Emblazoned on the back of my room key were the famous words of Arnold Palmer: “Winning isn’t everything, but wanting it is.” Tiger Woods surely took Arnie’s words to heart, as he holds the record for the most wins at Mr. Palmer’s iconic Orlando club and the most tournament wins at a single venue in PGA Tour history (8). With victories in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2013, Bay Hill is certainly a special place in Tiger Woods’ legacy.
With NJ temperatures hovering in the 50s and Memorial Day Weekend looking to be a washout, I rolled the dice in hopes of availability at Bay Hill, and I am so glad I was able to make this stop along my challenge happen! After a quick flight into Orlando and a short 20-minute shuttle to Bay Hill Club and Lodge, I arrived at my destination.
Upon first sight, I felt as though I had taken a step back in history- the lodge itself is beautiful with natural stone work, impeccable grounds, and a magnificent foyer steeped in history and memorabilia just inside the double doors. Old Floridian hospitality is on full display as the front desk staff and every member of the housekeeping team were there to make sure I had everything that I needed during my stay.
After checking in, I was given a ball marker that officially made me a part of ‘Arnie’s Army,’ with $7 of my stay going directly to the Winnie and Arnold Palmer Foundation. My room had a garden view and was just around the corner from the short game area, the putting green, and across from the pool- in all honesty, I don’t think there is a bad spot to stay on the premises. I felt safe on the property and never once did I see as much as a blade of grass out of place. A major plus regarding this facility is the breakfast included in your room rate. Not only was the food delicious, but the views of the golf course and the putting green from the beautiful bay windows made for a great dining experience.
The club is a 27-hole facility with an unbelievable practice area. To date, this destination, in my opinion, has the most impressive and accessible practice complex. I had the opportunity to play the Challenger/Champion course on Saturday and the Charger course on Sunday.
After warming up on the range, putting green, and the short game area, I took a walk inside the pro-shop to check out what sorts of memorabilia I would be toting home for friends and family. The pro shop is loaded with merchandise, all paying homage to ‘The King’ and his unmistakable umbrella logo.
Before teeing off, I had the pleasure of being introduced over the loudspeaker to my playing partners, Mike and Tiffany, the bagroom staff, and anyone within earshot by ‘Phil the Thrill’, the self-proclaimed voice of Bay Hill. I must say, it was a thrill, and Phil certainly did not disappoint, and Bay Hill is lucky to have him as a starter.
Hole 1 is a dogleg left par 4. Not a terribly difficult opening hole, but fair. The hole has a wide fairway, good landing zones, and an elevated green. I started my round with a decent drive, but left myself short on the approach. Draining the 4-footer for par gave me the pep in my step that I needed on this 91° day. The second hole is an unassuming downhill par 3. After hitting the green in regulation and making a solid two-putt, I was feeling on top of the world and made the deadly mistake of thinking, ‘I might go low today’. I found the water on hole 3. The hole is a par 4 dog leg left with water on the left – well, I found it and quickly was brought back to reality. Holes 4, 5, and 6, I played even par. I found plenty of sand during this stretch and had to rely heavily on my putter to stay in the hunt. The greens ran true and were in decent shape for May golf. Hole 7 is a great par 3 that has four incredibly imposing bunkers surrounding the green. I misread the wind; it certainly wasn’t a 2 club wind, took my bogey, and continued on. The front nine rounds out with 2 difficult par 4’s. Both holes play long and truly test your game before the Halfway House.
As you make the turn, you pass by the 13-foot, 1,392-pound bronze statue of Arnold Palmer and can’t help but be reminded of what a positive influence he had on the game of golf. As I drove by, I certainly hoped I could try to channel some of Mr. Palmer’s energy and ‘play like a champion’.
Holes 10 and 11 are par 4’s with water coming back into play on the dogleg right on the 11th. Hole 12 is a fantastic par 5 with bunkers surrounding the entire green. While I was happy to make par in regulation, 12 is a hole that sees eagles during the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the beauty of the par four 13th hole. I loved the rocks surrounding the water and witnessed a family of egrets taking flight as the day was winding down. The 17th hole was my favorite all day and probably one of the most recognizable from watching on television. As I stood on the tee box, I could almost picture Tiger standing in the same spot, getting ready to try and hit one close to finish out another stellar performance. I was happy with my up and down par and made it to the final hole on the Bay Hill Challenger/Champion.
Hole 18 truly gives you ‘stadium feels’ as you finish out on this grand finale of a hole. To stay out of trouble on 18, be sure to hit a solid drive in the fairway and don’t get greedy playing for the pin on the banana-shaped, undulating green with water on the right. Unfortunately, yours truly got greedy, went for the pin, and found the water. Luckily, my putter saved me, and I was able to salvage a bogey to finish out the day. All in all, I would say the Challenger/Champion course was truly an amazing experience.
Sunday morning, I decided to play the Charger course to knock off some more rust. In addition to the extra practice, I couldn’t beat the price tag with the round costing me $60 to walk rather than the $364 I paid to play the Challenger/Champion with a cart the day before. I knew going into the weekend that the Charger course had just been aerated and sanded, so I was realistic regarding course conditions. The Charger course was definitely an extremely walkable, quick, and fun little course to play.
After all my time spent golfing and practicing, I needed some R&R at the pool! The Lodge has a junior Olympic-size pool with a restaurant that provided me time to catch some rays and soak in the 83° pool. In addition, the Lodge has a fitness room and locker room facilities that have a sauna and hot tub. Perfect accommodations to relax and recharge before spending more time on the range.
From start to finish, my experience at Bay Hill Club and Lodge was 5 stars! To wrap up with another wise sentiment from Arnie, “I never felt that I didn’t have a chance to win”, for me, this certainly was a winning weekend!
See you in the fairway!
Courtney
The Tiger Challenge 