I was in Orlando to attend the Global Business Travel Association annual conference, held at the Orlando Convention Center. Pre-convention festivities included a madhouse scramble at ChampionsGate Golf Club as a guest of EVA Air. I teamed with EVA’s Gary Huang and Daryl Yu; Jack Jeremy of American Express joined us to complete the foursome.

Francis X. Gallagher, Daryl Yu, Jack Jeremy and Gary Huang (left to right) © Francis X. Gallagher
ChampionsGate offers a choice of two golf courses, both designed by Greg Norman. The International Course features the windswept open layout Norman favors; the fairways are sprinkled with more than 130 pot bunkers, and the course boasts one of the highest ratings in Florida.
The National Course, where our “Team EVA” played, offers a more traditional parkland course rolling through 200 acres of woodlands, swamps and a former orange grove. It seems Norman added wall-to-wall fairway bunkers during one of his bad moods to challenge a player’s skills on holes 12 to 16. The course also includes three double doglegs, a sunken fairway on Hole 7 and a gigantic green oddly shared by holes 4 and 16 — did they run out of room?
The hotel, the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, is massive and could use a little tender loving care. Public rooms are vast caverns, and the bar seemed particularly hollow and huge; I would not call it cozy. Getting from the hotel to the course requires a shuttle, or you can drive your car and park at the club.
National Course
Hole 2 | 517 yards, par 5
This is an intimidating tee shot: The throat out of the gate is narrow, with trees on either side, and a peppering of bunkers on the fairway makes placement a crapshoot. It is recommended to carry the bunker on the left, which can be difficult due to the trees. After the rest of the group slammed their way into trouble, I landed the best ball short and right of the bunker. This allowed Gary to take one of his famous 3-woods to advance us to the green and away from the bunkers (there are eight on the fairway). Finally, a contribution from Daryl put us on the green. Jack was thinking more about the opening ceremony that night than the green.
Hole 4 | 323 yards, par 4
This tricky little hole rises slowly to the green, and you have to steer clear of the vast marsh that commands the left side and encroaches into the landing area. The play is to favor the right side without getting overcooked and rolling into the trees. Gary and I took to the task, sending one in the marsh and one too far right but still playable. Jack dribbled off the tee, scaring a few ducks trying to shade themselves in the marsh area. Daryl saved us with a shot to the center of the fairway, proving golf is an easy game. The long and narrow green did not stop us, and we trudged forward in the 90-degree heat.
Hole 13 | 389 yards, par 4
Thirteen is one of those “Norman doglegs” tossed in to test your skill. Here you want your drive to favor the right side, as many golfers find it easy to blow through the fairways and roll into the water occupying the inside elbow of the turn. Missing the green left may also cause a wet ball, and everything devilishly slopes from right to left. After stopping for refreshments kindly supplied by United Airlines, we took on 13 and made it lucky, all hitting decent drives followed by Jack taking the prize with a shot to the green. The three bunkers Greg Norman put on the far right of the dogleg were left clear for another day. Perhaps the groups behind us found them.
Hole 15 | 210 yards, par 3
By the time the team reached 15, the heat and humidity were extreme, and we were dragging to finish. But this was the challenge we needed to bring back our spirits. With 15 all marshy and wooded brush from tee to green, you have to make a clean shot to the green or you will fail. My shot was strong but landed just short of the green, though still chippable from the brush. Gary and Daryl made the green, and Jack’s ball vanished on the right side. Daryl’s ball landed closest to the pin, making for an easy birdie.
Hole 18 | 636 yards, par 5
From the tee box, favor the left side so you will have the best approach down the fairway for your second shot. A vast waste bunker runs from the tee boxes all the way to the beginning of the fairway — this can be a deceiving visual. Gary came out of his shoes sailing a drive to position “A,” leaving us speechless. As we were playing a scramble, we scattered like bees to pick up our less-than-stellar shots to join Gary’s premium placement. The second shot offered me a time to shine with my rental clubs, feathering a 3-wood down the fairway. The approach left us with scattered balls near the green and in the water that lines the left side of the fairway. Fortunately, Daryl was able to save the day with a shot to the green to save par. “Par won’t win the tournament,” I said, but we sure had a lot of fun!
ChampionsGate Golf Club
8575 White Shark Blvd.
ChampionsGate, FL 33896
tel 407 787 4653
championsgategolf.com
Read This Next
Women in Travel
2016
Sep 22, 2016All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Jun 2, 2023Diego Rivera’s America Presents the Most In-Depth Look at Artist’s Work in More than 20 Years
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, located in Bentonville, Arkansas, presents Diego Rivera’s America, the first major exhibition focused solely on the Mexican artist in more than 20 years, on view until July 31. Crystal Bridges is the second and final stop for the exhibition, the only remaining opportunity for visitors to experience Rivera's expansive vision of America.
Sponsored Content
Business or Leisure? With TAP Air Portugal, You Can Have Both!
Are you looking to enhance your business trip with a little leisure? Look no further than Portugal, a country renowned for its captivating blend of history, culture and natural beauty. And with TAP Air Portugal, you can effortlessly transform your business trip into an unforgettable bleisure adventure. Discover why Portugal and TAP Air Portugal are the perfect combination for an enriching and rejuvenating experience.
Daily
Jun 2, 2023San Antonio, Texas, Preserves Architectural Beauty for Future Generations
In San Antonio, Texas, old buildings are seldom destroyed. When they fall into disrepair, they are instead repurposed and restored to maintain the city’s history and traditions for future generations to appreciate. Whether it’s a former brewery or bank transforming into a chic hotel or a candy factory evolving into stylish lofts, this Texas city embraces both history and sustainability.
Daily
Jun 2, 2023Here’s How to Arrive in Style to the World’s Most Unforgettable Hotels
Make a grand entrance to these equally grand hotels:
Sponsored Content
Fill Your Heart with Ireland
Whether it's the people, the craic (fun) or the coasts, travelers always find something to love about the island of Ireland. What fills your heart?
Protected: MORE TO TRAVEL
Sponsored
Jun 1, 2023Park Hyatt Tokyo Prepares for Its New Look
Daily
Jun 1, 2023London Concours Displays Golden Age Coupes
Daily
Jun 1, 2023Fill Your Heart with Ireland
Sponsored Content
April/May 2023
May 31, 2023Festivities Draw Crowds to Celebrate Awareness and Acceptance
An estimated 1 million people pack Times Square to watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve, but the NYC Pride March draws the largest annual crowd for the city, boasting 2.5 million spectators in a normal year and more than 5 million during 2019’s WorldPride celebration. Pride events flood the Big Apple for the entire month of June, as they do in several cities across the country, bringing marches, symposiums, performances, parties and more to venues citywide.
Sponsored Content
Share Your Travel Preferences with Global Traveler in a Short Survey & Win
Learning more about our readers’ travel habits and preferences ensures Global Traveler delivers the content you desire. As the travel industry has adapted and changed over the last few years, it’s more important than ever to connect. To best meet your short- and long-term travel content needs, please help us!
Daily
May 31, 2023Pick These Resorts and Destinations for a Day of Self Care on Global Wellness Day
Celebrate Global Wellness Day on June 10 with a visit to one of these resorts or destinations.
ShareThis