SOME OF THE ORLANDO BEST GOLF COURSES

       
 

MAGNOLIA COURSE, par 72, 5,232 to 7,190 yards. This classic Florida layout has elevated tees and greens, rolling terrain, 97 bunkers and more than 1,500 stately magnolia trees along its fairways. As host of the final round of the PGA Tour's Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic since 1971, the course is an arduous test from the back tees even for long hitters. A recent face-lift left it in the pink with renovated greens, improved ladies' tees and greenside spectator mounds for better viewing during tournaments.

 
       
   

PALM COURSE, par 72, 5,311 to 6,957 yards. Carved from woodlands, with water in play on nine holes, the Palm is shorter but tighter than its neighbor, Magnolia. The spectacular 18th, a 454-yard par-4 with water challenging both the tee shot and the approach, is considered one of the toughest holes on the PGA Tour.
       
 

OAK TRAIL, par 36, 2,552 to 2,913 yards. Length off the tee is not a big factor on this short, 9-hole, walking-only course, but the tree-lined fairways make accuracy a must. The small greens are challenging to hit and hold and few putts on them roll perfectly straight. This is a great layout for novices and for better golfers who want to stretch their legs and refine their short game before tackling one of the championship tests.

 
       
    DISNEY VILLAGE RESORT AREA: LAKE BUENA VISTA COURSE, par 72, 5,194 to 6,819 yards. This relatively short course plays long due to narrow fairways and an abundance of thick Bermuda grass rough. Several holes are real adventures, such as the par-3 16th, with its island green, and the par-4 18th, a demanding 448-yard dogleg. Like Magnolia and Palm, LBV was designed by noted golf architect Joe Lee.
       
  BONNET CREEK GOLF CLUB: EAGLE PINES COURSE, par 72, 4,838 to 6,772 yards. Opened in 1992, this layout, located just east of Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort, comes as a pleasant departure from the typical Florida course. Designed by Pete Dye, it resembles a Scottish links course with its absence of elevated tees and greens, and dished rather than crowned fairways. Blending into the surrounding low-lying wetlands and natural areas, it is deceptively open, punishing errant shots with traditional grass rough, sand and pine straw  
       
    OSPREY RIDGE COURSE, par 72, 5,402to 7,101 yards. In stark contrast to Eagle Pines, this dramatic layout by Tom Fazio winds through dense vegetation, oak forests and moss hammocks, with rolling terrain and several high ridges uncharacteristic of Florida. One of the state's most environmentally friendly golf courses, it's a naturalist's delight. Among other features, it has eight nesting platforms atop tall poles for ospreys, alongside ponds stocked with the fish this native raptor feeds upon, and hand-built boardwalks, instead of asphalt or concrete cart paths, winding through wetlands.
       
  CELEBRATION GOLF CLUB, par 72, 4,921 to 6,786 yards. Opened in 1996, this layout adjacent to Disney's handsome "new town" of Celebration, is the joint design of Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Robert Trent Jones Jr. Water comes into play on all but two holes, in some cases both on the tee shot and on the approach. Fairway bunkers and mounding reduce target areas even more. It is a course that keeps you on your toes; an exhilarating but fair challenge  
       
    OFF THE COURSE: THE DISNEY INSTITUTE GOLF EXPERIENCE consists of two 2-hour sessions designed to give participants an understanding of golf through analogies with other sports and help them develop a tension-free swing through a series of unique drills. Cost: $50 per session
       
  THE CALLAWAY GOLF EXPERIENCE at Bonnet Creek Golf Club features the Sir Isaac Performance System, the video/computer analysis that permits golfers to compare performances of different golf clubs. Free. There are first-rate pro shops, locker rooms, practice greens and practice ranges at all golf locations.  
       
  MINIATURE GOLF: FANTASIA GARDENS at Epcot Resort has two 18-hole putting courses, one with quirky obstacles, the other,
       
  FANTASIA FAIRWAYS, with the contours, water hazards and sand traps of traditional golf layouts.