Play away at The Reserve golf course at Orange Lake Resort in Kissimmee, Florida
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Reserve Course at Orange Lake Resort serves its role as capable backup well.
It's not the best golf course on the 1,450-acre timeshare property -- that honor belongs to The Legends by Arnold Palmer. The Reserve doesn't look or feel like a secondary option, though.
The site's original 27-hole course was transformed into the current 6,505-yard par-71 routing by Michael Dasher in 2005 (some of the land was used for the nine-hole, par-3 Crane's Bend course). The Reserve isn't as well maintained as The Legends, but it's still in good shape on a regular basis. It's also shorter and easier than its sister track, although there are plenty of places to find trouble.
A pond that guards the 552-yard fourth hole and 209-yard fifth hole creates a scenic but unnerving setting. Many rounds get derailed later at two tough par 4s, the narrow seventh hole or the waterlogged 16th hole.
Mike Minnich of Virginia regularly chooses The Reserve over The Legends. He's been coming to Orange Lake Resort since 1989.
"It's usually a little quieter. There are not as many people," Minnich said. "The Legends can be a bear. This is more relaxed."
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The Reserve at Orange Lake Resort