The Reserve at Orange Lake Resort

First few holes pretty rough conditions. Back nine in better shape. Greens need work, clumps of weeds throughout. Mostly narrow shotmakers layout. We were staying at the resort so very convenient but I wouldn't go out of my way to get here until conditions improve.

Course was in ok shape given that the area has had little rain. Would definitely play again anytime worth the money and the course is quite challenging...

Course conditions were the worst of all six we played. Very little if any grass left on fairways, greens were so hard that balls would bounce several times and then run a great distance and as for putting, well, lest just say it would be easier on cement.

Half the course was so dry there was little if any grass to hit off. I understand the drought but how can you charge a premium rate and not water the tees and greens. The tees were horrible barely any grass and totally full of weeds this course wont be playable again until it can be reseeded and it rains. STAY AWAY don't waste your money

This course needed a lot of work. I had 5 clients from out of town and it was kind of embarrassing.

Despite the weather and the lack of rain in central Florida the course conditions hold up quite well. Fairways were still green with the scattered dry spot, the greens were in great condition, considering the weather, with only minimal dry/patchy spots but they rolled true. Some of the water hazards no longer have any water in them but are clearly marked. Staff was very friendly including bag pickup and drop off at our vehicle with a cleaning. Over 18 holes we seen the snack cart 7 times and they provided us with some ice for our cooler. Got a "hot deal" on Golfnow which made the price great. The only complaint, which was not the fault of the course, was the pace of play. We got stuck behind a slow foursome and threesome which made our round ~4.5 hours. Overall, it was a great course to play my first round of the year, and the first round vacation.

It's going to be tough for me to say anything negative about any OL course, but I will be honest.

The course is indeed the worst I have ever seen it. My dad and I have been owners at OL since 2001, and that was back when the Legends was new, and the Legends Walk course was well taken care of, and there were 3 9-hole courses. The Reserve wasn't even a thing yet.

In 2001, the golf was owned and operated by the resort. Somewhere around 2009, the golf portion at OL was sold or leased (not sure which) to a private golf course management company that has allowed it to go downhill. Legends Walk used to be appealing by itself - 5 sets of tees, very nice tee boxes, employees mowing and taking care of it every morning...this is no longer the case.

The Reserve I believe opened in maybe 2008, after the 3 9-hole courses were changed and turned into Crane's Bend and The Reserve.

Now for the actual review. You will be greeted by a bag drop representative who will put your clubs on a cart for you. The cashier checking you out inside the "Clubhouse" (The Marketplace) may not be a golf representative at all...he may be an everyday OL employee. This is much different than the experience down the road at The Legends.

You won't be given tees anymore like you were in 2001, or hot OL embroidered towels. You won't be given any sleeves of balls or range balls anymore either. It's a golf course on a resort that is no longer incredibly appealing to big snowbird golfers. If you are seeking a place that is going to give you more perks and more options for $30, you're probably at the wrong place - but let me know where you go because for $30 I'm happy to be able to get a cart with my round.

You will be checked in by a starter who will tell you the pin positions. You won't have a GPS in your cart like you do at other, more upscale courses. You may not have a pin position card in your cart. You may not have sod in your cart to replace divots, and you may not even have a cooler. I believe we had a cooler, but no divot replacement sand/sod.

You will head to the first hole and likely be delighted by the shorter distances; even from the tips the course is not very long. However it is challenging, and occasionally forces you to leave the driver in the bag. I have been playing for a long time, I carry a 3.7 handicap, and can drive the ball over 300 yards...I continue to find this course very enjoyable because I don't hit driver on every hole. There are some forced carries, and there are some serious bunkers out there.

As of this review, April 2017, the course is dry. Very dry. However - I'm not going to beat up OL the way that other reviewers did. We went and played 2 Disney courses, Mystic Dunes, and other courses in the area, and every single course had the same problems.

The fairways are dry at The Reserve, but they are not brown and beat up - yes, maybe on a hole or two, but they are not brutal. Four or five of the greens may have some patches, but every course in the area has the same problem. Do realize that they are not charging top rates, and I bet when the off-season comes in a few weeks, they will rip the greens out and make them what they once were.

