It seems there's always a reason to go to Orlando. When the kiddies are little, it's off to Disney and Universal, Epcot and Sea World to stand in line, shell out copious amounts of cash, stand in line, enjoy the attractions and stand in line.

Those of us in the golf business descend en masse to the PGA Show every January, returning year after year like the swallows to Capistrano, as loyal as the religious pilgrims to Mecca.

And while a smidgen of golf might work its way into either of the aforementioned agendas, it's just a side salad, and not the raison d'etre of the journey. But greater Orlando, just like Scottsdale, Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach, similar to Bandon Dunes, the Monterey Peninsula or northern Michigan, more than holds its own as a stand-alone golf destination. Here's a few of the reasons why:

Bay Hill Club and Lodge
There are over 1,300 courses in Florida, and Bay Hill is ranked among the five best in terms of public access by Golfweek Magazine, which happens to be based in Orlando as well.

But this 45-year-old Dick Wilson design, known for its abundance of ball-swallowing water features like the final hole's "Devil's Bathtub," is Orlando's "must play" due to its kingly connections. Arnold Palmer owns it, re-designed the golf course some years ago with architectural associate Ed Seay, and most importantly, it's where he hangs his hat (or should we say crown) when he's not in his ancestral home in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

The Bay Hill Club and Lodge is ranked highly for its public access. (Cohen/WireImage)

Arnold Palmer is Bay Hill, and Bay Hill is Palmer. No absentee owner he, Palmer's presence permeates the grounds. And whether he's having lunch in the clubhouse, playing in the daily "Bay Hill Shootout" with other members, banging balls on the range or just kibitzing with resort guests in the pro shop or on the putting green, the status of the property is elevated immeasurably by his aura. Sure, the memorabilia, trophies, photos and other mementos of his phenomenal life on display are cool to examine. But they pale in comparison to a real live audience with "The King," practically a daily occurrence in the cool-weather months of the year.

Besides the championship course, there's an additional nine called the Charger, and a full array of other resort services. Outside play is limited to guests of the resort, which encompasses 65 guest rooms and suites, many that have been completely refurbished.

Orange County National
While Bay Hill is defined by one legendary man, OCN is defined by many, all potential legends in the making. This impressive 36-hole complex has twice been the host of what's long been known as the most grueling examination in the game—the Qualifying School, or Q-School finals.

When the PGA TOUR-"wannabees" show up in late autumn, they'll have all they can handle over the six-day, 108 hole "final exam." Fortunately they can do some last-minute cramming on the 42-acre circular driving range, one of the finest in the nation. And their attentions won't be diverted by the encroaching housing on the course peripheries either, because there isn't any to speak of.

The Panther Lake Course will play 7350 yards from the TOUR tees and Crooked Cat Course will play 7460 yards. Although both courses were designed by Dave Harman with consultation from Isao Aoki, each is unique in its characteristics. Panther Lake is routed through oak hammocks, pines and wetlands on rolling land and elevation changes up to 60 feet. Crooked Cat has more of a links feel, and is slightly more influenced by the unpredictable winds that tend to blow at that time of year. The Q-School finalists will experience 3-inch Bermuda grass rough and large, contoured elevated greens that register about an 11 on the stimp-meter. One more significant change golfers will find, a dramatic change from 2003, is a split fairway on the par 5 18th hole on Panther Lake. It now offers a risk / reward proposition to this great finishing hole.

Of course 360 days a year, visitors to OCN don't have their future earnings in the balance or their career path in question. And it is those fortunate tourists who can enjoy a simple, pressure-free $5 Nassau amidst the wide expanse of one of central Florida's truly great 36-hole golf experiences.

Harmony Golf Preserve
The words "Florida" and "Johnny Miller" seemingly go together as naturally as milk and cabbage. But nonetheless, the San Franciscan, who won repeatedly on the west coast and the southwestern desert during his Hall-of-Fame career, has delivered one of greater Orlando's most unique layouts.

The course and surrounding community are located well east of the city, 30-45 minutes at minimum, depending on where one might be traveling from, and if the traffic at the time is heavy, brutal or impossible. But the far-flung locale also affords a sense of spaciousness and remove that isn't easily replicated closer to town. Stretching a Herculean 7,400 yards from the back markers, 280 acres of natural pristine Osceola County wilderness was transformed into a lush course that reflects the natural beauty of central Florida. The front nine meanders through the community of Harmony, where the housing is both tasteful and stately. The inward nine holes winds through acres of lakes, woods and conservation areas. The final four holes are situated deep within the forests and wetlands, and make this closing stretch one the most beautiful and challenging endings in the region.

RedTail Golf Club
Not technically a resort or public access course, this soon-to-be-totally-private facility is well east of O-Town, among the Heathrow Country Estates, perhaps 40 minutes from downtown. Management is allowing introductory rounds of golf for prospective members as of this writing, and traveling golfers would be well served in paying a visit to this unique playing venue.

With fairways cut amid century-old live oaks, creative bunkering in all directions and water imperiling the journey home from the 14th hole on, this is a golf course well worth experiencing. Awash in ornithological wildlife but sparsely populated with golfers, RedTail is billed as the first private club created in central Florida in the last 15 years. Check it out before they bar the gate completely.