Children’s Miracle Network Classic - course preview

This week the PGA Tour wraps up its fall series with the Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Walt Disney World Golf Resort’s Magnolia and Palm Courses in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Scott Welder, GCSAA Class A golf course superintendent, is the first and only superintendent at Disney World Resort, having begun his career at the course in 1971 when the facility was built.

With windy, record-breaking heat in the weeks leading up to the event, course conditions were fast and firm before Hurricane Ida delivered rain this week. The bermudagrass greens are still rolling 11-12 feet on the Stimpmeter and the bermudagrass rough is two inches tall and growing.

The first and second rounds will be played on both the Palm and Magnolia courses. The third and fourth rounds will be played solely on the Magnolia course. Named after the more than 1,500 magnolia trees that surround it, the Magnolia course was designed for big hitters with elevated tees and greens, rolling terrain and water on 10 of the 18 holes. The par-3 sixth hole pays tribute to Mickey Mouse with a bunker shaped to form his silhouette. The Palm course also features rolling terrain, but is tighter and lower in elevation.
 
Welder points to the par 5s as make-or-break points of each round, as they are all reachable risk/reward holes. All of the Disney World Golf Resort’s courses are Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program members.