My wife and I are relocating to Orlando and I've been looking around at clubs.
We haven't bought a house yet and the courses may affect our home buying decision. Places I've spotted online that seem to be affordable (i.e. initiation < 10k, preferably lower) and look interesting and close to locations where we're looking to live:
Orange Tree Country Club (Doctor Phillips)
Kissimmee Bay CC (Kissimmee)
St. Cloud GC (St. Cloud)
Check your PM and call me this week. I am very familiar with the entire area and I even have a house for sale!
Are you familiar with the private club scene in Orlando? It is probably the world's greatest market for an unattached player.
Assuming I wanted to join a club, I would choose:
1) Sugarloaf Mountain if I lived West
2) Rio Pinar if I lived close to the E/W Expy on the E side of I-4
3) Tuskawilla if I lived in Winter Springs or Oviedo
4) Heathrow if I lived N by Lake Mary, a very good club
5) Orange Tree as Doug suggests, but I've never seen it
I'd pass on Lake Nona and Isleworth simply because of the cost, but your finances may be different.
Interlachen is a WONDERFUL club with a very difficult golf course. It is in Winter Park. (*home for sale*)
The CC of Orlando would be another nice club if you are on the W side of I-4 in College Park.
If you're not "in Orlando" there are some excellent choices in the surrounds. Sugar Mill in New Smyrna, Plantation near Daytona Beach, Suntree in Melbourne, or the CC of Ocala.
Some people 'join' resort courses like Bay Hill, Mission Inn, or the Academy at Grand Cypress.
My advice would be to choose the right place to live and not join anything right away. There are so many fun places to play that you could sample those before you settle.
Walkabout
Victoria Hills
Alaqua Lakes (may be private now)
North Shore
Eagle Dunes
Another to consider is Red Tail. I haven't seen it since it opened but I'll bet they are pricing some of the large homes to move.