Disney World Magnolia Golf Adds “Grumpy” Element to Fun Golfing Experience. If you’ve seen or played the golf courses at Walt Disney World, you know they are amazing. Lush fairways. Pristine greens. And touches of Disney sprinkled all around the four courses, enough to remind you that you’re still at The Most Magical Place on Earth.
But, in particular, if you play the Magnolia course and get towards the end, you might feel a little…well, “grumpy.” That’s because four of the last five finishing holes have recently been beautifully redesigned and have affectionately been named “Grumpy’s Gauntlet.”
With the most extensive redesign of Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course now complete, we are happy to announce that the course’s four fully reimagined holes are now affectionately known as “Grumpy’s Gauntlet!’’ Similar to other notable courses throughout the United States with their signature holes, Magnolia holes No. 14, 15, 16 and 17 – aka “Grumpy’s Gauntlet’’ – will present a challenging yet whimsical test of a golfer’s skills towards the end of a round.
Led by One Club Limited and its head golf course designer, Ken Baker, the reimagining of these holes has dramatically yet beautifully changed their look, demanding careful club selection to avoid massive waste bunkers, strategic shot-making around tricky doglegs, and precise putting on some of the course’s most undulated greens. They are expected to be among the most challenging finishing holes in Central Florida.
Par 4, No. 14, features a green that slopes away from the center on all four sides, which means getting approach shots to stop near the hole will be difficult. The par 5, No. 15, is 597 yards from the back tees. At 456 yards from the championship tees, the par 4, No. 16, will be a huge challenge to reach the green in regulation for many golfers, especially with two bodies of water along the left side of the hole. This series of holes culminates at par 3, No. 17, which is also a stern test of skills with water on both sides of the hole, and a green that slopes in multiple directions. Once golfers get through No. 17, there will likely be little doubt why this stretch of the course is called “Grumpy’s Gauntlet.’’
But the new whimsical Disney touches that have been added to the Magnolia course go far beyond just those four holes. In fact, every hole on the course has a name related to a Disney movie and includes a quote from legendary golfer Arnold Palmer or Walt Disney himself. For instance, hole No. 6 is called “The Mouse Trap” and features Walt Disney’s famous quote “I hope we never lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.” Hole No. 15 is called “The Dinglehopper” about the Disney movie The Little Mermaid with an Arnold Palmer quote that says, “It’s a funny thing; the more I practice, the luckier I get.”
And there is a cool, new 18-hole putting green at the course (It’s fondly called the “Greatest Green Ever Played”) that features a scorecard and hole locations that change almost daily. It’s both fun and challenging as a warmup before you tee off as well as a great option for the kids. The name pays homage to the biographical Walt Disney Pictures sports film, The Greatest Game Ever Played, which is based on the early life of amateur golf champion Francis Ouimet and his surprise victory at the 1913 U.S. Open.
In all, the putting green and the reimagined holes represent the most extensive redesign of the Magnolia course and the latest changes since 2015 when several enhancements were completed around the course, which is located across from the new Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows.
Now that all of that work is complete, it’s time to hit the links. Book your tee times at www.golfwdw.com.
Disney World Magnolia Golf Adds “Grumpy” Element to Fun Golfing Experience
