Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge

The Bay Hill Club & Lodge was the late Arnold Palmer's Florida headquarters. As you'd expect, the course he designed here is indeed fit for a king. Laid out in three nine-hole loops, the Challenger and Champion nines are used annually by the US PGA Tour for the Arnold Palmer Invitational (formerly Bay Hill Invitational), with the Charger-nine also maintained and presented in the same immaculate condition as the other two nines.

Bay Hill's gently undulating terrain adds pleasant elevation changes to many holes, which is not too typical for central Florida courses. Ponds large and small (fed by the expansive and nearby Butler chain of lakes) also define several holes, and are first encountered at the par-4 3rd and spectacular long par-5 6th. These two holes are wrapped around opposite sides of the same large round pond. The extravagantly curving 6th doglegs right to left around the pond from tee-to-green, the picturesque expanse of water an ever-present threat.

Most of the Bay Hill layout maintains quite an open feel, with trees liberally dotted around the course, but never too densely. The good size homes that flank parts of the perimeter are always set far enough back not to be intrusive.

Pick of the holes: The U-shaped par-5 6th is for many people the layout's most memorable hole. But frequently leaving an "indelible" imprint on scorecards, is the final trio of holes at Bay Hill ... as formidable a closing stretch as you'll encounter anywhere. Ponds are a significant threat at the risk-reward par-5 16th, par-3 17th and superb par-4 18th. Water has to be crossed in front of the greens on each of these wonderfully challenging and excellently crafted holes.

Stay&Play at Bay Hill: onsite accommodation available, see Where2Stay section below.