The Palm and Magnolia at Disney

When most people plan a trip to Disney they are planning a trip to the House of the Mouse’…Mickey Mouse that is…for me, however, The Palm and Magnolia golf courses were two more stops on my Tiger Challenge. A 20-year-old Tiger Woods captured his second PGA Tour victory at the Magnolia Course in 96′ and three years later did it again in true Tiger fashion.

As I planned my trip to the Disney Golf Courses, it quickly became clear that it would be beneficial to stay at a Disney property in order to utilize their shuttle to and from the courses. I planned a 3-day, 2-night trip in February in hopes of playing some great courses and grabbing some time in the sun and out of the cold.

My Disney Golf Florida adventure began at The Palm Golf Course. I wasn’t sure what to expect when playing a Disney course, however, the experience was ‘magical’ from tee to green. In true Disney fashion, everyone I encountered was pleasant, happy, and generally wanted me to have the best experience possible.

The putting green at the facility is spectacular. Honestly, I could have spent more time on the practice green as they had a full 18-hole mini golf course (with scorecards) available. After warming up, it was time to hit the links.

The course played around 6300 yards from the white tees. After chatting with locals and course personnel (and reading all the signage) I learned that in 2013 The Arnold Palmer Company had taken over as the management company for this Disney property. The Palmer Company is investing time and resources to bring the course back to its storied splendor.

Overall, the Palm was in average shape…decent fairways, well-maintained bunkers, and smooth greens. The real challenge on the Palm was the water hazards that were placed precisely in spots that caused me a bit of grief. In addition, the course had palm trees lining most of the holes and quite a bit of wildlife was present. I got delayed due to ‘Corkscrew Turkeys’ as well as running into a lounging alligator a few holes later.

The two most memorable holes on the course for me were #6 and #18. Hole #6 is a long par 4 with water lining the left-hand side…kerplunk…I found the hazard. The hole then requires a forced carry shot from the fairway to the green as it is also surrounded by water. Consider yourself lucky if you find no water playing this hole. Hole #18 is another par 4 but requires a shot in the fairway from the tee box. The hole is long and narrow with water in front of the green. I ended my day with a bogey on this hole as I missed short of the green and needed to hit a wedge and end my day with a two-putt.

All in all, while it wasn’t my finest day of golf, the day left me excited to play the Magnolia in the morning.

The tee time process at both the Palm and Magnolia Golf Courses was extremely easy to navigate and securing a time was a breeze. I booked both of my times online. I did have to call the pro shop to change one of the times and they made the accommodation right over the phone. Disney uses dynamic pricing so I paid around $130 to play the Palm and $90 for the Magnolia (currently offering a 33% discount due to hole closures).

On the final day of my 3-day getaway, I played the Magnolia Golf Course. Since I had to check out of my hotel, I arrived at the course looking like a sherpa with my travel bag, backpack, rolling carry-on bag, and golf bag in tow. Fortunately, I met an extremely helpful starter the day before who helped me store my luggage in a locked staff room until I finished my round (as I would be heading to the airport from the course). After getting everything put away and getting my bearings I finally made my way to the course.

At first, I was disappointed to hear that only 14 holes were open for play on the Magnolia Course but I made the most of my time by spending some extra time on the range warming up and soaking up the sun. The course is currently undergoing renovation in hopes of bringing a major tournament back in the near future. My disappointment flipped 180° as I played the first hole. The Magnolia was in phenomenal shape and the course itself had so much personality and character. As the name suggests, magnolia trees can be found throughout the course. Additionally, if you are a nature lover the course is certified as a Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuary.

As I played the Magnolia I remembered how much fun it is to play courses that have wide fairways that challenge you with varying risk-reward situations. In true Disney fashion, the standout 6th hole is a par 3 that has bunkers shaped like Mickey Mouse with water in front of the green. The front nine played fair and to me, the par 5 eighth hole stood out as memorable. The hole is long…very long…requiring a well-placed tee shot and a second shot to give you a chance at hitting the green in regulation. Once you get on the green, the fun begins. The green is a series of undulations and reads that seem to have double breaks every which way. I somehow managed a par on this hole after making a long knee-knocking putt! As I made the turn, I was pleasantly surprised about how much I was enjoying the Magnolia and the last 5 finishing holes were even more spectacular (didn’t hurt that I played the last 5 holes at even par). As I finished up my round I took a sneak peek of the construction happening on #16, #17, and # 18. Just from what I could see, the last 3 finishing holes are going to be spectacular and make for a great championship event.

After turning my golf cart in, I grabbed lunch at the ‘Chip and Dale Deli’ right on site. After finishing up a turkey and cheese, I grabbed my belongings, packed up and changed in the locker room, and called an Uber to the airport!

Another chapter in my Tiger Challenge journey is complete.

See you in the fairway!

Courtney