2008 National Championship

Orlando, Fla. ' The final stage for the 2008 GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour season is set, with five premier facilities in Orlando-area serving as host for the 2008 GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour National Championships, Oct. 8 ' 18.

The 2008 National Championships will be bigger than ever as the GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour will host three separate national championships: The Senior National Championship (50 years of age or older), Oct. 8 ' 11; The Team National Championship, Oct. 12 ' 13; and culminating with the Open National Championship, Oct. 14 ' 18.

The course rotation for the national championship will test golfers of all skill levels as Walt Disney Worlds Palm and Magnolia Courses, Grand Cypresss New and Southeast Courses and Orange Lake Resorts Legends Course will host the 2008 National Championships.

Walt Disney Worlds Palm and Magnolia Courses, host of the PGA TOURs Childrens Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart, will be nothing short of a true test of golf and will offer plenty of challenges for the novice and seasoned pro alike.

Disneys Magnolia Course record is held by Payne Stewart, who recorded a 61 in 1990 featuring nine birdies and one eagle, setting a standard that may never be touched. The longest of the Disney courses and designed in classic TOUR-style, Magnolias wide fairways invite you to hit the ball, and hit it hard! But beware, 11 of the 18 holes boast water and 97 bunkers dot the landscape and guard sizeable, undulating greens.

Disneys Palm Course has a tough record to beat as PGA TOUR Professional Justin Rose thrilled the crowd on the opening day of the 2006 Children’s Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart by breaking the course record with a 60. These courses will be in great PGA TOUR condition as the 2008 Children’s Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart will take place a month after we play on the course.

Grand Cypress has hosted many tournaments throughout the years, including Greg Normans Shark Shootout as well as the LPGA HealthSouth Inaugural. Grand Cypress Southeast course is a Jack Nicklaus signature design, while the New Course adds another dimension of play to the Orlando golf scene with steeper and more challenging bunkers and slopes. Set in the midst of an open meadow, the New Course is Jack Nicklaus’ tribute and homage to the famed Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. This Scottish links masterpiece is complete with double greens, stone bridges and walls, gorse mounds, burns, and pot bunkers as deep as 12 feet, all in the spirit of true Scottish original.

Orange Lake Resort is reminiscent of old Scottish-style courses. The Legends Course will bring windy conditions into play that can make club selection challenging. The longest of Orange Lake’s challenging golf holes, #4 at 610 yards, is a good warm-up before venturing into The Pines with towering pines, majestic oaks, winding fairways and flowing water creating a serene setting complementing each hole on the back nine. Much like the classic courses of North Carolina, proper club selection and accuracy are required to successfully navigate through The Pines. The Island Oak, hole #13, is the feature hole at The Legends course.

Home to Walt Disney World Resort and GOLF CHANNELs headquarters, Orlando is widely recognized as one of the most popular resort destinations in the United States. This beautiful area offers everything for the perfect vacation destination.

This is your Challenge and the ultimate goal for you, the GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour member as each local event you compete in is an opportunity to earn Callaway Golf Order of Merit Points. The more points you collect, the better your chances to earn an automatic invitation to join us in Orlando for the 2008 GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour National Championships.