Upcoming Arnold Palmer Invitational dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Your Bay Hill viewing plan, decided up front
At the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a grounds ticket gets you everywhere spectators can walk, and the only reserved places to sit are the hospitality venues. So the decision comes down to three things: the day, the ticket tier and the holes you build your day around. For most fans, the answer is a weekend grounds ticket and an early claim on a spot along the 14th through 18th holes, where Sunday's leaders settle the tournament.
The 2027 tournament week runs March 15 to 21 at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, a private club southwest of downtown Orlando, with competitive rounds Thursday through Sunday.
Grounds pass or hospitality venue: what each buys you
Grounds tickets
General admission, valid Tuesday through Sunday. You can follow any group and stand at any public vantage point. For 2027, youth 15 and under enter free with a ticketed adult, which makes grounds tickets the natural family option.
Hospitality venues
These are the closest thing Bay Hill has to a reserved seat: a home base with a view, shade and food. The 2027 lineup includes:
- Mastercard Palmer Patio at the 14th hole.
- Orange Grove, all-inclusive, with clubhouse access.
- The Lakehouse, set between the 16th and 17th holes.
- Michelob ULTRA Fan Deck.
The trade-off is mobility. A hospitality venue anchors you to one stretch of the course, which suits a weekend when the final holes decide the event and suits a Florida afternoon in the sun. A grounds ticket suits a fan who wants to walk with a favorite player.
Military and first responders
The tournament offers complimentary tickets to active-duty and reserve military, discounted tickets to veterans and discounts for first responders after verification.
Which day of tournament week to pick
- Monday: a free junior clinic opens the week.
- Tuesday and Wednesday: practice rounds. Demand is lowest, crowds are thinnest and players are most approachable. The range and putting green show a large share of the field in an hour.
- Thursday and Friday: the full field is on the course. Walking several holes with one group gives you the best feel for Bay Hill.
- Saturday and Sunday: the leaders are in contention, the crowds are largest and resale demand peaks, especially when the leaderboard is stacked with big names.
The tournament sells its own tickets, with Ticketmaster running account management, and its structure is simpler than at golf's majors. Every Reserved Seat order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Holes and spots worth claiming
- The 14th through 17th holes. Several hospitality venues line this stretch because the tournament turns here on the weekend. Arrive early on Saturday and Sunday.
- Behind a raised green. Course designer Dick Wilson set many greens slightly above the fairway for visibility and drainage. Standing behind one lets you watch approach shots drop and react.
- The 18th green. The trophy and the red cardigan are presented here, and the return shuttle to general parking leaves from nearby, so it makes a sensible final stop.
Skip the idea of following the leaders hole by hole on Sunday afternoon; the gallery is too deep to see much. Pick a green, hold it and let the groups come to you. The tournament's course map marks grandstands, concessions and fan areas for the current year.
Parking at Universal, rideshare and phone rules
Plan to park off site. For 2027:
- General parking is at Universal Orlando on Universal Boulevard, paid on arrival. A free shuttle runs from 7:15 a.m. Thursday and Friday and from 8:15 a.m. on the weekend, with continuous returns from near the 18th hole.
- Premium parking on site at Bay Hill is sold for Thursday through Sunday and is expected to sell out.
- Rideshare drops off and picks up at Lot 8, through Gate C.
- Accessible parking is at Lot 10 on Tuesday and Wednesday, then at Universal Orlando with a shuttle from Thursday through Sunday.
Unlike the Masters, Bay Hill lets you carry a phone. Under the 2027 policy, keep it silent with the flash off; texting and data are fine anywhere, calls belong in designated areas, and photos and video are for personal use with no live streaming. A bag policy also applies, so review the policies page before you go.
Palmer's club, its champions and the cardigan
The event began in 1966 as the Florida Citrus Open Invitational at Rio Pinar Country Club, a tournament Palmer won in 1971. It moved to Bay Hill in 1979, five years after he bought the club, and he owned it until his death in 2016. His daughter Amy and son-in-law Roy Saunders own it now. Wilson's original 18 holes, built by Bob Simmons, opened in 1961, and the club covers about 270 acres beside the Butler Chain of Lakes. Outside tournament week, only members and registered Lodge guests can play it.
Since 2024 the event has been a PGA Tour signature event, a tier with smaller fields and bigger purses; the field has numbered about 69 players. Proceeds support the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, and the tournament still calls its fans Arnie's Army.
Tiger Woods holds the record with eight wins (2000 to 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2013). Since 2017 the champion has worn a red cardigan in Palmer's memory. Recent champions: Tyrrell Hatton (2020), Bryson DeChambeau (2021), Scottie Scheffler (2022 and 2024), Kurt Kitayama (2023), Russell Henley (2025) and Akshay Bhatia (2026).
Frequently asked questions
Are there reserved seats at the Arnold Palmer Invitational?
Not for general spectators. Grounds tickets are general admission, and the reserved places to sit are the hospitality venues such as the Mastercard Palmer Patio and The Lakehouse.
What is the least crowded day to attend?
The Tuesday and Wednesday practice rounds draw the smallest crowds and the lowest demand, and they are the easiest days to see players up close.
Do children need a ticket?
For 2027, youth 15 and under get free grounds access when they are with a ticketed adult.
Is there parking at Bay Hill itself?
Only premium on-site parking, which is sold for Thursday through Sunday and tends to sell out. General parking is at Universal Orlando with a free shuttle.
Why does the winner get a red cardigan?
The cardigan honors Arnold Palmer, who died in 2016. It has been presented to the champion since 2017.