“Grumpy’s Gauntlet” Coming to Redesigned Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course
Walt Disney World® Golf operated by Arnold Palmer Golf Management is excited to announce completion of the most extensive reimagination of Disney's Magnolia Golf Course since its debut in 1971.
All 18 holes have undergone dramatic enhancements, including fully reconstructed greens through a process of excavation, followed by reshaping and contouring of the new putting surfaces. The teeing grounds have all been rebuilt too, and the chipping and bunker areas that surround each of the greens and flank the fairways have all been dramatically renovated.
Many of the areas off the fairways, which were historically expansive areas of green grass, have been transformed into more natural and sandy waste areas, full of native grasses and wildflowers, consistent with the surrounding environment. These changes, in addition to being visually appealing, will reduce the need to irrigate and fertilize these areas, designed to create newly thriving wildlife habitats. This is a key initiative under the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, of which all Walt Disney World® Golf courses are certified members.
Each of the 18 holes features new signage at their respective tee boxes, with each given a new whimsical name, and an intentionally inspirational quote from either Walt Disney or Arnold Palmer. The most significant focus of the extensive reimagination is the introduction of “Grumpy’s Gauntlet”, the demanding stretch of holes 14 through 17. This stretch of holes will bring shot selection and strategy challenges to all golfers.
Each of the four holes that comprise Grumpy’s Gauntlet will provide for multiple teeing grounds at varying yardages so that, as with all our holes, they will be playable by golfers of any skill level:
14th – “The Backside of Water” - Par 4, ranging from 344 to 506 yards:
A long sweeping dogleg right par 4 protected by a small pot bunker for those trying to cut the corner! Don’t be long or left on your approach, as otherwise your ball will find “the backside of water” in the green-adjacent pond. An elevated green that slopes away from the center on all four sides makes for a difficult up-and-down for any wayward approach shot.
As Walt Disney reminds us, “Everyone falls down. Getting back up is how you learn to walk.” Score yourself a par here and count your blessings, as you’ve just survived stage one of Grumpy’s Gauntlet! For those that don’t, get back on your feet and try again at the next!
15th – “The Dinglehopper” – Par 5, ranging from 463 to 597 yards:
You’ll need all the tools you can get your hands on, even perhaps a mythical “Dinglehopper” (The Little Mermaid) to successfully navigate this par 5 fraught with danger lurking at every turn of its dogleg right. At almost 600 yards from the championship tee box, you’ll need precision, power, and some good fortune to survive stage two without a blemish on your scorecard.
A massive waste bunker awaits any wayward shot hugging the right side of this hole, but beware, as there are also bunkers awaiting those that veer to the left! Make it to the green in three?...but wait, two putting is no easy task on this vastly undulating green. Arnold Palmer is known to have said, “It’s a funny thing, the more I practice, the luckier I get.” We believe he’d agree that you’ll need luck on this hole!
16th – “An Element of Fun” - Par 4, ranging from 310 to 456 yards:
If this is your idea of fun, you’ll need much more than “a spoonful of sugar” (Mary Poppins) to reach this par 4 in two mighty blows. A dogleg left protected by two bodies of water on the left side, and three well-positioned bunkers flanking the right of the fairway await you on the next-to-last stage of Grumpy’s Gauntlet!
“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun”, and hole #16 green is a testament to that. You’ll discover a great variety of pin positions on multiple tiers leading to long sweeping putts in all four corners of this green! Walt Disney said, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” He might as well have been talking about sinking a putt for par on 16.
17th – “The Big Green” - Par 3, ranging from 143 to 231 yards:
The fourth and final stage of Grumpy’s Gauntlet, as you might anticipate, is no push over! “The Big Green” (Walt Disney Studios motion picture) awaits you, but first you have to navigate past the two bodies of water that flank both the left and right sides of this long par 3 hole. Arnold Palmer once commented, “What other people may find in poetry, I find in the flight of a good drive.” You’ll need your best shot of the day here in order to get close to the pin on this well-protected green.
This green has considerably more subtle and severe undulations than any other green on this golf course. Miss the green in any direction and peril awaits! Score a par here and you are almost guaranteed to win any bets you have placed with your friends. Survive Grumpy’s Gauntlet with your dignity and scorecard intact, and consider yourself among the fortunate few that do!
We are immensely proud of the substantial effort that has been invested in creating the magical experience of the newly reimagined Disney's Magnolia Golf Course, which has been years in the making. This realization embodies the unwavering commitment of Walt Disney World® and Arnold Palmer Golf Management to providing you with world-class experiences.
PGA Championship major winner and 13-time PGA Tour champion Jason Day recently got the opportunity to play the newly re-imagined Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course for the first time since competing in the Walt Disney World® Golf Classic in 2008 when he finished in a tie for 16th place after scoring a total of 14 under par. “It's been a while since I've been here. I remember a lot of the holes, which were fantastic. The course looks phenomenal, so congratulations on that because, you know, it seems like you guys are coming into really nice weather here, and the course and the way that the grass has come in is fantastic too. Yeah, I mean, overall, we had a lot of fun.”
An additional and significant improvement to our practice facilities at Disney's Magnolia, Palm and Oak Trail Golf Courses is the recent introduction of “The Greatest Green Ever Played!”, which pays homage to the famed U.S. Open success of amateur golfer Francis Ouimet in 1913 at the Country Club in Brookline, MA, and as documented by Walt Disney Pictures in the award winning movie, “The Greatest Game Ever Played”.
This new practice green is actually a full 18-hole putting course, which provides a more realistic and challenging experience. More detailed information, including photos, is available here. Grab a drink from Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Deli and challenge your friends and family to a round of putting before the sun sets on your Walt Disney World® Golf experience.
We look forward to welcoming you to "The Happiest Place on Turf!"
