Orlando Golf trip in Feb.

[cemeb4dk]

My buddy and I are planning a golf trip down to the Orlando area in early February. His folks have a home in Haines City I believe its near winter haven.

So we have been thinking of some courses and looing for some honest review and thoughts about the courses.

Orange County National (Panther Lake)
Celebration
diamond back
mystic dunes
Champions gate

[Fried Egg]

OCN-Both course are solid.

Celebration-OK. I've always had bad luck with something there. Usually my slowest round of the week. Course is usually in good shape.

Diamond Back- I played it after seeing a great review about a few years prior. Compared to the review it was extremely overrated.
Average condition at best. Very tight in spots. A couple strange holes.

Mystic Dunes- Great condition. Absurdly undulating greens. Fast. A few wacky holes. Worth playing once.

Championsgate-I enjoyed both courses. I like the International linksy stile for a change of pace.

I really like Southern Dunes and Falcon's Fire. They also have two of the best bloody mary's. Also two Disney Courses are good. Eagle Pines and Osprey Ridge I think. I like them much better than their tournament courses Palm and Magnolia.

[TCCcaddie]

I'm also headed to Orlando but in July. I'm staying at Disney with the fam so if anyone can recomend courses near disney as well as what ceme is asking for that'd b gr8.

[3Putt]

I'd skip Diamond Back for another round at OCN on Crooked Cat. The opening holes are ridiculously tight.

Falcon's Fire is 15 minutes from Disney and a solid track.

Southern Dunes is well worth the drive, approximately 30 minutes southwest from Disney.

Celebration is always in good shape and more of a resort style course, not as penal for wayward shots as the others on your list.

Northwest of Disney area, maybe 30 minutes away, is Palisades GC in Clermont FL that is always in great shape and unique for Florida with multiple elevation changes.

[doublesuited77]

i actually liked Crooked Cat better, but both are great courses. very good value for FL, too.

[dbornack]

Try to take a trip out to World Woods..

[i-Guy]

ChampionsGate is the only course I have played of the ones you mentioned but it is awesome. Highly recommended. Very nice resort that also has a lighted Par 3 course...

[cemeb4dk]

Thanks for al the input, and because of that I htink our line up has changed.

Both OCN courses ( anyone know if they do a deal if youplay both tracks?)

Southern Dunes

Mystic dunes

Then either champions gate or a Diney course (osprey I think).

[3Putt]

OCN is always running specials to 'stay and play' or play both courses.

Check out their website:

http://www.ocngolf.com/layout9.asp?id=322&page;=23478

[klaymon]

Anyone play Lake Buena Vista at Disney? I'm heading to Disney with the family in May and LBV is right down the street from where we are staying. Is there another Disney course I should look at instead? I only get one golf day so I have to make it count.

[BD57]

Orange County National:

Panther Lake is excellent. Crooked Cat is OK.

Celebration:

Not bad, but nothing really special.

Southern Dunes:

Good, solid course; it's not particularly pretty (it's on a sand ridge, so it can be dry), but it's a good test.

Champions Gate:

Skip it. National is better than International, IMO, but I don't like either of them.

Falcon's Fire:

Good, solid golf course. Not flashy.

At Disney ....

Osprey Ridge is a good golf course; it appears they've closed Eagle Pines (their Pete Dye course).

The Lake Buena Vista course is nothing special. The appeal of Palm & Magnolia is tied to their status as PGA Tour courses, IMO.

There's a course in Deland called Victoria Hills. It's worth the drive.

World Woods is about an hour west of Orlando, outside of Brooksville. DEFINITELY worth the drive (play Pine Barrens if you can't play both courses).

Mystic Dunes:

The greens are a joke - good shape, but Gary Koch was on something when he laid out those elevations. Layout's not bad except for the condo wall on the front nine.

If it was me, I'd make sure I got to World Woods, Victoria Hills & Panther Lake @ Orange County National, then Southern Dunes, then Falcon's Fire, then Celebration.

[GoingfortheGreen]

I will be at the Marriott Grande Vista from 3/9-3/16. Is Grande Pines worth the $144 fee? Any advice on other quality courses near by? I have been granted permission for 2 rounds

[BD57]

The only course in the area I'd pay $144 to play is Bay Hill; no, I don't think Grande Pines is worth $144.00.

Panther Lake, World Woods - Pine Barrens, Victoria Hills, Southern Dunes would all be better values than Grande Pines at that price.

[TourSpoon]

A friend of mine owns a course in Lake Mary called Magnolia Plantation. The rates are extremely reasonable and it hosted a Hooter's Tour event. I played it last month and it is a tough track. You can google the website.

[Garnet Haze]

Klaymon:

I've been able to play all the courses at Disney. All the courses are very well maintained and the service is as you would expect from Disney. LBV is the oldest course of the 5 (not including the par 3 walking course). It is usually the least expensive and also the easiest to get a tee time. I think it is kinda cool that LBV winds around the resorts and the waterways. Both of which come into play with errant shots. Palm and Magnolia are very nice and are located near the Polynesian at the Magic Kingdom. Both are best known as the courses for the PGA tournament each year. Eagle Pines and Osprey Ridge are the newest courses and are located way out in the undeveloped areas of Disney. These are the neatest courses in my opinion. One is a Tom Fazio and the other is a Pete Dye.

Any of these courses are a good escape from the theme parks when you need a break from the rides.

[klaymon]

Sounds good. I figured any of them would be nice. I have checked prices and LBV is about $20 cheaper than Osprey. Maybe I'll go for the twilight option and pay $60 instead of $120.

Thanks for the extra info, Garnet.

[cemeb4dk]

We have almost all our tee times set.

Thursday Southern dunes ( booked)
Fri and Sat Disney Courses, LBV, Osprey and Magnolia ( can't book til 2 weeks prior)
Sun Orange County National Panther Lake. (booked)

The reason for all the Disney Courses is I am a Disney Vacation Club member and we get 50% off greens fees. So I can't beat them for the price.

[klaymon]

We have almost all our tee times set.

To address your tee time booking at Disney, I sent them an e-mail to ask some questions about the course policies and I got a message from them that said you could book 90 days in advance. Is this not really the case or did you actually talk to anyone there yet?

My wife and I are Disney Vacation Club members too. I was not aware of the 50% greens fees. Is that listed in the DVC literature somewhere? That would be awesome!