Golf, Course Opinions

[Buzzro]

I would like to get some player feed back on Disney courses.
If you have played the courses please tell us which is your favorite, which do feel you is the most difficult and why, and which is easiest. Also please let us know if you use the DVC member pass or some other form of discount.

Thanks. I hope this will help all who enjoy and want to enjoy the WDW golf experience.

 

[OKW Lover]

I've played 4 out of the 5. Enjoyed them all.

For sheer beauty (takes your mind off your game) the Osprey Ridge course can't be beat. IMHO, its also the most difficult.

The Pro's are playing this week on the Palm & Magnolia courses. If you play one of them, you may find yourself on one of the holes you watched them play on TV.

A good, independent, resource for golf info at WDW is:
http://www.wdwgolf.com/

Of course, you can also find info at the Disney site as well.

I used the DVC member discount, a good deal. But be sure to ask about any other discounts that might be available like 2 for 1, or AP discounts.

 

[Simba's Mom]

DH has played 4 out of the 5 courses, has yet to get Palm, it's been closed the last 3 trips! He's always played after 10:00am, both with and without the DVC card. With the price of the card vs. the Price Slice Special (available when he goes), he's done both. I think he figured that with the price of the DVC card, he'd have to play about 8 "people-rounds" to make it worthwhile, so the year he golfed with DS all week, it was worth it, but for him alone, he just went for the "Price Slice".
Favorite-agree with above, definitely Osprey Ridge. Hardest-either that one or Lake Buena Vista-that's a real tight course surrounded by buildings (OKW). Easiest-probably Eagle Pines.

 

[wdwstar]

what do you mean by 'PRICE SLICE"

 

[goofy4dvc]

DH has played all 5. Favorite was Osprey Ridge. Least favorite was Lake Buena Vista, just because it is so closed in with trees. I've played 4. I didn't get to play Eagle Pines because it was being worked on. Osprey Ridge was my favorite also.

TI can't remember which, but the famous "Mickey shaped sand bunker" can be found at the Magnolia or the Palm.

Osprey Ridge and Eagle Pines are alot newer and have more spectacular views. LBV is very closed in between trees line both sides of alot of holes. I hit the ball pretty straight (just not very long!) so I liked it more than DH did. You get some pretty views of OKW, play right past the old Treehouse Villas, and get a pretty good tour of some of the Disney property.

I freaked out when we were just across the ditch from some alligators on the Magnolia or the Palm. Saw several around both courses.

 

[Cruelladeville]

DH asked me to respond to this one for him--Cruella is definitely NOT a golfer. If you play often on golf courses in the midwest, he feels that LBV course is no harder than any he's played here at home. It is quite open by comparison to our local courses, but then Michigan is tree heaven(a scant 75 years ago we were 95% forested). He loves LBV! He hated Osprey Ridge, it was SO-O-O hard, Magnolia has the Mickey bunker and he spent a lot of time there He did 2 for 1 price, a full price on the first course and the 2nd round was free. Last year they had a special where you paid $195, I think, in June, and you got to play thru the fall. It was not advertised, though, we heard about it when we called to reserve a tee time, and asked about specials.

 

[Simba's Mom]

"Price Slice" is a special rate from the middle of May til September for golfing after 10:00am. The website www.wdwgolf.com has alot of good info on this and answers many other questions.

 

[caverill]

I have played Osprey Ridge and Eagle Pines. Osprey is hard, but fair. Eagle is pretty easy, but it was fun.

I would judge all Disney courses as resort-style. They have everything in front of you and the difficultly comes by playing the right set of tees, which will bring the hazards into play (depending on your skill level).

When you book your tee times, ask what specials are available. They often offer the 2 for 1 deal and also Ap discounts.

 

[eporter66]

I have only played one, and that was Lake Buena Vista. The wife and I played because we were staying at SSR, and it is right on the site. We loved it, and I did not find it any "tighter" than our local courses here in upstate NY - we do have a lot of trees

We also walked Palm and Magnolia last year when we went to the Funai classic. Those courses I think were a bit longer than LBV. But since we have played one, and seen 3 of them, I can tell you this - Disney keeps the courses in great shape!!!

I hope to play them all, but I cant imagine you being disappointed with them. I am a 12 handicap, and really enjoyed LBV!

Eric

 

[JoeThaNo1Stunna]

I have about a 40 handicap and found Osprey to be a lot of fun, although it's the hardest course I've ever played in my life. The roughs aren't that tall but they are INCREDIBLY thick, you can easily lose you ball on many holes just because the roughs are so thick. Lots of wildlife all over the course.

 

[MarkOKW'97]

Our foursome from "cheeseland" played 4 of the courses last fall. We had to play LBV twice because the Palm was closed for maintenance. Our player's handicaps ranged from 12 to infinity but we all enjoyed the experience. It was generally agreed that Osprey was the prettiest and LBV was the easiest and Eagle Pines the toughest. We bought the vacation club membership for $85(tax) and paid $ 50/round at all four courses. We stayed at OKW so we enjoyed the fairways snaking through the villas and even got a boost when going past our villa from the wives.
We drove to the first course and thereafter had our clubs shipped to the next day's course. When we checked in our clubs were on carts, cleaned and exorcised of all demons. Really. If you're from the north, beware of the wicked bermuda rough. Sometimes you really have to grunt to get your club through that stuff.
Remeber, the membership is for 12 months so if you make multiple trips you're all set (although greens fees vary depending on season.) Check with master starter for spring and summer rates.
Go Badgers

 

[vernon]

I've played all the Disney courses, and while I don't think it's fair to say any of them are easier/harder than the others I think each offers different challanges depending on each golfers weaknesses. I'll do it in my order of preference.

1) Osprey Ridge, is by far the prettiest of the courses. It's fairly long, but you get good sized landing areas, quite a few carries over water. Tough course if your short off the tee.

2) Eagle Pines, most of the holes have a sort of scrub/bunker areas in front of the tees filled with pine needles ( which give it it's name) , these can mean a golfer often has to clear a good 120-150 yards before finding a fairway. As this stuff can be quite difficult to get out of, once you're in it, it's not likely to be enjoyed by a golfer who is very short, or has the habit of "topping" the ball off the tee. Once you clear the pine scrub you get some pretty generous landing areas. Enjoyable course if you hit the ball a long way but occassionally are a little inaccurrate as the wide landing areas are probably the most forgiving of Disney courses

3) (equal) Palm and Magnolia are both quite long, with a lot of carries over water, but fairly generous landing areas. IMHO a little tighter than OR or EP , but not hugely so.

5) LBV, has some great holes, including a "signature" island green par 3 by the entrance to OKW. It is shortest of the Disney courses, and is quite tight. Best choice for someone whose straight, but not too long. If you have a habit of spraying the ball around a bit , it may not be a course you enjoy as much as some of the others. My main "dislike" of the course is that you are very close to a lot of the buildings through OKW and my own preference is to be a little more "out in the woods" on a course.