Inside the courses: Disney's Magnolia and Palm
The PGA TOUR will play the Children's Miracle Network Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., at Walt Disney World Golf Resort. Learn more about the courses:
Fast facts: Magnolia Course
| Original architect | Joe Lee (1971) |
| Course superintendent | Scott Welder |
| Number of PGA TOUR events as host venue | 31 (including 2009) |
| Course ranking | Ranked 49 (out of 54) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2008 |
| Par value | 72 |
| Yardage history | 7,516 yards (2005-present) |
| 7,200 (2002-2004) | |
| 7,201 (2001) | |
| 7,243 (2000) | |
| 7,190 (1979-1999) | |
| Grass | Bermudagrass (tees, fairways, greens, rough) |
| Tournament Stimpmeter | 11 ft |
| Sand bunkers | 107 |
| Water hazards | 15 |
| Course tour | Click here |
Course record
 | Player Payne Stewart | Year 1990 | Round 3rd | Finish T21 |
Holes-in-one
| There have been 16 aces recorded on the Magnolia Course | ||
| Player | Hole | Year |
| Vaughn Taylor | 3 | 2004 |
| Duffy Waldorf | 6 | 2003 |
| Paul Claxton | 3 | 2002 |
| Rich Beem | 3 | 2002 |
| Davis Love III | 12 | 2002 |
| Danny Ellis | 15 | 2001 |
| Glen Hnatiuk | 15 | 2000 |
| Mark Brooks | 6 | 1999 |
| Sean Murphy | 12 | 1999 |
| Jimmy Green | 3 | 1997 |
| Nolan Henke | 15 | 1996 |
| John Adams | 3 | 1994 |
| Buddy Gardner | 6 | 1994 |
| Jay Overton | 6 | 1992 |
| Jim McGovern | 3 | 1992 |
| Lyn Lott | 3 | 1983 |
2008 Rankings
| Most Difficult Hole | |
 | The par-4 fifth "I play this hole with a cut driver. Downwind, I use a 3-wood. Important to be in fairway, which makes approach shot straight forward to a well-bunkered green."—Ray Floyd 2008: 0 eagles, 19 birdies, 176 pars, 69 bogeys, 3 double bogeys, 0 others |
| Easiest hole | |
 | The par-5 10th "I've had my share of luck here. Eagle in '83 pushed me to victory. After a good drive, green is very reachable with wood or long iron. Hit it high to hold smaller green."—Payne Stewart 2008: 12 eagles, 141 birdies, 102 pars, 12 bogeys, 0 double bogeys, 0 others |
| Magnolia Course | 2008 rankings | Last 26 years | ||||
| Hole | Par | Yards | Avg. Score | Rank | Avg. Score | Rank |
| 1 | 5 | 495 | 4.445 | 17 | 4.416 | 18 |
| 2 | 4 | 419 | 4.063 | 3 | 3.953 | 9 |
| 3 | 3 | 165 | 2.859 | 10 | 2.892 | 13 |
| 4 | 4 | 422 | 3.891 | 9 | 4.061 | 4 |
| 5 | 4 | 403 | 3.852 | 11 | 3.913 | 12 |
| 6 | 4 | 412 | 3.969 | 5 | 4.121 | 2 |
| 7 | 5 | 532 | 4.32 | 18 | 4.441 | 17 |
| 8 | 3 | 205 | 2.922 | 7 | 3.009 | 6 |
| 9 | 4 | 373 | 3.906 | 8 | 3.943 | 10 |
| 10 | 4 | 450 | 4.078 | 2 | 4.097 | 3 |
| 11 | 5 | 552 | 4.602 | 15 | 4.614 | 16 |
| 12 | 3 | 199 | 3.055 | 4 | 3.044 | 5 |
| 13 | 4 | 364 | 3.703 | 14 | 3.813 | 14 |
| 14 | 5 | 547 | 4.531 | 16 | 4.737 | 15 |
| 15 | 4 | 426 | 3.828 | 12 | 3.982 | 7 |
| 16 | 3 | 195 | 2.969 | 5 | 2.956 | 8 |
| 17 | 4 | 397 | 3.766 | 13 | 3.915 | 11 |
| 18 | 4 | 454 | 4.172 | 1 | 4.242 | 1 |
Fast facts: Palm Course
| Original architect | Joe Lee (1971) |
| Course superintendent | Scott Welder |
| Number of PGA TOUR events as host venue | 31 (including 2009) |
| Course ranking | Ranked 54 (out of 54) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2008 |
| Par value | 72 |
| Yardage history | 7,010 yards (2007-present) |
| 7,015 (2004-2006) | |
| 6,957 (2002-2003) | |
| 7,193 (2000-2001) | |
| 6,967 (1998-1999) | |
| 6,957 (1996-1997) | |
| 6,941 (1972-1995) | |
| Grass | Bermudagrass (tees, fairways, greens, rough) |
| Tournament Stimpmeter | 11 ft |
| Sand bunkers | 95 |
| Water hazards | 10 |
| Course tour | Click here |
Course record
 | Player Justin Rose | Year 2006 | Round 1st | Finish 4th |
Holes-in-one
| There have been two aces recorded on the Palm Course | ||
| Player | Hole | Year |
| Tim Clark | No. 3 | 2004 |
