PGA National Champion Course - Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

On Sunday Michael Thompson won his first PGA Tour title at the Honda Classic, hosted by PGA National’s Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. As part of the PGA National Resort, this immaculate Jack Nicklaus golf course offers a great golf getaway in the year-round great weather that has made Florida a favourite with golfers from around the world.

After a comprehensive redesign of its original Tom Fazio layout by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, the Champion Course at PGA National opened for play in 1990. This lush and scenic course plays host to weekend golfers and professionals alike, with several challenging holes that will test the abilities of every golfer.

The course is open to the public, and several golf packages are offered by the PGA National Resort. Bookings can be made on: www.pgaresort.com.

Fortunately for weekend golfers, the 18-hole championship course has been made more playable following the Nicklaus redesign. This was achieved by adjusting the drainage of the fairways and greens, making them more likely to accept shots than repel them.

Golfers will appreciate this feature of the course when their approach shots fly cleanly off the fairways and sit tight on the greens instead of rolling back. Despite these changes however, the course remains a challenging one and golfers should be prepared for an entertaining day’s play on the Champion Course.

Here are some highlights of the course:

• The par 4 first hole is relatively short at 365 yards. The green is flanked by a lake on its left and a right-side bunker, making this hole a conservative play for golfers wanting to make par or even birdie the hole.

• The sixth hole, previously a par-5, has been reduced in length and now features a water hazard that will challenge golfers looking to make birdie. Florida winds may add an extra challenge to this hole.

• For golfers who are keen to make birdie, the ninth hole may be surprisingly kind to their scorecards. Although the hole has been lengthened to 421 yards with a right-side fairway bunker, the green is quite accessible and a well-placed approach shot could yield a birdie for many players.

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