Major renovation coming to Disney's Magnolia Golf Course at Walt Disney World

Jun 23, 2022 in "Golf - Magnolia course"

Posted: Thursday June 23, 2022 9:31am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Arnold Palmer Golf Management will be improving Disney's Magnolia Golf Course, as they reimagine holes 14 through 17 on the finishing stretch of the course.

These course updates will be designed and overseen by Ken Baker, who has extensive design experience internationally and is currently the head of golf course design at One Club Limited.

Each of the four holes are anticipated to be reimagined primarily as follows:

  • Hole 14 - Currently a par 5, will become a par 4, with a new green location
  • Hole 15 - Currently a par 3, will shift location and become a long par 5, dogleg to the right
  • Hole 16 - Will shift location and remain a par 4, but will now become a dogleg to the left
  • Hole 17 - Currently a par 4, will become a par 3, with new tee box locations

Holes 16 and 17 will be connected with a new wooden bridge through the forest. There will be several new fairway and greenside bunkers engineered to accommodate the shifting hole locations, and a selection of new teeing grounds suited to test each level of player. The changes to the holes will retain the par 72 traditional nature of the golf course.

Two PGA Tour stars - 2017 Masters winner Sergio Garcia and 2019 US Open champion Gary Woodland - recently got a sneak peek at the redesign.

“It will be amazing. The 15th (becoming) a big par 5; 16 is a long par 4 and they’ve brought in water perfectly,” said Woodland. “You’re going to have four closing holes down the stretch that will test every aspect of your game. It’ll be a great finish here at Magnolia.”

Added Garcia: "It’s a fun course to play. When (golfers) finish their rounds, they can’t wait to come back and I think that’s something the Magnolia course will have.”

Disney's Magnolia Golf Course is currently closed. Disney's Palm or Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course remain open as normal.

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DCBakerNov 01, 2023

Beginning November 22*, 2023, Disney's Magnolia Golf Course will once again be available to play as an 18-hole course. The update also mentions golf course construction is expected to wrap up by the middle of 2024. Here's the announcement: Disney's Magnolia Golf Course is currently open for play as a 14-hole course, however, we are excited to announce that beginning on Wednesday November 22nd*, we will be expanding the golf course to utilize all 18 holes, but for the time being, with an amended Par 70 routing! The finishing touches are still being applied to two of the holes, therefore, we have shortened holes #15 and #16 to accommodate use of all 18 newly contoured greens, and expect that the golf course construction will be complete by the middle of next year. During this time, we are offering a 15% discount off your applicable greens fee rate, which will be applied at the time of check-in!If you would prefer to play a different championship golf course while we finish the re-imagination project, we recommend reserving a tee time at either Disney's Palm or Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course. *EDIT - Walt Disney World Golf moved the date 1 week from November 15 to November 22.

Skibum1970May 17, 2023

Agreed but it is still only temporary until they finish the renovation/redesign. They should discount the cost (if they haven't already). Should have known that Disney can even make a golf redesign/refurbishment take longer than expected.

BocabearMay 17, 2023

With all of the construction that has been going on for the last 5 years, it seems like leaving the golf courses alone except for standard maintenance would have been a better idea then putting yet another guest area under construction...Especially with the extended never-ending projects currently going on.

J4546May 17, 2023

well i mean if your old or have mobility issues, playing 14 would be a little easier I guess. Or maybe you have less time haha. I dunno but at least its not permanent

AylaMay 17, 2023

Fourteen holes? Who plays 14 holes of golf?!

DCBakerMay 17, 2023

According to an updated message, Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course will reopen as a 14-hole routing on Monday, July 24. Here's the full update. Beginning on the date of June 19th, 2023, Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course will be closed for the continuation of the re-imagination project that began last year. It will re-open as a 14-hole routing on Monday, July 24th. We recommend that you play at either Disney’s Palm or Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course during this timeframe as we prepare Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course for your future enjoyment! We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the temporary closure of this golf course and look forward to welcoming you back to the newly re-imagined Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course again in the near future.

DCBakerMay 12, 2023

Beginning June 19, 2023, Disney's Magnolia Golf Course will be closed indefinitely as work continues on the course. Here's the full message. Beginning on the date of June 19th, 2023, Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course will be closed indefinitely for the continuation of the re-imagination project that began last year. We recommend that you play at either Disney’s Palmor Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course during this timeframe as we prepare Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course for your future enjoyment! We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the temporary closure of this golf course, and look forward to welcoming you back to the newly re-imagined Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course as soon as this project is completed.

HauntedPirateNov 29, 2022

That was the point - They are charging the commensurate greens fee for only having 14 holes open instead of 18. Unlike, say, when they opened the parks after Nicole and MK was open for 6 hours but they gladly charged a full-day's price for it.

danlb_2000Nov 29, 2022

That was my point, there are so many other cases where they have reduced an experience without reducing the price.

jpedenNov 29, 2022

Unlike their park product where they have a virtual monopoly, they don't have that in the golf world - people who golf (and I imagine those who golf at Disney) are not going to pay full price to pay 18 holes. Hell, they don't even pay full price if they've aerated the greens at most courses in the past two weeks. There are 100 golf courses in the area that real golfers would go play instead of at Disney if they didn't offer some discount.

JoeCamelNov 29, 2022

Right, it doesn't happen. This is like them charging for a half park day when they close early to sell it again.

JohnDNov 29, 2022

Don't you think they should? Would you rather they charge the same rates for an 18 hole course when there are 14 holes? Or maybe that's your point. That doesn't normally happen.

J4546Nov 29, 2022

popular or not, i wish there was a disc golf course as well, its fun!

networkproNov 29, 2022

Nope, hate to rain on your parade, but its not popular https://udisc.com/blog/post/where-is-disc-golf-most-popular-in-the-us