Magnolia Course

The big brother to the Palm is the Magnolia Course. This 7,190 yard course was designed by Joe Lee and built in 1971. It has been the host of the final round of Disney’s National Car Rental Golf Classic for the past 30 years. In addition, the PGA Tour Qualifying Schools finals were held at the Magnolia until the early 1980s and the Bryan Gumbel/Walt Disney World Celebrity Tournament was played here from 1988 to 1990. This event, which benefited the United Negro College Fund, now takes place at Osprey Ridge and Eagle Pines. The AJGA/Polo Golf Junior Classic also started taking place at the Magnolia in 1995 and it has been home to the ACC Conference Championship as well. Golfing legends Stewart, Woods, Sutton, Nicklaus, and Nelson have all won at the Magnolia.

At the Magnolia, the over 1,500 magnolia trees spread throughout the course will entrance you. The flowers on these trees bloom from late spring all the way to mid-summer and are perfectly complimented by the crape myrtles, oleanders, blue plumbego, and season flowers found on the course. Mixed within the natural forests and landscaping, you will enjoy taking advantage of the wide fairways and elevated greens and tees. Spectators enjoy watching from the mounds added to the course in 1993.

If you are hoping to catch a glimpse of wildlife while out on the links, the Magnolia is a great choice. More wildlife is found at the Magnolia than any of the other Disney courses, included deer, osprey, alligators, and turtles. One gopher turtle, in fact, has made its home at both holes four and five since the 1980s. In addition, wild turkeys have been known to bring tournaments to a halt as they romp about along the fairways. Due to its natural beauty and wildlife, the Magnolia was designated as an Audubon Sanctuary Cooperative System in September 2000.

You will be challenged from the start at the Magnolia, which greets you with a par 4 428 hole in the beginning. When you reach holes 2 and 11, you will be challenged as they move away from each other – even if you are a solid long hitter. Holes 4 and 10 are par 5s, with 4 being a 552 yarder and 10 being 526. At hole 4, the 14 protective bunkers will amaze you. In all, the course has 98.

At holes 5, 6, and 7, you will enjoy playing the switchbacks offering a variety of dimensions, looks, and lengths. Take hole 5, for example. At this 448 yard hole, you will find a sweeping dogleg right. In addition, you will likely spy views of majestic deer from the elevated approach as they dart back and forth between pine hammocks.

Aside from the Mickey Mouse tee box markers, the only glimpse you will catch of the famous mouse on the Magnolia is the Mickey shaped sand traps before the green at hole 6, which is a 195 yard par 3 hole. The sand trap may look sweet and innocent, but it can be quite a challenge to overcome. You will also find a challenge at hole 7, which is a 410 yard par 4, as water will be your nemesis for nearly half of the hole.

At hole 14, the fairway goes dogleg right, running 595 yards along the forest. Here, you will encounter water, sand, and a false back before it turns 180 degrees to the left and leads to a 203 yard par 3. You will then encounter a hairpin turn when you reach hole 16, which includes water and a green that is heavily bunkered. You will have a hard time pulling a birdie out of this one. Hole 17, which is a par 4, includes a pond running along the left flank. A wide creek to the left completes the enclosure, making a draw aimed toward the middle in order to catch the bunker to the right your best option. The approach to the green from the left will make finishing this hole off easier.

At the final hole, you will be tricked by the elevated green that appears to be well protected. You will find, however, that this 455 yard hole is tougher than you think because of the concealed waterways to the right and the far reaching trees.

The Magnolia plays 5,232 yards from the reds, with a course/slop rating of 70.5/123. The golds play 6,091 yards at 69.4/125, while the whites play at 6,643 yards at 72.3/130. The blues play 74.9 yards at 74.9/136.

Like the Palm, the Magnolia is only a five minute drive from the Magic Kingdom. If you are a guest of Disney resorts, you will receive complimentary taxi vouchers to take you to and from the course. If, however, you are not a guest of the resorts, you will need to take either Interstate 4 or Hwy 192 to the Magic Kingdom Park. After you pass through the far right tollbooth, which is the Disney lane, you will need to follow the signs beyond the Polynesian Resort to the course.

To get more information, you can call (407)-WDW-GOLF or (407)-939-4653 or visit www.golf.disneyworld.com.