For many, the notion of visiting a Disney World theme park conjures up images of family vacations, a magical paradise for children of all ages. But for some, Disney World isn’t just about experiencing the thrilling rides and getting up close and personal with beloved characters. It’s also about honing one’s golf game. For junior golfers, Disney World provides a unique and exceptional opportunity to practice and develop their skills in a surprisingly comprehensive and professional golf environment.
Because our family goes to Disney World so many times a year, we have started to skip parks and focused on other fun things. While Daddy Lamb is an experienced golfer, Mommy Lamb and Little Lamb are not. So we naturally look into junior golf at Disney world and see how we can incorporate golf in our Disney vacations.
The Walt Disney World Golf Resort, located on the grounds of Disney World, provides an array of golf facilities, including three 18-hole championship golf courses and one nine-hole course. The 3 18-hole championship layouts playing to a par of 72:
– Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course
– Disney’s Palm Golf Course
– Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course
The 9-hole walking course is Disney′s Oak Trail Golf Course. As you can see, for junior golfers and their families, Disney World offers a variety of courses suitable to all levels of experience. From the refined championship courses to the more relaxed executive style nine-hole course, novices can take their first steps in the game of golf in a thrilling, family-friendly environment. Depending on their proficiency, juniors may seek out challenging golfing experiences, or find more relaxed options.
For those who are serious about improving their game, Disney World offers a wide selection of golf instruction and programming. The Walt Disney World Golf Junior Camp, for example, offers a series of instructional programs for golfers aged seven to seventeen. Each program is designed for the particular skill level of an individual junior golfer, using a variety of approaches, including video analysis and on-course instruction with PGA and LPGA professional teachers. The junior camp is early June to early August. (Click flyer here for the 2023 camps).
What’s most useful to us is the Disney’s Junior Golf Clinics. It is also for age seven to seventeen and includes 4 lessons a month in outside of summer months. The clinic ranges from 1 hour to 1.5 hours. What is so cool about the Disney’s Junior Golf Clinics is that the the PGA Director of Instruction there, Michael Schlager, told me that Little Lamb can just pop in and attend a session of the golf clinic (instead of having to sign up for 4 for the entire month) and we will just pay for 1 session. I imagine as long as the golf clinic is not full, you can do it too. This is not something that they advertise on their website. For the late spring 2023 Disney’s Junior Golf Clinics flyer, click here.
So if you’re looking for a vacation destination where the whole family can spend time together, and junior golfers can get professional training and compete against the best, then a trip to Disney World may just be the right fit. With its championship and shorter courses, professional instruction, and competitive tournaments, Disney World offers an educational and exciting golf experience unlike any other.
Finally, you can click here for the Junior Golf Programs.
