Best Courses to Play in Florida: Mission Resort + Club

Without question, the Orlando area is one of the United States’ premier golfing destinations. After all, it offers opportunities to golf at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge’s Challenger and Champion courses, along with Disney’s Lake Buena Vista, Magnolia and Palm Courses, among several others.

However, let’s face it. Orlando’s busyness and high traffic can be overwhelming at times. Thankfully, there is an option to escape the hustle and bustle though.

Mission Resort + Club.

Not only is the resort and club located in the small town of Howey-In-The-Hills just 35 minutes outside of Orlando, but it’s renowned for its laidback nature as well.

Perhaps the resort and club’s friendly staff help guests fully relax. Or maybe its Spanish architecture allows them to step back in time and slow down. One could argue that its spacious pool, gorgeous hot tub area, lounges, poolside bar and four restaurants minimize guests’ stress levels, too.

Despite their challenges, Mission Resort + Club’s two championship courses — El Campeón (or The Champion) and Las Colinas (or The Hills) — reduce golfers’ tensions as well. Due to their natural beauty, golfers tend to focus more on the courses’ sceneries than their difficulties.

“Guests rarely talk about how challenging the golf courses are. Instead, they tell me how beautiful they both are,” says Bryan Mulry, the PGA, Director of Golf. “The primary reason? Mission Resort + Club is located on landscape they don’t typically see in Central Florida.”

Built in 1917, the resort and club’s El Campeón is nestled on hilly terrain, which features significant elevation changes that are truly unique for the Sunshine State. For further challenges, the course also has plenty of water hazards, ample bunkers, relatively narrow fairways and fast, undulating greens, among other difficulties.

Regardless of these daunting tests, golfers are quickly enamored by the course’s overabundance of green, lush and tropical vegetation though. The natural beauty is seemingly endless as well, as golfers can be captivated by a gorgeous sunrise’s or sunset’s orange, pink, red and yellow hues too — if they play the course at the right time, that is.

“Make no mistake about it: El Campeón is a difficult course that challenges very experienced golfers,” Mulry stresses. “As an example, its 16th hole offers an island green that’s surrounded by a bunker, while the 17th hole has a large oak tree in the middle of the fairway. Nevertheless, golfers can’t help but fully embrace the course’s pristineness, even as they’re looking for lost balls.”

Although Las Colinas isn’t nearly as challenging as El Campeón, it still provides plenty of difficulties, too. For instance, golfers will have to encounter the course’s 2nd hole, a 206-yard par-three that’s situated behind a lake. Additionally, they’ll need to overcome several tree-lined fairways, which will force them to work the balls both ways off of the tees. Despite these various challenges, they’ll be just as awestruck by Las Colinas’ views as they are by El Campeón’s.

“There aren’t too many golf resorts that offer two courses as different as El Campeón and Las Colinas are, as one is extremely hilly, while the other was developed throughout residences and trees,” Mulry states. “Yet, their differences complement each other. Without ever having to leave the property, golfers will be tested at two entirely diverse layouts, while simultaneously enjoying the natural beauty of each course’s tropical vegetation and waterways.”

Even though both courses have acquired praise from thousands upon thousands of golfers — and earned accolades from publications like Golfweek (which listed El Campeón as a “Best Resort Course” and Las Colinas as a “Best Course You Can Play”) — Mission Resort + Club is focused on enhancing its guests’ experiences even more.

For instance, this summer, new irrigation will be installed at El Campeón. Additionally, some bunkers at Las Colinas have recently been renovated, whereas its drainage has been improved, too.

“The future is certainly bright at Mission Resort + Club,” Mulry says. “Undoubtedly, the property has an incredible past, leading to 176 guestrooms, suites and villas. But we can’t wait for what’s to come either!”

No matter what the future holds, one aspect of the resort and club will never change: its seclusion and, in turn, tranquility.

“It’s a hidden gem that will likely always remain as quiet and secluded as it is today,” Mulry emphasizes. “If you’re seeking complete serenity, we welcome you to visit this very special place and witness its calmness for yourself.”

Arlington Ridge Golf Club: An 18-hole course located in nearby Leesburg, Arlington Ridge features a river, along with plenty of trees and hazards that will challenge virtually any golfer.

Monarch Golf Club: Also located in Leesburg, this semi-private, 18-hole course is known for its conditioning and relatively short length (6,008 yards from the back tees).