Last month Golf Aficionado got a taste of the good life at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. The Waldorf Astoria is located in the Bonnet Creek area right next door to Walt Disney World. If you’re planning a trip to Disney the Waldorf offers full shuttle service to all the amusement parks and the on-site amenities are sure to impress the family.
From the moment we arrived at the Waldorf Astoria we experienced superior service. The experience started with the hotel valet who promptly offered to help with our luggage and tended to our vehicle. As we made our way over to the front desk we couldn’t help but take notice of the beautiful lobby clock which was the centerpiece of their exquisite lobby. By the time we made it to the front desk we already had a glass of complimentary champagne and the feeling that we were experiencing the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Don’t worry this is Golf Aficionado, and the Waldorf Astoria hosts a Rees Jones designed par 72 golf course which plays 7,108 from the tips.
We weren’t playing golf until the next day so we took the opportunity to experience everything the Waldorf Astoria had to offer. After getting settled into our well-appointed room with luxury liens and toiletries we decided to make our way down to the pool. However, before we could make it out to the pool we noticed a table full of sundae toppings and the smell of fresh waffle cones. Of course we had to investigate this further and found that the Waldorf Astoria staff was busy putting on a fresh ice cream exhibition.
We watched as they transformed various ingredients and a touch of nitrogen into fresh vanilla ice cream. 
Once it was ready we all enjoyed a scoop in one of their freshly made waffle cones and proceeded to try several different toppings including fresh cream and berries.
After being sidetracked by ice cream we eventually made our way to the pool. We were promptly greeted and escorted to the lounger of our choice where the pool attended not only gave us pool towels but installed comfy liners on our lounge chairs. By this time, I was ready for a pool side nap but I made my way into the pool followed by the hot tub. As I relaxed in the hot tub, I couldn’t help but notice all the various activities available around the pool from corn hole to a life-sized chest table. After spending several hours at the pool we decided to call it a night and head to the room.
When I woke up in the morning I thought the best thing that was going to happen today was playing 18 holes of golf but surprisingly I was wrong. Not that the golf wasn’t great but breakfast was out of this world. After enjoying the waterfall shower we got on our golf gear and headed down stairs for the breakfast buffet at Oscar’s Brasserie. The experience was a combination of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and Man vs. Food! I have to admit I’m a golf nut but if I had to choose between breakfast at Oscar’s and 18 holes of golf at the Waldorf I’d be using my knife and fork more than my 7-iron. Lucky for me I got to experience both!
OK let’s get onto the golf, after all this is Golf Aficionado. The service and staff at the golf club are on par with the hotel staff. The golf club offers full valet service, before you know it your clubs are headed down to the practice range and your car is parked. The pro shop is nicely appointed with all the latest apparel, if you forgot your golf belt don’t worry they even carry alligator skin belts in various colors. Once you’ve checked-in and picked up some goodies from the pro shop head out back where the course staff is ready to carry your bags to the range or any answer any questions you may have.
The practice area is superior, complete with adirondack chairs and a cooler full of ice cold Waldorf Astoria bottled water. After warming up on the range, I highly advise making your way over to the practice green and getting a feel for the speed of the greens. After rolling in a few practice putts it’s time to head over to the first tee where the starter will give you a warm welcome and an overview of the course.
All the greens are elevated at the Waldorf but be careful because if you add on too much club you’ll be long and almost every green has nothing but trouble behind it. The first thing you’ll notice about the course from the first tee is it’s a tight layout and accuracy not distance is going to be rewarded. The next thing you’ll notice is that there are a ton of bunkers in play, my advice, is stay out of them. Several times I found myself hitting out of a bunker only to end up in another bunker further down protecting the green.
The course is very flat, which is pretty common for Central Florida and the difficultly comes from the tight fairways and numerous bunkers. If you can keep it straight and correctly judge the greens you’ll have a great time and shoot a good score. However, if you don’t take caution and constantly pull out driver it’s probably going to long day in the sand and a higher than usual score.
Waldorf Astoria Golf Club Orlando Rating 4 out of 5 Stars
As a golf only experience goes don’t get too carried away with the 4 star rating. We loved our experience at the Waldorf Astoria but it was just that, an experience. The service, amenities, staff, and excellent course conditions really push the golf club to a 4 star rating.
To give you an example of the level of service we’re talking about I’ll share my experience with Mary, one of the beverage cart ladies, I love margaritas but they don’t carry margaritas on the cart, however Mary did have fresh limes, lemonade, and Patrón which turned out to be one of the best on course margaritas I’ve ever had.
The golf course layout is challenging and demands accuracy, but there aren’t any memorable holes that will have you running back home to share stories with your golf buddies. However, you’ll feel like royalty and be challenged to keep it in the fairway all day. Once you make the green, you’ll find the battle has only just begun, fast greens with plenty of undulation make every putt difficult. At the Waldorf you can always expect the course conditions to be excellent, and the staff to treat you like gold!