Walt Disney World Announces Reimagining of Magnolia Golf Course

Walt Disney World Golf has announced that changes are on the way for their popular Magnolia Golf Course. The location, which opened in 1971 alongside the Resort and the Palm Golf Course, is set to be improved in 2022.

Hole 17 Concept Art

What’s Happening:

Today, Disney revealed that In the coming months, 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.
Ken Baker, head of golf course design at One Club Limited, will oversee the project. It is anticipated that work will begin this summer and is expected to be completed this year.

Sergio Garcia via Walt Disney World Golf

As part of the announcement, Disney offered PGA Tour stars Sergio Garcia (2017 Masters winner) and Gary Woodland (2019 US Open champion) a sneak peek at the redesign and both gentlemen were impressed. Disney also shared a video of the Golf Pros participating in the groundbreaking for the Magnolia redesign. Take a look:

Disney's Magnolia Golf Course Changes:

Details of the reimagined holes are not yet final and are subject to change, but currently, the project calls for a full reconstruction to all 18 of Disney's Magnolia Golf Course greens.
As mentioned above, holes 14-17 will be reimagined with the following anticipated changes:
- 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
Additionally, holes 16 and 17 will be connected with a new wooden bridge through the forest.
Several new fairway and greenside bunkers will be 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.
Walt Disney World Golf shared concept drawings of holes 15-17 highlighting where the changes to the greens are to be made.

Hole 15 Concept Art

Hole 16 Concept Art

Disney’s plans to share status updates throughout the project so stay tuned!

Gary Woodland via Walt Disney World Golf

What They’re Saying:

Gary Woodland, 2019 US Open champion: “It will be amazing. The 15th (becoming) a big par 5; 16 is a long par 4 and they’ve brought in water perfectly. 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.”
Sergio Garcia, 2017 Masters winner: "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.”

Did You Know?:

Three of Walt Disney World’s Golf Courses (Magnolia, Palm and Lake Buena Vista (1972)) were designed by the late Joe Lee in conjunction with Walt Disney Imagineering.
Since opening, these courses have undergone various “renovations and redesigns to enhance conditions and playability to update the designs to today’s game.”

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