The Palm Golf Course at Walt Disney World in Orlando, on Sept. 28-29, will host the second annual PGA Family Golf Championship and also feature use of one most authentic and challenging putting surfaces.
as oartAs part of the ongoing reimagination by Arnold Palmer Golf Management, which operates Walt Disney World Golf, the practice putting green adjacent to Disney’s Magnolia, Palm and Oak Trail Golf Course clubhouse has been given a massive makeover. The net result: a new 18-hole grass putting course which has been graded to give the area contours and elevation changes not seen before. Hole locations are changed each week, while the lengths of the holes and their level of difficulty will be amended daily by adjusting the starting positions.
“Our vision was to create something unique and stunning, and our guests are thoroughly enjoying it,” said Bruce Gerlander, PGA, General Manager, Walt Disney World Golf. “We take our golf seriously, and we wanted to also emphasize how much fun this putting green is.”
Creation of this new attraction is just one example of many others in Arnold Palmer Golf Management’s overarching mission to create the most magical experience possible for guests and visitors to Walt Disney World Golf. The PGA Family Golf Championship will provide a perfect opportunity for first-time visitors at Walt Disney World Resort to appreciate fully what the resort has to offer. The inaugural tournament, held last year at PGA West in La Quinta, CA, attracted nearly 150 competitors from 24 states..png){kind=logo}
“PGA of America Golf Professionals are helping families create meaningful memories and connect through the game for a lifetime with PGA Family Golf,” said PGA of America President John Lindert, PGA Director of Golf at the Country Club of Lansing (Michigan). “The PGA Family Golf Championship is a reflection of what we see at golf courses every day – families enjoying the game together – and it’s sure to be an unforgettable experience at Disney’s Palm Golf Course.”
The PGA Family Golf Championship will feature teams of 2-4 players who are either biologically or legally related. All will make full use of the new amenity as it will serve as the picturesque backdrop for a welcome reception on the eve of competition.
“The family nature of this tournament makes it the ideal event to be held at Walt Disney World Resort which is passionate about bringing family fun to the game of golf,” said Alex Forsyth, PGA, Director of Sales and Marketing, Arnold Palmer Golf Management. “We have a long history of hosting a plethora of extraordinary events, from youth tournaments to PGA TOUR, LPGA and Senior PGA (of America) events, so the PGA Family Golf Championship will add another new chapter to our story.”
Visitors to the Walt Disney World Resort have multiple world-class options to consider if they wish to play golf. Disney’s Magnolia, Palm and Lake Buena Vista Championship Golf Courses each are open for play 365 days a year, along with Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course, a nine-hole walking layout. Additionally, driving ranges are open to the public, and there is the attraction of FootGolf, a relatively new hybrid sport between soccer and golf, which continues to grow in popularity and appeals primarily to the non-golfers.
Photo: Russell Kirk for APGM