Three legends’ courses, one key: a Reunion booking.
Reunion Resort sits just south-west of Walt Disney World, off Interstate 4 near Kissimmee, and its three courses carry the names of Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The Watson Course, first called the Independence, opened in 2004 as Watson’s first design in Florida. There is no easy route on as an outsider. Golf is a privilege of staying in a home or villa managed by the resort, which makes this a stay-and-play decision rather than a casual green fee.
Reunion Resort (Watson Course) green fees and tee times.
Only registered resort guests and members can play. The resort’s FAQ is precise: guests in a vacation home managed directly by Reunion can play all three Signature courses, while guests in homes run by its Preferred Rental Partners may also have access, though it varies by home. Confirm golf access before you book a rental. Green fees are charged on top of the mandatory daily resort fee, and tee times are required but not guaranteed. Book as early as possible on 407-396-3199. Golf packages, such as the Classic for one to 11 golfers with villa lodging and one round per adult per night on a two-night minimum, are sold through the resort’s packages page and reservations team. Groups of more than 12 go to the golf sales team by email at inquiries@reunionresort.com.
The courses at Reunion Resort (Watson Course).
Watson Course
Opened in 2004 as the Independence, and the resort still uses that name on its maintenance calendar. Reviewers describe it as a parkland layout with sand scattered throughout, and many find it the most playable of the three. Expect wide fairways and big greens, with bunkers doing the defending.
Palmer Course
Originally the Legacy, this par-72 course of 6,916 yards also opened in 2004 and has elevation changes of up to 50 feet, which is unusual in central Florida. It is shorter than Watson, but the slopes leave more uneven lies than you find on most Orlando courses.
Nicklaus Course
The Tradition, a parkland design by Jack Nicklaus and the last of the three to open. Its subsoil is a mix of clay and sand, so in 2019 the bunkers were made smaller with the Nicklaus design team and given liners to keep that mix out of the sand.
The round, in perspective.
Watson built a course that leans on sand and slopes rather than water. Reviewers count more than 120 bunkers, of every shape and depth, and there are almost no water hazards, which gives it a firmer, more open feel than most Orlando golf. The card is 7,154 yards and par 72 from the back. Fairways are wide and rolling, and the greens are TifEagle Bermuda, fast and full of borrows. Strategy matters more than length: the trouble is around the greens, where the bunkers and the reads decide your score. In 2019 the resort spent US$800,000 across all three courses on bunker and landscape upgrades and new drainage to stop washouts. The front nines of Watson and Palmer were combined into a composite course for the LPGA’s Ginn Open.
Know before you go.
Access
Resort guests and members only
Tee times
Required, not guaranteed; call 407-396-3199
Pace of play
4 hours 20 minutes or less for 18 holes
Groups
More than 12 players through group sales
Make the trip work.
Plan three or four nights so you can play each course once and replay your favourite. The resort expects a round to take four hours twenty minutes or less, and it can close courses for maintenance or business demand at short notice, so keep one flexible day. Driving-range use without a booked tee time costs US$25 at the pro shop, while the putting greens and chipping area are free for guests. Check the published maintenance calendar too: in November 2026 each course has listed closure days. The Classic package includes a US$30 per golfer daily breakfast credit.
Orlando International (MCO) is about 27 miles north-east by road, typically 30 to 35 minutes by car. Reunion sits off I-4 roughly six to nine miles south-west of Walt Disney World. Hire a car: the golf, the water park and the nearby courses are all spread out.
Accommodation is entirely resort-managed homes and villas. The Grande Tower has one- and two-bedroom condo-style villas with kitchens and balconies, and Center Court Ridge has two- and three-bedroom villas near the community pool and tennis courts. The larger private homes run from three bedrooms to well over ten, many with private pools and games rooms. The mandatory resort fee, listed at US$40 a night plus tax, covers the five-acre water park, pools and Wi-Fi, and a free shuttle runs around the property.
Make a trip of it.
ChampionsGate’s two Greg Norman courses at the Omni resort are about ten minutes south-west, and Celebration Golf Club is around 15 minutes north. The Waldorf Astoria Golf Club and Orange County National are both within about 30 minutes for a public round. Off the course, Old Town in Kissimmee and Lake Tohopekaliga’s airboat tours make easy half-days.
Find your season.
November to April is peak season, with mild, dry weather and the best course conditions. Summer brings heat, humidity and daily storms; the resort has run summer golf offers then, including stays with one round per adult per night from late spring to the end of August. Hurricane season ends on 30 November.
Generally no. The three Signature courses are for members and guests staying in resort-managed homes or villas. Some Preferred Rental Partner homes include access, but not all. Some reviewers report public summer tee times appearing on booking sites, but one reported a third-party booking that the resort could not find on arrival, so confirm with the golf desk first.
How do I book a tee time on the Watson Course?
Once your stay is booked, call the golf desk on 407-396-3199. Tee times are required and not guaranteed, so book as soon as your dates are fixed. Golf packages that bundle rounds and villa lodging are booked through the resort’s packages page.
How long is the Watson Course at Reunion?
It is 7,154 yards and par 72 from the back tees, and it opened in 2004. The Palmer Course is shorter at 6,916 yards, and both have been upgraded since a 2019 bunker and drainage project.
Does the resort fee include golf?
No. The mandatory daily resort fee, listed at US$40 plus tax, makes registered guests eligible for the three courses and covers the water park, but each round carries its own charge and range use without a tee time costs US$25.
Last checked 10 November 2026. This is an independent planning guide, not a first-hand review or a booking service. Check live availability, access, fees and travel details with the operator before booking. Airport suggestions are starting points for route planning.
