. Can't get enough? There's a four-star Omni hotel here. 1400 Masters Blvd., ChampionsGate, Florida, 33896. 407/787–4653; 407/787–3330; 888/633–5323; www.championsgategolf.com. From $45.

Falcon's Fire Golf Club. Designed by Rees Jones, Falcon's Fire has strategically placed fairway bunkers that demand accuracy off the tee. This club is just off Kissimmee's Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway and is convenient to the hotels in the so-called Maingate area. A round here includes complimentary valet parking, club cleaning, and golf carts equipped with GPS navigation. 3200 Seralago Blvd., Kissimmee, Florida, 34746. 407/239–5445; www.falconsfire.com. From $49.

Grand Cypress Golf Resort. When it opened, Grand Cypress elevated Orlando golfing with elegant courses that spread across what once had been pasture and prairie. The four courses include the three 9’s (the North, South, and East courses) and the 18-hole New Course, fashioned after a Scottish glen. In addition, the Grand Cypress Academy of Golf, a 21-acre facility, has lessons and clinics. The North and South courses have fairways constructed on different levels, giving them added definition. The New Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, was inspired by the Old Course at St. Andrews and has deep bunkers, double greens, a snaking burn, and even an old stone bridge. The greens fees are subject to what they call "dynamic pricing," which means that rates will adjust daily based on demand. 1 N. Jacaranda, Orlando, Florida, 32836. 407/239–1909; 407/239–1909; www.grandcypress.com. From $125.

Hawk's Landing Golf Club at the Orlando World Center Marriott. Located near the entrance to Walt Disney World at the monumental World Center Marriott (the world's largest Marriott), the 220-acre Hawk's Landing course includes 15 water holes, lots of sand, and exotic landscaping. As you play, you'll see they've maintained the natural surroundings and enhanced the same with vibrantly colored azaleas. This is a good choice if you're here on business and want to get in a round. No need to pack your clubs—Callaway rental equipment is available. Need some help? Instruction is offered at the Jack Nicklaus Academy. Orlando World Center Marriott, 8701 World Center Dr., Orlando, Florida, 32821. 407/238–8660; 800/567–2623; www.golfhawkslanding.com. From $69.

Marriott Golf Academy. The Marriott Golf Academy is an extensive-curriculum golf school and 9-hole golf course on the grounds of the corporation's biggest time-share complex, Marriott's Grande Vista. Here you can do anything from taking a one-hour lesson with a certified instructor to immersing yourself in a three-day extravaganza in which you learn more about golf technique than most nonfanatics would care to know. The Swing Studio offers high-tech teaching methods. The course, designed by Ron Garl, is geared to make you use every club in your bag—and perhaps a few you might elect to buy in the pro shop. Marriott Grande Vista, 12001 Ave. Verde, Orlando, Florida, 32821. 407/238–7677; 855/642–2369; www.marriottgolfacademy.com. Lessons from $99; 3-day courses from $949.

Orange Lake Resort. About five minutes from Walt Disney World's main entrance, Orange Lake has two 18-hole courses (the Legends and the Reserve), two 9-hole courses (Crane's Bend, Legends Walk), and pro instruction at the McCord Golf Academy (rates start at $65). The Legends is a signature Arnold Palmer–designed championship course; the Reserve was designed by Mike Dasher and has unique land and water challenges. Crane's Bend is family-friendly. Legend's Walk is an executive walker's course open until 9 pm nightly, where children 15 and younger play free with complimentary clubs. The signature hole for the entire group of courses is the Island Oak, No. 13, a 432-yard, par-4 hole in the Pines section (the back 9) of the Legends Course. 8505 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy., Kissimmee, Florida, 34747. 407/239–1050; 888/640–6522; www.golforangelake.com. From $35 for resort guests; from $60 for nonguests.

Rosen's Shingle Creek Golf Club. Rosen's Shingle Creek Golf Club, designed by David Harman, lies alongside a lovely creek that is headwaters of the Everglades. The course is challenging yet playable, with dense stands of oak and pine trees and interconnected waterways. The golf carts even have GPS yardage systems. Since Universal Studios and the Orange County Convention Center are within a few minutes' drive, this is a favorite for conventioneers, 9939 Universal Blvd., Orlando, Florida, 32819. 407/996–9933; 866/996–9933; www.shinglecreekgolf.com. From $85.

Waldorf Astoria Golf Club. The Rees Jones–designed course has maintained some of the natural elements of the original landscape even while enhancing the land's existing contours. Majestic stands of pine and cypress line the fairways, which wind through a scenic wetland preserve and are sprinkled with bunkers reminiscent of century-old hazards. It has a five-tee system for all playing levels. 14224 Bonnet Creek Resort La., Orlando, Florida, 32821. 407/597–5500; 888/924–6531; www.waldorfastoriagolfclub.com. From $65.

Winter Park Country Club. Located in Winter Park, an upscale suburb of Orlando, this charmingly simple course frames the north end of Park Avenue, Central Florida's version of Worth Avenue in Palm Beach or Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. A point of pride for residents, this historic country club offers nonresidents access to its immaculate golf course. Opened in 1914, the 9-hole walking course was modeled after authentic Scottish links. Notably, residents were once given a choice to sell the golf course to developers or raise their own taxes to preserve it for the city. They chose to tax themselves to keep the course, which remains one of the most affordable and authentic recreational experiences in Central Florida. 761 Old England Ave., Winter Park, Florida, 32789. 407/599–3339; www.winterparkcountryclub.com. From $16.