World-Class Orlando
Hawk’s Landing Golf Club at The World Center Marriott
By Tom LaMarre

Conventional wisdom has it that Disney dwarfs every other resort experience in Central Florida. While that may or may not be true, consider that the World Center Marriott is the largest property in that corporation’s portfolio. And as part of Marriott’s golf initiative to become a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by the end of this year, course officials tend dutifully to the native vegetation to protect the plentiful wildlife, though none are named Mickey or Donald.

Focal point of this other resort in Orlando, Fl., is Hawk’s Landing Golf Club, which circumvents the hotel, situated on 220 lush tropical acres alongside Interstate 4—which bisects Florida between Tampa to Daytona Beach. And in this business, it’s all about location, location, location. “Many of our guests do come here to spend a day or two at Disney and the other theme parks in Central Florida, and we do have those packages for them because they are close by,” said Christine Peters, director of leisure accounts at the World Center Marriott. “But there are so many activities and dining opportunities at our resort that you don’t have to leave the property to have a great experience. And we feel our resort is a real value when compared to Disney and the other resorts in the area.” The World Center Marriott offers guests with active lifestyles six heated swimming pools (one indoors) and six whirlpools, four lighted tennis courts, two sand volleyball courts, a basketball court and a 24-hour fitness center. And right outside the lobby is Hawk’s Landing Golf Club, one of the best resort courses in Florida and home to the Bill Madonna Golf Academy. Madonna has been rated a Top 100 Instructor by Golf magazine. “I played Hawk’s Landing with a group of friends that I went to high school with in California,” said Clare Simpson, who lives in Reno, Nev. “It’s a beautiful course with a variety of interesting holes, particularly the first par-five (No. 4).

“Even though the holes were very attractive and challenging, they were very forgiving for women, but not too short. The fairways were very lush and the greens were large and well-maintained. Everyone in our group really enjoyed the course, and I would go back and play it again.” The Hawk’s Landing course opened in 1986 and was designed by Joe Lee, who also created the Magnolia, Palm and Lake Buena Vista courses a few miles away at Walt Disney World, among several others in Central Florida.

However, the layout was redesigned in 2001 by Robert Cupp III and is much different than the original course. Four sets of tees, modern architectural techniques and water on 15 of the 18 holes provide a fun and challenging round for players of all abilities. This is one of those immaculate resort courses that makes you wonder why every layout cannot be groomed like this, with aquatic vegetation, native grasses, azaleas, jasmine, Chinese tallow, queen palms, oak, sand pines and magnolias adding to the landscape. The 6,602-yard course is relatively flat and plays to a par of 71, with a USGA rating of 72.6 and a slope of 131. However, it is a true resort experience because from the middle tees Hawk’s Landing plays to a manageable 6,165 yards and the first three holes are straightforward, allowing the high-handicapper to get comfortable before the real challenges begin. “That’s one of the things I really like about our golf course, that it’s challenging enough from the tips for the single-digit handicapper, but friendly enough for everyone to play,” said Mike Hodgins, director of golf at Hawk’s Landing. “That’s what makes a truly great resort course. “Water is strategically placed on 15 holes, but there is none on the first two holes, which are not long. No. 3 is a par-three that can play from 113 to 182 yards with water on the right. So you can get warmed up on the first three holes before reaching the challenging holes.” Then suddenly, at No. 4, it’s welcome to Hawk’s Landing. The first of a fine set of par-fives is not overly long at 535 yards from the back tee, but it is a double dogleg where water comes into play on every shot en route to the green. The tee ball must stay away from water all the way down the right side, the lay-up must be hit across the same lake to a narrowish landing area and the approach is across another lake to a relatively small green. Only on rare occasions can long hitters go for the green in two, but it’s a risky shot, although there is a bailout area to the right of the green. “That’s probably our best hole from a challenge standpoint, even though it’s not long,” Hodgins said. “It’s usually a three-shot hole for everybody because it’s such a high risk/reward to go for the green in two, but the water is a consideration on all three shots.

“The lay-up is a challenge, too, but there is room to the right, and the third shot generally is from 40-to-170 yards depending on how aggressive you want to be, but that lake consumes a lot of balls. The green is not large, so if you get there you have a real shot at par or birdie.
“But you really have to earn it with three good shots, the way it’s supposed to be on a tough par five.”

There’s nothing fancy about No. 7, but it’s probably the most difficult of the par-three holes because it measures 229 yards from the tips into the prevailing breeze. Don’t be fooled by the three bunkers to the left because they are 35 yards short of the green, but you can’t see that from the tee.

If you can’t reach the green with your tee shot, play out to the right because there is room to salvage a par with a pitch and a putt if you don’t stray too far into the flowerbeds lining the hole.

“You have to hit a hit long iron or a wood off the tee there and sometimes you can roll the ball up onto the green, but most of the time if you hit short it stays there because it’s an elevated green,” Hodgins said.

If you do come up short or barely miss the green there or on most of the other holes, the chipping areas are mowed close, giving the golfer several options including the putter—and there is very little rough on the course.

