Introducing a new championship format in 2026, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will return to what’s known as “The Happiest Place on Turf!” For the first time in history, the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships will be separately contested on Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Split Championship Weeks for Men and Women
Since introducing women’s golf as a sponsored sport in 1998, joining men’s golf, which was a charter sport of the MAAC 43 years ago, the league has held its annual title events simultaneously. For the first time in 28 years, there will now be two championship weeks. The women will tee off on April 21-23, with the men following a week later, April 28-30, 2026.
The partnership also continues the MAAC’s collaboration with the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, which helps showcase the Orlando region as a premier destination for collegiate championships and sports tourism. Together with Walt Disney World Resort and Arnold Palmer Golf Management, which operates Walt Disney World Golf, the MAAC and GO Sports will work to elevate the student-athlete and fan experience while highlighting the growth of golf in the region.
A Premier MAAC Championship Experience
“We are excited to extend our partnership,” said MAAC Commissioner Travis Tellitocci. “The MAAC has held its golf championships on Disney’s property since 2000, and this continued collaboration reflects our shared commitment to providing a premier championship experience for our coaches and student-athletes. We are proud to align our championships with a globally recognized brand on a course that has hosted PGA Tour events and boasts a rich history of championship golf.”
Welcoming Back the MAAC
From the opening of the nearby Magic Kingdom and surrounding championship golf courses at Walt Disney World in 1971 and through 2012, Disney’s Magnolia served as a favorite stop on the PGA Tour.
“We look forward to welcoming back the MAAC student athletes and have assembled an incredible team that is devoted to creating the best possible experience for our guests who travel here for a championship-caliber golf vacation,” says Bruce Gerlander, PGA, General Manager of Arnold Palmer Golf Management.
Grumpy’s Gauntlet and Magnolia’s Redesign
APGM, which has operated Walt Disney World Golf since 2011, recently reimagined Disney’s Magnolia and introduced Grumpy’s Gauntlet, named for a challenging four-hole stretch (#14 – #17) to emphasize each one’s difficulty. Each hole underwent significant re-imagination, including new bunkers, undulating greens, and dogleg designs, providing a formidable test for golfers on their way to what is considered one of the best finishing holes in golf.
Walt Disney World Golf’s Magnolia Course blends storybook charm with serious bite. With its bold redesign, Grumpy’s Gauntlet promises a magical test for some of college golf’s fiercest competitors during the MACC Championships.
“It is thrilling for us to see our guests enjoy all of the hard work that has been injected into the course design, and the assembly of all the different components that together comprise an elevated experience. Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course ties together in the most unique way the Arnold Palmer brand and that of The Walt Disney Company. The traditional and historical connotations that the Palmer brand carries have been melded together with an element of fun and whimsicalness that the Disney brand is renowned for,” added Alex Forsyth, PGA, Director Sales and Marketing. “Guests can celebrate the various Disney story lines and characters through the newly assigned hole names, while learning from inspirational quotes once spoken by both Walt Disney and Arnold Palmer. “Even the putting green, now known as “The Greatest Green Ever Played”, has a story to tell, and there’s no forgetting “Grumpy’s Gauntlet”, which now more than ever serves as a stern test of championship caliber golf to complete your round.”
Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course has hosted the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships, a conference-high 15 times.
Orlando’s Commitment to Collegiate Golf
“Congratulations to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Walt Disney World Resort and Arnold Palmer Golf Management on extending their partnership to host the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships at the renowned Magnolia Golf Course,” said Jason Siegel, President & CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission. “This commitment not only elevates the student-athlete experience but also reinforces Greater Orlando’s position as a premier destination for championship golf and collegiate sports. Thank you to our partners at Orange County and Visit Orlando for their continued support of our efforts to secure world-class events for this community.”
Magnolia’s Championship-Caliber Design
As one of the original Walt Disney World Resort championship golf courses, which opened in 1971, the Magnolia course is a well-manicured, par-72 course that boasts all the earmarks of a top-flight layout: elevated tees and greens, rolling terrain, and even a very popular Mickey Mouse-shaped sand hazard on the 6th hole.
Located across from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the course was originally designed by Joe Lee, recently redesigned by Ken Baker, and is aptly named for its more than 1,500 magnolia trees. With tee boxes ranging from 5,200 to 7,505 yards from the back tees, it is the longest of the four Disney golf courses.
In all, the recent reimagining, which included the putting course, 18 brand-new greens, and four completely rerouted golf holes, represents the most extensive redesign of the Magnolia and the latest changes since 2015, when several enhancements were completed, including reshaping the bunkers.
MAAC Member Institutions
The 13 MAAC institutions are Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
