Best golf courses near Clermont, FL

Perhaps best known for its membership that includes numerous professional golfers, Isleworth is an exclusive private club in the Orlando area. Tiger Woods lived adjacent to the driving range and spent much of his practice time at Isleworth in the mid-2000s. The course was originally designed by Arnold Palmer in the mid-1980s, but Steve Smyers led a significant redesign in 2004 that lengthened the course and made it more challenging. The course traverses rolling terrain and has a challenging set of green complexes with plenty of movement. Trees line most holes, most notably at the long par-3 second, where overhanging limbs on both sides create a claustrophobic corridor playing to a long, narrow green. The 2014 Hero World Challenge was played at Isleworth, where Jordan Spieth lapped the field just months before his historic 2015 campaign.

Mission Inn Resort offers two courses which have hosted numerous amateur and professional events, including PGA Tour Latinoamerica Q school. The Las Colinas course has less water in play than its sibling layout, but the large, undulating greens provide an intriguing test. Trees closely guard many fairways on the back nine, placing a premium on accuracy off the tee.

Tranquilo Golf Club at Four Seasons is a Tom Fazio design that has previously hosted the LPGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions. It’s a true out-and-back layout, where the front nine plays away from the clubhouse into the forest before turning back toward the resort. Many holes are lined with dense forest that surrounds the property, making you forget you’re just a couple miles from Disney World.

Orange County National is a hotspot for public golf in Orlando, with two quality courses (and a third nine-hole layout) and a massive, 360-degree driving range. The Panther Lake course winds through rolling meadows, native pines, and wetlands, immersing golfers in the natural landscape. Elevation changes of up to 60 feet and no housing developments make this Florida course unique.

Mission Inn Resort offers two courses which have hosted numerous amateur and professional events, including PGA Tour Latinoamerica Q school. The El Campeón course opened in 1917, making it one of the oldest courses in the area. The course is situated on steep hills with elevation changes of over 85 feet, and water is in play on most holes.

Conveniently located next to Disney World, Waldorf Astoria is a challenging Rees Jones-designed layout. Unlike many resort courses which are forgiving off the tee, Waldorf Astoria’s landing areas are demanding, with water, trees and native brush lining many fairways. Jones incorporated design features from the Golden Age of architecture, notably at par-3 seventh, where the Biarritz green has a significant dip in the middle.

Disney’s Palm course was originally designed by Joe Lee in 1971 but was redesigned by the Arnold Palmer Group in 2013 to make the course more challenging. Though the fairways are relatively generous, there’s water in play on nine of the 18 holes. The course finishes strong at the 463-yard par-4 18th, where the approach plays over water, which wraps around the right side of the green.

Orange County National is a hotspot for public golf in Orlando, with two quality courses (and a third nine-hole layout) and a massive, 360-degree driving range. Crooked Cat, often considered easier than its sibling course, offers more of a links-style experience, with native heather framing the wide fairways.

Tiger Woods captured his second career PGA Tour title at the Magnolia course in 1996, edging Payne Stewart by one shot. He would add another win at Disney’s signature course in 1999. The Magnolia layout features wide fairways guarded by water, which lurks on 11 of the 18 holes. Though the fairways are generally wide, if you miss them, you may be blocked out by the magnolia trees that line many holes.

Legends Golf and Country Club has plenty of elevation changes, making it a welcome change from the flat topography of many Florida courses. Located in a housing community just west of Orlando, Legends underwent an extensive $2 million course renovation in 2021. With winter rates under $80, the revamped track offers great value.