The ninth hole, a tree-lined 407-yard beauty of a par-four, is another one where water stares the golfer in the face on every shot, although the pond in front of the tee should not come into play. But be careful on the long approach shot because there is water left and behind the green.

“It’s a good finishing hole to the front side and you don’t have to be afraid to hit driver there because it’s a generous landing area,” Hodgins said. “The second shot should favor the right half of the green because of the water and sand to the left.

“No matter where the flag is, that gives you a little margin for error. Even if you don’t reach the green in two, there is room in the front to pitch and putt to save par.”

No. 12 is a par-four that features a challenging tee shot to a tight fairway with a lake on the left and out of bounds to the right. The 412-yarde hole doglegs left around the lake, but the number is deceiving because a good tee shot can leave an approach shot across the lake with only an eight or nine iron—but it’s all carry.

The second shot must stay a little right because of the lake and there is some bailout area.
“I’ve always thought it was one of the most difficult holes on the course, especially when it plays into the wind,” Hodgins said. “That makes for two difficult, exact shots to get it on the green, but if you get there you will have a chance for a terrific par or birdie.”

No. 15 is a deceptive beauty, only 142 yards from the back tee, with a landscape of palm trees and flower beds and a lake on the left that runs to the edge of the deep green, which angles right-to-left alongside the water.

Although it’s not a long shot, accuracy is required. If you bail out to the right because of the lake, you will have a dicey chip toward the water if you want to save par.

“Aesthetically, it might be our best hole,” Hodgins said.

Hawk’s Landing saves another one of the best for last, a 565-yard monster of a par-five that rates No. 1 on the card, with water again looking the golfer in the eye on all three shots.
After a tee shot over a large body of water, the second shot must be squeezed between bunkers on the left and a lake that begins at 125 yards out and protects a wide, shallow and undulating green.

“You can grip-it-and-rip-it off the tee, because there is plenty of room out there,” Hodgins advised. “The second shot is challenging because you run out of room up there between the bunkers and the lake, but you want to be within 120 yards to hit a short-iron to the green.
“The right three-quarters of the green is covered by water and it’s wide, but not deep, with more water in the back. The most difficult hole location is on the right, so you just want to hit the middle of the green to make sure your putt is no longer than about 30 feet.
“We think it’s a great finishing hole.”

Afterward, check out the award-winning pro shop, which features Callaway Golf rental equipment, and you might want to eat dinner at Hawk’s Landing Steakhouse and Grille, which is located in the clubhouse.

Or simply walk a few steps back to the hotel to enjoy all of the other resort amenities.
“I really liked the pro shop, one of the better ones I’ve seen, and I bought several nice items in there,” Simpson said. “They had a large women’s selection, which was nice, because you don’t see that everywhere. And the staff was great, very informative and helpful, from the cart girls to the pros.

“Afterward, we went over to the sports bar (High Velocity) in the hotel and had a great time. They had different sports on televisions all over the room, and they had these huge liters of beer. We just had a wonderful time there.”

In addition to the Hawk’s Landing Steakhouse, which features the finest cuts of USDA prime beef and the freshest seafood, there are several other dining experiences at the World Center Marriott.

Ristorante Tuscany is staffed by chefs trained at Ristorante Antica Posta in San Casciano, Italy, in the Tuscan Hills near Florence. Enjoy true Tuscan cooking, a delicate blend of meats, fish, vegetables, spices and condiments—plus the finest Tuscan wines—enjoyed by Florentines for centuries.

Mikado Japanese Steakhouse offers authentic Japanese food prepared right at your table by skilled teppan yaki chefs. Enjoy fresh sushi combinations and specialty drinks along with live entertainment.

The Solaris Restaurant in the hotel lobby is open all day, every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering home-style cooking using only fresh ingredients. Don’t miss the world-class breakfast buffet and the spectacular Friday night seafood buffet. Be sure to try the signature cornflake crusted French toast and the classic rock shrimp clam chowder.

The Mangrove Emporium Food Court is a real favorite for active people who want to grab a quick bite in between all the activities available at the World Center Marriott. Among the offerings are brick-oven pizza, philly cheese steak, burgers, grilled chicken, salads and Haagen-Dazs ice cream. Guests can eat in or take their food to go.

Shoppers can browse the on-site Mangrove Emporium Retail Shops, which feature Tommy Bahama, Brighton, Fossil and other name brands, the Hawk’s Landing Golf Shop (Callaway, Cutter & Buck, Slazenger, Nike), the News Network and Starbucks.

Within a short drive are the Mall of Millenia, Downtown Disney Marketplace, the Florida Mall, Belz Factory Outlet, Orlando Premium Outlets and Park Avenue in nearly Winter Park, where you can shop-until-you-drop.

After that, it would be a good time to slow down and pamper yourself in the World Center Marriott’s full-service spa, which features a wide assortment of massage, body, skin and nail treatments.

With or without a trip to Disney, it’s plain to see this Marriott is World-class.