The Sunday Golfers in Florida!

Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course, Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, & Magnolia Golf Course

"I play golf with friends sometimes, but they are never friendly games." - Ben Hogan

While Chris Colman sat home in the rainy, windy, chilly state of New Jersey, Chris and Thomas Pusey went down to Florida on a family vacation for the week down in Orlando.  While they were down there, they decided to get in a couple of rounds around the resort they were staying at.

Originally going into the trip, Chris and Thomas planned on only playing one or two Disney courses, but decided to call an audible and go to Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, which is not part of the Disney resort.


- Lake Buena Vista Golf Course
(Played on December 17th, 2018)

Lake Buena Vista Golf Course in Orlando, Florida is a part of the Disney Resort.  Although we've never been big fans of golf courses that are intersected between housing developments, Lake Buena Vista is still a very good golf course.

Thomas on the signature island par 3.

Chris and Thomas didn't wait long once they arrived in Florida to get straight to the golf course, as you can tell from some of their photos, the sun was already setting once they teed off.

The long shadows falling in Florida.

Chris Pusey up against the lip of the bunker.

"The Pose" but in Florida.

Chris on the signature island par 3.

Thomas says that his favorite hole at Lake Buena Vista was a par 3 where you tee off over a water line that a ferry constantly ran through transferring people from park to park at Disney. Which is something you don't get to experience at many golf courses.  Chris also listed this as his favorite course they played of the three.


- Waldorf Astoria Golf Club
(Played on December 19th, 2018)

Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, also in Orlando, is a bit different from Lake Buena Vista. There are no housing developments to go through, and the conditioning is just as good, if not better. Just looking at the driving range set up, it is clear that this is no municipal course.

A perfect pyramid of balls to await the incoming hacker.

Don't miss right.

Thomas said that he personally loved the back 9 of Waldorf Astoria, as well as everything else with the course. This includes the view from their condo Chris and Thomas had from their condo down there that made them want to play the course in the first place.

One of the great par 3s at Waldorf Astoria.

Chris says that the conditions of all the courses, including Waldorf were fantastic. The fast greens, beautiful fairways, the great weather all made for a great little golf trip. The scenery was really just the icing on top.

Thomas letting the big dog eat.

Thomas mentions that this was his favorite golf course they played their short Florida trip, however, the final course they played with has a lot of history as well.

- Magnolia Golf Course

(Played on December 21st, 2018)

For those who remember when the PGA Tour use to play at the Disney courses will remember Magnolia Golf Course. The Tour played at this course for many years, and Tiger Woods won the event at Magnolia back in 1996 in his first year on tour as a professional.

Look at the pure grass underneath the flag!

As you can tell from the picture and caption above, the putting greens at Magnolia were some of the best Chris and Thomas ever played on. All rolled true, fast, and undulated.

 Beautiful par 3 at Magnolia, with trouble right and short.

It's a shame we were unable to get a photo of the Mickey Mouse bunker at Magnolia, which is unfortunate because Chris actually hit into it. Here's the hole for those unfamiliar with it.

The Mickey Mouse par 3 hole at Magnolia.

Thomas Pusey ranks the three courses they played as the following, even though he says that it was hard to do a ranking considering they were all terrific and offered different experiences. 

1. Waldorf Astoria Golf Club

2. Magnolia Golf Course

3. Lake Buena Vista Golf Course

Thomas says that the best shot he hit, even though we don't typically like to mention shots we hit, that on a par 3 at Magnolia playing around 175 yards, with the wind hard in the face, he hit a knock down 6 iron to about 4 feet, even though he missed the short birdie putt. *Facepalm*

Thomas teeing off at Waldorf Astoria.

Chris Pusey had a little difference opinions on his favorite courses, and ranked his courses as the following, even though he also agrees with Thomas that all three were great in their own ways.

1. Lake Buena Vista Golf Course

2. Waldorf Astoria Golf Club

3. Magnolia Golf Course

When it came to his favorite hole, Chris said that it was the par 3 at Magnolia with the Mickey Mouse bunker in front, which he proudly hit into because he likes golf course punishment. Let's hope that if we ever get invited to Pine Valley he hits into the "Devils Asshole" bunker.

Deep and almost impossible to get out. Maybe one day we will get the chance.

On our final note, one of the great things about traveling to play great golf courses is the people you meet along the way. At Lake Buena Vista, Chris and Thomas played with a pleasant Argentinian fella, and at Magnolia, the two were paired with a nice gentleman named Steve who was from Connecticut.

Chris and Thomas were glad they were able to get to play a few quick rounds of golf back in December, especially in the great weather they had. As Chris says, he would recommend any of the courses to anyone who will listen and all have a spot in his stop ten, and would certainly play them again if he gets the chance. Which is all we need to say on the matter.

- The Sunday Golfers