Bay Hill Club and Lodge

Bay Hill Club & Lodge

Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge

Do you have the passion, excitement, and confidence to play golf like the professionals? Then, Bay Hill Club and Lodge is your place to be! This club features one of the best Central Florida golf courses, where professional golf events and tournaments happen every year.

Plus, there is so much more to do here than play golf. You can explore different accommodation facilities, exciting dining options, meeting rooms, an exotic spa, tennis courts, and more.

So, turn your vacation mode on and visit the suburbs southwest of Orlando to experience golf at its best and spend some relaxing time with your family at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge.

Course History

The land now Bay Hill Club and Lodge has changed ownership several times. No one thought about golf for this property until it could not produce citrus fruits. Even with the seemingly citrus-barren land, it wasn’t until 1959 that two businessmen, Tom Barnes and Tom Dore, took one look at the land and immediately envisioned a golf course.

The plan to create a golf course started in 1960. The 18-hole Bay Hill course opened in late 1961. The name “Bay Hill” combines the bay that borders the northernmost boundary and the hills surrounding the lakes and wetlands.

 

Arnold Palmer’s Course

It wouldn’t be until 1970, when Arnold Palmer played at Bay Hill, that it would change the course (pun intended) of the club’s history. Palmer loved the course so much that he decided to purchase it. Palmer took ownership in 1975 and since has worked to put and keep Bay Hill as one of golf’s greatest courses.

Palmer maintained the course’s original design until 2009, when he decided to renovate the course. The renovations included redesigning all 18 greens, reworking all bunkering, and significant changes in four holes, altering the yardage from 7,103 to 7,196 and from par 71 to 72.

Fun Fact:

Arnold Palmer hit a hole-in-one in the 1977 Arnold Palmer Invitational!

Details of the Golf Course

Bay Hill Club is a world-renowned golf course located in Orlando, Florida. The course stretches over 7,400 yards and features a challenging layout designed to test even the most experienced golfers.

To play here you do have to either be a club member or a registered guest staying at the Bay Hill Club Open only to Club members and registered guests staying at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

Bay Hill Club & Lodge

Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge

Bay Hill Club has hosted numerous prestigious tournaments over the years, including the Arnold Palmer Invitational. As a result, it is widely considered one of the best courses in the United States. The club also boasts a stunning clubhouse and luxurious facilities, making it the perfect place to enjoy a round of golf in style. The 18 holes of this golf club are called the Champion/Challenger.

The Champion/Challenger course is known for its challenging layout, with narrow fairways and fast greens. Features include several challenging doglegs, water hazards, several elevation changes, and tight fairways, making accuracy a premium.

Bay Hill Club & Lodge

Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Golf Academy Course Charger

Bay Hill Club is also home to a world-class practice facility, where golfers of all levels can work on their game. In addition to the Champion/Challenger course, Bay Hill Club also features a 9-hole executive course, Charger.

Whether a seasoned pro or a weekend warrior, Bay Hill Club’s Champion/Challenger course provides an enjoyable (and challenging) round of golf.

Fun Fact:

On September 7, 1979, Arnold Palmer shot his 10th-lifetime hole-in-one on Charger #2, going a distance of 151 yards with a 7-iron. Can you beat that?

Bay Hill Golf Club and Lodge provides a complete range of services for an excellent golfing vacation. Besides the exceptional golf course, Bay Hill provides caddie and luggage services, a nicely stocked pro shop, and a golf academy.

Arnold Palmer’s Pro Shop

You can browse a large selection of golf gear from top brands at this official Arnold Palmer Store. In addition, it offers a massive variety of Arnold Palmer’s sportswear, from polos and tees to hoodies and hats. Also, you can purchase Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Besides top-quality products, this pro shop will impress you with its excellent customer service, convenient shipping terms, and simple return policies.

To sum up, this store is a must-visit to buy your favorite gear.

Arnold Palmer’s Golf Academy

Bay Hill Club & Lodge

Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Golf Academy Course Charger

Want to learn how to play golf like a professional? Arnold Palmer’s golf academy breaks down the process of learning golf into major four parts:

  • Understanding the basics, like grip, posture, alignment, steady head, and acceleration
  • Learning where to swing based on distance
  • Practicing like a professional to develop confidence and consistency
  • Mastering course management – learning how to decide and execute the right choices during the game to score well.

Caddie and Luggage Services

Need help and support to play at Bay Hill, one of the best Central Florida golf courses?

Caddies at Bay Hill Golf Course will guide you regarding club selection, course strategies, and yardages. Plus, they will tend to the flagsticks and rake the bunkers for you. Also, you won’t have to track your ball or tag your golf cart with a caddie around.

Please remember to tip your caddie. The gratuity amount is your discretion; you can decide the amount based on your experience during the game and pay directly to the caddie in cash. Remember, the caddie’s fees cannot be charged to your account or room, and there is no ATM facility on the site.

Easy to Vacation

Bay Hill Golf Course will pick up your luggage from your home and get it shipped to the club. I mean, if that isn’t making vacationing easy, well, we don’t know what would. Similarly, you can get your luggage shipped back home after your vacation.

Some noteworthy features of the Bay Hill Golf Club:
  • This course is located along The Butler Chain of Lakes, making it a beautiful and challenging setting to play golf.
  • This was the first golf course to use the iconic surface of Tifway Bermudagrass, which later became standard for most golf courses in South USA, especially Central Florida.
  • The putting surfaces are slightly raised here for enhanced visibility and drainage, making this course a perfect field for all golf lovers.
  • Since 1979, this course has been the home to a significant golf tournament event currently known as Arnold Palmer Invitational. This event is organized every March by the PGA Tour, an association of professional golfers that holds different golf events and tournaments played by men in the USA and North America.

How to Stay at Bay Hill Golf Club

Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Guest Cottage with Kitchen

As mentioned earlier, you can access the golf course and other amenities only if you are a member or a registered guest at Bay Hill Lodge. So, get ready to book a room to stay at Bay Hill Golf Lodge on your next vacation and have the best time of your life.

Bay Hill Club and Lodge encompasses 70 rooms of different types, including standard lodge rooms, suites, and guest cottages.

All 70 rooms have luxurious facilities like a daily complimentary morning coffee/tea station with a newspaper, wireless and wired Internet access, TV, balconies, and air conditioners. The parking on this site is also free.

  • The standard lodge rooms offer one king bed or two queen beds.
  • The suite comprises a well-furnished parlor adjacent to the bedroom with a king-size bed.
  • The guest cottages are single-family homes consisting of two bedrooms with either two king-size beds or one king-size and two twin beds. You can get two baths, a living room, a full kitchen, and possibly a lake or golf course view too!

And the Food at Bay Hill!

Bay Hill Club and Lodge has three restaurant options for culinary experiences that will have you leaning back in your chair to savor and experience every bite. Your first option is Grill and Classic, available daily for breakfast and lunch.

If you want the best views from inside the clubhouse, Bay Window is the place to be. It overlooks the putting green and the infamous Rolex clock. However, if you feel more casual and want options to sit outside or inside, the Splash Casual Poolside Dining option is where you need to be.

Arnold Palmer’s Home

Whether you are a member of or staying at Bay Hill, you will feel like a guest at Arnold Palmer’s home. In some ways, you are. So what are you waiting for? Become a member or stay there so you can play this historic and stunning course.

What Are Your Thoughts?

Have you stayed and played at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge? Let us know in the comments.

Like what we wrote about playing at Arnold’s House? Check out our blog about playing at another house – The House of Mouse.