Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Championship

Detailed description of Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Championship

Bay Hill Club & Lodge is a Resort, 27 hole golf facility located in Orlando, Florida, midway between Universal Studios and the Disney Resorts in southwest Orlando. The resort, features an outstanding eighteen hole course (The Championship Course), plus a great nine hole regulation course (The Challenger Course).

The Bay Hill Championship Golf Course and Challenger Golf Course first opened for play in 1961. The courses were designed by Dick Wilson. Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay redesigned the Championship Course in 1989 and the Charger Course in 1995.

Bay Hill Golf Club is famous for its affiliation with Arnold Palmer and the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitationa. Bay Hill is a private Orlando golf facility open only for play for club members and guests staying at the lodge. Bay Hill is consistently rated as one of the most popular Orlando golf courses.

The layout plays along the shores of the Butler Chain of Lakes, ensuring that water is a prominent feature on the course. The layout has a classic and straightforward design with no hidden hazards. The challenges are formidable but fair. Extensive bunkering comes into play as well as contoured mounding around the greens. There are some tough holes, especially the signature 18th, but it is still approachable for a wide range of skill levels.

Bay Hill is the owned by and the winter home of Arnold Palmer. Dick Wilson designed the course in the early 60's, but Palmer and the late Ed Seay have tinkered with the course ever since. It is a classic, big, Florida course. 75.3/140 ratings from 7267 yards, plenty of sand, heroic holes, and not a hole to catch you breath on. It's the home of the annual PGA tour stop bearing Palmer's name, and only open to the public if you stay in one of the 70 lodge rooms. If you're there in the winter around 12 noon, you might even see the King as he prepares for his daily shootout.

History surrounds you around all turns at Bay Hill. Arnold Palmer still lives and plays the grand course. With the tournament hosted annually in March, you'll face the same tournament conditions with fast, slick greens, pristine fairways and high rough.

The Charger Course was built on flat terrain and features water hazards (ponds) coming into play on four holes. There are five dogleg fairways on the Charger Course.