Florida is going through an incredible drought right now. This is not the course's fault. The only fault I put on the course is the poor management and the decision to sell-out years ago. The place used to be something I couldn't wait to go play, and now its just Florida golf to me. They seeded too early, that's fairly obvious, but the lack of rain has hurt them too. There isn't much you can do about that.

I always enjoy my golf at OL. I enjoy being an owner here. I enjoy spending $30-$40 to play 18 holes with a cart when it's snowing at home.

The course is in very poor condition, the fairways were mostly dirt and the greens were in very poor shape. After the round we complained about the conditions and we were told that the course is going to be close soon to try to bring it back into shape. Clearly not worth $45

We play this course everytime we are in Orlando as Orange Lake owners. What a disappointment. The fairways were barren, the greens were not much better in places, the flowerbeds were full of weeds. We played winter rules so we could find some grass to play off on the fairways. Not sure if we will ever play there again after this experience when there are so many other courses in the area and for much less.

I play this course every time I am in Orlando but this is the first time I was ever disappointed. I know the weather had been hot and dry but nothing could have prepared me for the mess we faced. we were not told what shape the course was in until the starter told us we may want to play rollovers in the fairway if we could find some grass. The tee boxes and fairways were barren and the greens were also patchy. I could understand if all courses were like this but we played a number of others and this was the worst. I hope the course gets the TLC it requires and can get back to its former shape.

Have vacationed here many times, and have always picked the reserve course over legends or cranes bend. The course has always been in immaculate shape and the staff has always been spot on. However, today I showed up, they put my bag on a cart, I went into the pro shop paid my cheap greens fee and took off to 1 tee. I was immediately disappointed by the course just by looking at the 1st tee box. Very dry, bare, and weeds up to my calves! The fairway on hole 1 was the same way, weedy and bare. This was basically the same conditions throughout the whole front nine. Finally we got to the back, which is in far better shape. The front was so bad I almost returned my cart and left the joint after the front 9! This resort golf courses are owned by a company that buys courses around central Florida for cheap and maintains the off bait minimuns and the company is called Integrity. I have played many integrity ran courses surround central FL (rio pinar, hunters creek, ridge wood lakes) and orange lake has always been the best and has always been my favorite. However, after playing it today, I almost never want to play again. Every other integrity course is like Augusta National to this course. And remember, it's integrity,, they maintain courses off bare minimums. Staff was very rude, and had attitudes. The bag guy didn't clean my clubs after, didn't even say hello or how my round went. He even actually stole my water bottle after we I pleasantly asked him to put in my cart when I first arrived. However greens were averse but Never will play again.

This is course that was designed through a time share / condo complex. Almost all of the holes are either bordered by condo's, thick Florida scrub (bushes, cypress, and pine trees). You really need to be on your game and if it is a windy day you need to be able to flight the ball down and have really good control of your iron game. Many of the greens are guarded by either ponds or sand traps.

While this is a straightforward golf course it is one of the toughest I've played in the Orlando area. We did see a small gator in one of the ponds, which is kinda cool. One of my approach shots ended up a bit short and rolled back into the water surrounding the green, saw a gator quickly swim to the ball. I assume he thought it might be dinner. It did give me new respect on not to go after a golf ball when it rolls into a pond. This alligator swam much faster than I know I can move.

Staff was friendly and accommodating.

Not sure if I would play again, very difficult course and there are other courses in the area that are better suited to my style of play. Normally I shoot in the mid to high eighties and I carded a 3 digit score on this tight track.

I've played this course multiple times and I have to say that this is the worst I've seen in. The saving grace was that the greens were in good shape, had great speed and ran true. That made the fact that the rest of the course was in really bad shape bearable.

Fairways and greens in great shape. A fun but challenging course we enjoy playing when in town.

I have played this course a few times during each trip to Florida. This is theworseshape it has been in. Bad greens....etc. I would not play here again.