Bay Hill Club & Lodge

Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Golf Club & Lodge is a premium golf destination in the southwestern suburbs of Orlando, Florida. Offering exclusive play to members and guests of Bay Hill Golf Resort, you’ll be treated to 270 acres of stunning grounds and 27 holes to get your teeth stuck into.

The championship course here is the Champion/Challenger, which is also home to the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational each March.

Before you tee off on the Champion Bay Hill golf course, head out for a warm-up on the nine-hole Charger course. But don’t be fooled, you’re still in for a challenge on this course, with several bunkers and a layout of mounding designed by Palmer.

Located just a short distance from Orlando, you’re never short of things to do after the game is over. Get the adrenaline flowing at the attractions and theme parks or try out some of the city’s countless food options.

There are plenty of opportunities to play championship golf in Florida, but Bay Hill offers something more unusual: the chance to stay and play at a private club synonymous with one of golf’s most influential figures.

Arnold Palmer made Bay Hill his winter home in 1970s, and his influence remains central to the identity of the club today. The Bay Hill golf course is also home to the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, bringing many of the world’s best players to Orlando each year. In 2026, the tournament returned to Bay Hill for the 48^th time.

For visiting golfers, however, Bay Hill isn’t somewhere to simply admire from outside the gates. The club is private, but guests staying at the Lodge receive golf privileges, giving non-members the opportunity to experience the course themselves.

That combination of exclusivity, PGA Tour pedigree and Arnold Palmer heritage makes a round here feel different from simply adding another Florida resort course to the itinerary.

The championship layout combines the Champion and Challenger nines to create the 18 holes used for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. From the PGA Tour tees, Bay Hill played as a par-72 at 7,466 yards for the 2026 tournament. Water is also a defining feature of the layout, coming into play across much of the course, while thick rough and demanding approaches place a premium on finding the right positions from the tee.

It’s a course that rewards control rather than simply distance.Missing a fairway can make the next shot considerably more difficult, while water surrounding and protecting several greens means approach play matters just as much as driving.

The challenge shouldn’t put visiting golfers off. Different teeing options allow the course to be played at a more suitable length, providing the opportunity to experience the same routing without trying to reproduce PGA Tour conditions. There is also the nine-hole Charger course. At around 3,000 yards from the longest tees, it provides an additional option during a stay and still incorporates the bunkering, water and mounding characteristic of Bay Hill golf.

The closing stretch also provides some of Bay Hill’s most recognizable moments, particularly as the course works back toward the clubhouse and water becomes increasingly influential.

Bay Hill Golf Club can easily be accessed by air from across the United States, just a short 25 minute drive east of Orlando International Airport.

Premier Golf can arrange transport to and from the airport and can help to organize other aspects of your trip, from booking tee times to accommodation. View our recommended Orlando Golf Tour for tips and a suggested itinerary when staying at Bay Hill.

Because golf access is reserved for members and registered Lodge guests, accommodation and golf naturally work together when planning a visit to Bay Hill. Premier Golf’s Bay Hill golf packages combine a stay at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge with rounds on the Championship Course, helping secure access as part of the wider trip.

For golfers traveling specifically to play Bay Hill, two rounds can make a lot of sense. The first provides an introduction to a course where positioning and course management matter, while a second gives you the chance to approach familiar holes differently.

Bay Hill can also form part of a wider Orlando golf trip. Premier Golf’s Orlando itinerary combines it with other courses in the area, providing an alternative for golfers who want to experience the resort without playing every round in the same place.

Florida’s cooler months are generally the most comfortable for golf, although availability and rates vary season by season. Golfers with specific travel dates or preferred tee times should therefore plan ahead, particularly when the course calendar or major events may affect availability.