Keep the three tips below in mind and your golf vacation at PGA National Resort & Spa can be a great one.
If you watched the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic over the weekend, you saw an impressive, wire-to-wire win by Camilo Villegas.
Likewise, you got an eyeful of the picturesque Palm Beach, Fla., venue where he performed it: PGA National Resort & Spa.
Here is what you didn’t see, however, and if you ever select PGA National Resort & Spa for a golf vacation, these things could make or break your trip.
The Honda Classic was played on the Jack Nicklaus-designed Champion Course, the marquee layout at PGA National Resort & Spa.
The Champion Course is the only Florida golf course to host 1) a major championship (the 1971 and 1987 PGA Championships), and 2) the Ryder Cup.
No question, it’s the “must play” course at PGA National Resort & Spa.
But what you didn’t see during the tournament telecast was the resort’s four other courses, one by Arnold Palmer, two by Tom Fazio, and one by Karl Litten.
Of course, what everybody wants to know is, “Which of these courses should I play on my Florida golf vacation?”
As we’ve advised before about PGA National Resort & Spa (here’s tip #1):
“While the newly revised Palmer Course (formerly The General) displays some character, the two remaining Tom Fazio tracks represent the unremarkable side of his résumé. The courses follow a standard Florida formula: flat, featureless with nondescript water hazards – and course-side housing – on many holes. They’re fine for replay rounds, but there are better options off property, including an intriguing, stunningly remade muni just five miles away.”
That muni (here’s tip #2) is North Palm Beach Country Club (npbcc.org), a Jack Nicklaus redesign located just five miles from PGA National Resort & Spa:
“Nicklaus transformed the overplayed, poorly conditioned layout into an aesthetically appealing municipal jewel – the rolling, even hilly, terrain is a treat for Florida golf vacations. Although a neighborhood surrounds the course, neither houses nor streets run through it. Likewise, you are spared the monotony of lake- and lagoon-lined fairways hole-after-hole, which is so common on Florida golf vacations.”
One more thing to keep in mind about PGA National Resort & Spa (here’s tip #3): savvy golfers never pay the rack rates for any of the golf courses there. As this post points out:
“That’s because golf packages abound here (offered by the resort itself and third-party golf package companies) and because resort guests on golf packages only pay a surcharge to play the Champion Course, it usually works out in your favor to go the package route even if you’re only playing one round…In one extreme example, those willing to gamble on rainy weather…were able to play the Champion Course for a mere $50 surcharge. The regular, “rack” rate to play the course ranges from $185 to $350.”
There you have it: three handy tips for making your golf vacation at PGA National Resort & Spa the best it can be.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Another idea for golf in the area is an unusual treat – an 18 hole par 3 course that has just reopened with a redesign by Ray Floyd. My wife and I played it (the Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course) in January and it is a fun outing with some tough holes – not a “pitch and putt”. Combine it with a walk down Palm Beach’s famous Worth Avenue and a counter lunch at the “throwback” Green’s Pharmacy and you have an enjoyable afternoon off of the PGA grounds. (golfontheocean.com)
That is a good one, Jeff, and a real value at $45 (plus discounts for staying at partner hotels) for what was originally a Dick Wilson/Joe Lee design. This architecture team is responsible for notable courses such as Doral’s “Blue Monster,” La Costa in San Diego, and the #3 Course at Chicago’s Cog Hill.
There is a great course right near PGA. Ironhorse CC. It is private, but with a call you should be able to get on the course. Arthur Hills design. Great track. If you are the type of person that needs to play from the tips, it is all you will ever be able handle. Used to hold the qualifiers for the Honda Classic. Also, North Palm Beach CC. Public facility redone by Nicklaus. A little pricey, but a good test
Thanks, Bruce. Ironhorse! I think I played there something like 12 years ago. All I remember is there were these two, five-foot herons with razor sharp beaks who landed in our fairway and began sizing us up. Yikes! Yep, North Palm Beach CC is mentioned in the above post.
Abacoa has outstanding greens, you will likely never putt better ones.
The article is correct on North Palm Country Club but the greens tend to lean towards the wacky side…very interesting track though and memorable holes as opposed to many forgettable typical Florida tracks.