Celebration Golf Club: Playing the Last Course Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Jr.
History, challenge, and 17 holes of water — welcome to one of Central Florida's most storied rounds of golf
Celebration Golf Club is an 18-hole public championship course located at 701 Golfpark Drive in Kissimmee, FL 34747, within the master-planned community of Celebration. Opened in 1996, it is the final collaborative course design by father-and-son golf architects Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Robert Trent Jones Jr. The par-72 layout stretches up to 7,028 yards from the back tees with a slope rating of 140 and a USGA course rating of 74.5, featuring Champion Dwarf Bermuda greens and water hazards on 17 of 18 holes. The course sits less than 3 miles from Walt Disney World Resort and is ranked consistently among the top golf courses in the Orlando area.
Here's something most people moving to Central Florida don't realize: tucked inside Celebration's tree-lined streets, just a few minutes from the Walt Disney World Resort, is a golf course with genuine historical significance. Not just "nice course, great views" significance — we're talking about a place that holds a singular position in golf architecture history.
Celebration Golf Club is the last course ever collaboratively designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Robert Trent Jones Jr. The elder Jones was one of the most prolific and influential golf architects of the 20th century, responsible for hundreds of courses worldwide and a reputation for courses that demanded — and rewarded — precision. His son carried that legacy forward with over 270 designs across the globe. Together, they left their final joint mark on a daily-fee public course in Osceola County. For golf enthusiasts, that's a big deal.
The History Behind the Course
When The Walt Disney Company developed Celebration in the early 1990s — its ambitious master-planned community inspired by Walt Disney's original EPCOT vision — a championship golf course was always part of the plan. Disney tapped Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Jr. for the project, and the two architects approached it the way they approached every design: with the belief that "every hole should be a hard par and an easy bogey."
The course opened in 1996, the same year that Celebration's first residents began moving into the community's carefully designed neighborhoods. Within a few years, it became clear that the Jones team had delivered something special. Golf Digest recognized it as one of the best-designed courses in Florida. It earned a spot on Women's Magazine's list of top courses for women. And in a major vote of confidence for its tournament-caliber conditions, the Golf Channel selected it as the inaugural Golf Channel Academy facility.
Robert Trent Jones Sr. retired not long after the course was completed. Celebration Golf Club stands as their final collaboration — the capstone of a father-son legacy that shaped modern golf course design.
What Makes This Course Play the Way It Does
The numbers: par-72, up to 7,028 yards from the tips, slope of 140, USGA rating of 74.5. Five tee sets ranging from 4,933 to 7,028 yards reflect the Jones philosophy — challenging enough to humble a scratch golfer, accessible enough for beginners and juniors to have a great time.
Water is the defining feature of the layout, coming into play on 17 of 18 holes. The par-4 second is the only one where you can keep a dry ball. The course winds through natural wetlands and pristine lakes framed by native oaks, pines, and magnolia trees. The front nine borders wide community boulevards lined with replica pre-1940 homes evoking America's South, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. The back tightens into more tree-lined corridors with greater variety — two distinctly different personalities in one round.
Tournament History and Accolades
If you want to judge a golf course by the company it keeps, Celebration Golf Club passes with flying colors. The club has hosted the U.S. Senior Open Qualifier, the Robert Gamez Celebrity Invitational, the Florida State Public Links Championship, the Buick Scramble National Championships, and The Golf Channel's Drive, Chip and Putt Finals.
That last one speaks volumes. The Drive, Chip and Putt Finals is a joint initiative of Augusta National Golf Club, the PGA of America, and the USGA. Holding the finals here says something about the course's conditions and its standing in the golf community.
The Golf Academy at Celebration
Celebration Golf Club isn't just a place to play — it's a place to get better. The on-site Golf Academy holds the distinction of being the inaugural Golf Channel Academy facility. Lead coach John Montgomery has been recognized by Golf Digest as one of the "Best Young Coaches in America" three years running. Instruction is available for all skill levels, from private lessons to group clinics, plus a junior program with after-school camps and seasonal academies. The facility also houses the Florida Elite Fitting Studio for custom PING club fitting.
If you're relocating to Central Florida and planning to make golf part of your regular routine, this is one of the most complete on-site instruction setups in the region. Find complete information in our Celebration sports and athletics guide.
Location and Getting There
Celebration Golf Club sits at 701 Golfpark Drive in Kissimmee, FL 34747 — technically mailing-address Kissimmee, though it's firmly within the Celebration community. The location near the intersection of I-4 and US 192 makes it remarkably accessible from all over the metro area:
- Walt Disney World Resort — under 3 miles
- Downtown Kissimmee — approximately 8 miles east via US 192
- Downtown Orlando — about 17 miles north
- Orlando International Airport — approximately 16 miles
- Sea World / Discovery Cove — about 7 miles
For visitors staying near the theme parks, Celebration Golf Club is often the most convenient high-quality course in the area. For residents of Kissimmee and Celebration, it's essentially a neighborhood amenity. Check out our Walt Disney World Florida resident information guide for more on what it's like living in the Walt Disney World corridor.
Living Near Celebration Golf Club
For homebuyers who prioritize walkable access to golf, North Village in Celebration is directly adjacent to the club. Georgetown Condos and Mirasol Condos sit within half a mile in the same golf corridor. Celebration's broader appeal — 26-plus miles of interconnected trails, the pedestrian-friendly Market Street Town Center, top-rated Osceola County schools — makes the golf course an anchor for a complete live-work-play lifestyle. Explore it further in our Celebration parks and recreation guide and browse listings on our Celebration homes for sale page.
Adjacent communities worth comparing include Kissimmee to the east and Dr. Phillips to the northwest. For those building out a local golf rotation, our Orange County National Golf Center article covers one of the region's premier multi-course facilities.
What the Locals Know
Celebration Golf Club punches well above its weight as a daily-fee public course. Most golfers expecting a typical resort layout walk away impressed — by the conditioning, the challenge, and the sense that the land was shaped by people who genuinely cared about the game.
You're not playing a museum piece. You're playing a well-maintained, tournament-proven course that happens to be the last thing two giants of golf architecture made together. For families relocating to Osceola County, the Golf Academy's junior programs are a hidden gem — nationally recognized instruction, tournament pedigree, and a public course that's open to everyone. That combination puts Celebration Golf Club in a category of its own in Central Florida. 🏌️
For tee times, course details, and Golf Academy information, visit the official Celebration Golf Club website.
Thinking about making Celebration or the surrounding Osceola County communities your home? Explore our Celebration sports and athletics guide or browse our full Celebration homes for sale listings. Questions? Contact us for personalized relocation advice!
