If you are making a visit to the magical world of the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, you absolutely must take in at least one round of golf. Within the 47 miles of fun and extravaganza offered at Disney, you can also take advantage of three different golfing locations offered by the famous theme park: Lake Buena Vista, Oak Trail, and Bonnet Creek, which includes Eagle Pines and Osprey Ridge.

Each of these Disney courses, which were designed by such famous architects as Ron Garl, Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, and Joe Lee, grows more amazing as the years pass. In addition, these courses offer a break from the electronics and animated gizmos found in much of Disney. Instead, you will be pleased to surround yourself in natural beauty complete with wildlife encounters with animals such as alligators, bluebirds, ducks, and deer. In fact, the area is so filled with protected wildlife that it was named a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” in 1999.

Disney’s Palm Course

Disney’s Palm Course, which was designed in 1971 by Joe Lee, is the sister course of the Magnolia and the Oak Trail. Located close to the Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella’s Castle, the course has the distinction of having been named in the top 25 courses by “Golf Digest.” It has also ranked in the top 100 courses in Florida by “Golf Florida.” With its distinctive natural appeal, which includes woodlands full of oak, maple, and cypress trees and pine forests, the Palm Course offers pristine fairways cut from the natural surroundings.

Once you reach the second hole, you will notice that the course begins to follow several waterways. By the fifth hole, it will have transitioned to a park like atmosphere. In addition, you will discover bridges crossing the waterways and providing you with a link between the holes on the course. Although the Palm is a Disney course, you won’t find many hints of the park on the course. There is an occasional marble marker in the woods as a “goof” that offers golf instructions and the course utilizes Mickey Mouse tee box makers. Otherwise, the association is minimal.

You will also find that many of the bunkers found on the course are deep-faced. This makes them less target than penal. The greens are also heavily surrounded and water provides a challenge at half of the holes. Despite the obstacles, the Palm is a friendly course filled with large and relatively flat greens. It also has several elevated tees and greens. With fairways at least 40 yards wide, the true challenge of the course is its length.

In all, the course covers 6,957 yards, with the main draw being the crafty use of Florida palms in various areas throughout the course. In fact, it has hosted events such as the Senior PGA Tour, the PGA Tour, and several corporate events. It has also been host to the National Car Rental Golf Classic, with prior winners such as Tiger Woods, John Huston, and David Duval, since its establishment in 1971.

Cart lines do form at the Palm, but these are usually located near the driving range and by the number one tee box. The rangers do a good job at keeping things moving at a steady pace. Therefore, you can expect play time to last anywhere from four hours and 15 minutes to four hours and 30 minutes.

You will find that holes 13 and 15 are particularly difficult at the Palm. Unlike the other holes on the course, these two are relatively flat and open into a wide plane. In addition, ponds interlace each other at these two challenging holes. In the end, however, these two holes are only preparing you for extremely challenging hole number 16. Number 16, which has been ranked as one of the toughest 50 holes on the PGA a total of nine times since 1983, is a par 4, 454 yard hole containing a small, forward tilting green. At the 130 yard mark, you will also encounter a creek cutting across the fairway.

The Palms plays 5,311 yards from the reds and the course/slope rating is 70.4 / 124. From the golds, it plays 6,029 at 69.5 / 126 and the whites are 6,464 at 71.6 / 130.

If you stay at a Disney resort, you will receive complimentary taxi vouchers to take you to and from the course. Otherwise, you will need to hop on Interstate 4 or Hwy 192. Take the Disney tollbooth in the far right lane and follow the signs past the Polynesian Resort and you will soon reach the Magnolia and Palm Courses.

For more information, call (407)-WDW-GOLF / 407-939-4653 or visit www.golf.disneyworld.com.