Bay Hill Club and Lodge
The Bay Hill Club & Lodge is a private golf club and hotel in the southeastern United States, located in Bay Hill, Florida, a suburb southwest of Orlando.
| Club information | |
|---|---|
   | |
| Coordinates | 28.458°N 81.511°W |
| Location | Bay Hill, Florida, U.S. |
| Elevation | 120 feet (37 m) |
| Established | 1961, 59 years ago |
| Type | Private |
| Total holes | 27 |
| Tournaments hosted | Arnold Palmer Invitational (1979–present) |
| Website | www |
| Challenger / Champion nines | |
| Designed by | Dick Wilson |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 8,400 yards (7,700 m) |
| Course rating | 76.4 |
| Slope rating | 138 [1] |
| Charger nine | |
| Designed by | Bob Simmons |
| Par | 36 |
| Length | 3,324 yards (3,039 m) |
| Course rating | 36.0 |
| Slope rating | 137 [2] |
The first 18 holes at Bay Hill (Champion / Challenger nines) were designed by Dick Wilson in 1961, and was built by Bob Simmons. Bob designed and built the additional 9 holes (Charger) after Dick's death; it is considered one of his best works. It illustrates his typical approach of slightly elevating the putting surfaces to improve visibility and drainage.[3]
The course covers 270 acres (1.1 km2), and lies between the community of Bay Hill and the Butler Chain of Lakes. There are 27 holes of golf available: the Challenger, Champion and Charger nines. It was owned by Arnold Palmer from 1974 until his death in 2016, and now by his daughter and son-in-law Amy & Roy Saunders. Bay Hill Club & Lodge also offers a 69-room Lodge, 6 guest cottages, the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy as well as various amenities such as tennis, instructional golf lessons, Spa & Fitness Center, and marina. You must be a member or registered Lodge guest to have access to the golf course and all Club amenities. The Golf Shop is open to the public.
Arnold Palmer Invitational
Bay Hill Club & Lodge is widely known as the site of the PGA Tournament, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, held annually each March. It has hosted the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour since 1979. Bay Hill is considered one of the more exciting non majors on the PGA Tour.
References
- "Course Rating and Slope Database™ - Bay Hill - Challenger/Champion". USGA. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
- "Course Rating and Slope Database™ - Bay Hill - Charger nine". USGA. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- Klein, Bradley S. (2013). "Dick Wilson Golf Course Architect". Golf Magazine. Archived from the original on 2013-10-31. Retrieved 2013-10-29.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)