Orange Tree at Orange Tree Golf Club

Orange Tree Golf Club sits in the northern Orlando area, a residential course designed by Joe Lee and opened in the early 1970s. Lee, a prolific Florida architect who shaped dozens of courses across the state during the post-war development boom, worked extensively with natural water features and native vegetation to create strategic layouts suited to the flat Central Florida terrain. Orange Tree reflects his characteristic approach: water hazards factor into play on multiple holes, and the routing takes advantage of the property's lakes and wetlands to define corridors and create risk-reward decisions.

The course winds through a mature residential community, with tree-lined fairways that provide definition and frame approach shots. Elevation change is minimal, typical of the region, so Lee relied on bunkering, water placement, and green contours to generate interest and challenge. The layout demands accuracy more than distance, with several holes requiring careful club selection to navigate hazards and find favorable angles into the greens.

Orange Tree serves primarily as a private club amenity for its surrounding neighborhood, maintaining a quiet, member-focused atmosphere. The course has undergone periodic updates over the decades to keep pace with maintenance standards and playing preferences, though it retains the essential character of Lee's original design. For Orlando-area golfers, it represents a solid example of the region's mid-century residential golf development, offering a straightforward test within a well-established community setting.