REUNION RESORT Tradition Course (888-418-9611 )
Florida Golf Course Review
General information
Reunion Resort is one of the most prestigious golf resorts in the Southeast regions that is built on 2300 rolling acres near Walt Disney World. The focal
point of this upscale residential and resort environment is golf - with three championship courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Jack
Nicklaus. This is not only a golfer's paradise however - but also a family retreat, as Reunion combines the best of resort amenities with small-town life.
Ownership opportunities are available in residences that include single family homes, condominiums and townhouses. The resort includes horse stables,
tennis courts, a state-of-the-art spa and fitness center, a water park and swimming pools in various locations, miles of biking and hiking trails plus shopping
and dining in Reunion Square. The courses are open to members and resort guests only - with stay and play packages available year round (two-night
minimum stay required). You can call 888-418-9611 for information - and we also recommend you visit our page for the resort with abundant photos, text
and direct web links to the Reunion website by clicking here!
This is a wonderful place for a golf or family vacation!
The Legacy by Arnold Palmer and the Independence by Tom Watson were both selected by Golfweek Magazine as two of the top 40 new courses in the
United States for 2004. Reunion Resort is home to the LPGA Ginn Open - the only full field LPGA Tour event in the state of Florida (call 407-662-1700 or visit www.GinnOpen.com for more information).
Reunion Resort is also home to the Annika Academy - Annika Sorenstam's signature training facility. Located at the driving range and housed in a
spacious 5,400 sq. ft. facility, the Academy offers a modern fitness room, full-service locker rooms, large hitting booths for covered swing training, video
analysis and Callaway Golf club fitting.
Tradition Course by Jack Nicklaus
The Tradition course will be serviced by a separate clubhouse (still in the planning), and a temporary proshop provides the bare necessities in the
meantime. The clubhouse for the Independence and the Legacy course is just a short distance away expansive and offers golfers a wide selection of
equipment and attire. The practice facilities are comprehensive - with targeted grass range, putting greens and short game areas for chipping, pitching
and bunker practice. Each cart is equipped with a Sky Caddie GPS system, a cooler and rear canvas covers to protect clubs during inclement weather.
There also are comfort stations set up along the course that feature ice and water. All the tee boxes are marked, and sprinkler heads are also measured
to the center of the green and a 150 yard stake is provided on all par fours and fives.
Considered the most difficult of the three Ginn Reunion Resort golf courses, the Tradition course is a parkland style layout designed by legend Jack
Nicklaus. It offers four sets of tees - all providing a significant challenge. The gold tees measure 7,244 yards with a slope 147 and a rating of 76.7, the
blue tees are 6,537 yards (142 slope/72.6 rating), white tees are 6,260 yards (140 slope/71.3 rating) and the red tees measure 5,055 yards with a slope of 124 and a rating of 69.1.
The course is beautifully maintained with nicely landscaped tee box areas, immaculately conditioned Bermuda fairways and rough and very quick and
treacherous elevated TiffEagle greens. Pretty water features come into play on 7 holes. Most tee shots on the Tradition course demanded a carry over
waste area or water (with the exception of the forward tees, which are very player friendly). The course is fairly wide open with expansive views of the
fairways that tempt golfers to take the big shots - but there is a danger that lurks everywhere on this course. We counted over 110 bunkers (not including
sand waste areas). The strategic placement of these hazards will force players to chose their clubs carefully and the concentrate on precision rather than
hitting that long drive. There are a few grip it and rip it holes but for the most part, intricate bunkering will force careful thought and demand good ball placement.
As with all of the Reunion Resort courses, the Tradition is a spectacular layout and the service is country club class. We cannot say enough about this
resort and the courses - they are a "must play" in the Orlando area. For more information on this course, please click here.
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