| Larry Rinker | No. 12 | 1999 |
2008 Rankings
| Most Difficult Hole | |
 | The par-4 18th The PGA TOUR's best players will attest this is one tough finishing hole. Ranked as high as fourth overall on the PGA TOUR's toughest hole list, it requires two rock solid shots. Fairway is lined both sides with woodlands. Approach shot is all carry to a well-bunkered green. Making par here calls for celebration. 2008: 0 eagles, 12 birdies, 85 pars, 28 bogeys, 3 double bogeys, 0 others |
| Easiest hole | |
 | The par-5 seventh A sweeping dogleg right, with two deep fairway sand bunkers looming right. Second shot must negotiate a long and short sand bunker right. Green is well protected with four other sand bunkers. It all adds up to eight sand bunkers that test you all along the way. 2008: 7 eagles, 75 birdies, 44 pars, 2 bogeys, 0 double bogeys, 0 others |
| Palm Course | 2008 rankings | Last 26 years | ||||
| Hole | Par | Yards | Avg. Score | Rank | Avg. Score | Rank |
| 1 | 4 | 428 | 4.105 | 4 | 4.074 | 3 |
| 2 | 4 | 417 | 3.966 | 8 | 3.987 | 8 |
| 3 | 3 | 170 | 2.936 | 10 | 2.916 | 10 |
| 4 | 5 | 542 | 4.625 | 16 | 4.633 | 17 |
| 5 | 4 | 492 | 4.21 | 1 | 4.119 | 1 |
| 6 | 3 | 231 | 3.045 | 6 | 3.008 | 7 |
| 7 | 4 | 422 | 3.876 | 12 | 3.908 | 12 |
| 8 | 5 | 614 | 4.798 | 14 | 4.843 | 14 |
| 9 | 4 | 500 | 4.165 | 2 | 4.030 | 6 |
| 10 | 5 | 526 | 4.427 | 18 | 4.475 | 18 |
| 11 | 4 | 399 | 3.828 | 13 | 3.835 | 15 |
| 12 | 3 | 169 | 2.903 | 11 | 2.922 | 9 |
| 13 | 4 | 384 | 3.625 | 16 | 3.753 | 16 |
| 14 | 5 | 592 | 4.712 | 15 | 4.870 | 13 |
| 15 | 3 | 203 | 3.022 | 7 | 3.042 | 4 |
| 16 | 4 | 450 | 3.944 | 9 | 3.908 | 11 |
| 17 | 4 | 485 | 4.082 | 5 | 4.040 | 5 |
| 18 | 4 | 492 | 4.109 | 3 | 4.077 | 2 |
Course origins
| Scott Welder is the first, and only, golf course superintendent at Walt Disney World Golf Resort, having begun his career at the course in 1971 when the facility was built. |
| The first and second rounds will be played on both the Palm and Magnolia courses. The third and fourth rounds will be played solely on the Magnolia course. Named after the more than 1,500 magnolia trees that surround it, the Magnolia course was designed for big hitters and has all the earmarks of a golfer's paradise. Elevated tees and greens, rolling terrain and water on 10 of the 18 holes. The par-3 sixth hole pays tribute to Mickey Mouse with a bunker shaped to form his silhouette. |
| The Walt Disney Golf Resort complex was named by GOLF Magazine to its 1998 list of "Silver Medal Resorts." This course has elevated tees and greens, and was built on rolling terrain. The Palm Course was ranked 61st by Golf Digest on its 1992 list of "Top 75 Resort Courses" in the U.S. Locals consider it to be the toughest of Joe Lee's Disney course. — Source: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America |
Tournament course history
| Course | Location | Years |
| Walt Disney World Resort (Magnolia) | Lake Buena Vista, Fla. | 1971-present |
| Walt Disney World Resort (Palm) | Lake Buena Vista, Fla. | 1972-present |
| Walt Disney World Resort (Lake Buena Vista) | Lake Buena Vista, Fla. | 1985-1993, 1995-1997 |
| Walt Disney World Resort (Eagle Pines) | Lake Buena Vista, Fla. | 1994 |
| This week's Kodak Challenge hole | |
 HOLE: The par-4, 485-yard 17th at Magnolia Golf ClubLAST YEAR: The 17th played to a stroke average of 4.082, with players recording 0 eagles, 34 birdies, 190 pars, 32 bogeys and 10 double bogeys. DESCRIPTION: "The most dangerous hole on the course: Tee shot over water, then a long mid-iron to a well-protected narrow green. Give me a 4 here and I'll run to 18!"—Lanny Wadkins (Click here for Magnolia tour) | |
Tee it up with Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Golf '09
Updated Nov 9, 3:25 pm EST
