Charger at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge

The Charger Course at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge was designed by Dick Wilson and opened in 1961. Wilson, known for his strategic bunkering and demanding green complexes, created a layout that winds through rolling terrain dotted with mature pines and live oaks. Arnold Palmer purchased the property in 1974 and subsequently made numerous modifications to Wilson's original design, strengthening the course and adding his own design philosophy to the routing. The course plays around and across several lakes and wetlands, with water coming into play on multiple holes throughout the round.

The Charger has hosted the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational (formerly the Bay Hill Invitational) since 1979, establishing itself as a regular Tour venue where winning scores typically hover around ten to fifteen under par. The closing stretch is particularly demanding, with the par-4 16th and par-4 18th both featuring water hazards that have decided numerous tournaments. The 18th hole, a dogleg left around a lake to an amphitheater green, consistently ranks among the more difficult finishing holes on Tour.

Bay Hill operates as a private club with resort accommodations available to guests. The club maintains a close association with Palmer's legacy, and the property includes memorabilia and tributes to his career. The Charger Course remains the primary championship layout among Bay Hill's facilities, while the property also features a shorter nine-hole course.