PGA National Resort explained

Golf Facility Name:PGA National Resort
Location:Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, U.S.
Pushpin Map:USA#USA Florida
Pushpin Relief:1
Coordinates:26.829°N -80.141°W
Elevation:16feet
Establishment:1980,
Type:Public
Owner:Brookfield Asset Management
Holes:90
Tournaments:The Honda Classic
(2007–present)
Senior PGA Championship
(1982–2000)
1987 PGA Championship
1983 Ryder Cup
Website:pgaresort.com
Course1:The Champion
Designer1:George & Tom Fazio
redesign: Jack Nicklaus
Par1:72
Rating1:75.2
Slope1:148 [1]
Course2:The Fazio (formerly The Haig)
Designer2:George & Tom Fazio
redesign: Tom Fazio II
Par2:72
Rating2:73.4
Course3:The Squire
Designer3:George & Tom Fazio
Par3:72
Rating3:72.1
Slope3:140
Course4:The Palmer
Designer4:Arnold Palmer
Par4:72
Rating4:74.6
Slope4:141
Course5:The Estates
Designer5:Karl Litten
Par5:72
Length5:6,694 yards
Rating5:73.1
Slope5:134

PGA National Resort is a resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. It has five championship 18-hole golf courses,[2] the most famous of which is "The Champion", which has hosted the 1983 Ryder Cup, the 1987 PGA Championship, the Senior PGA Championship for 19 consecutive years from 1982 to 2000, and the PGA Tour's Cognizant Classic since 2007.

It was the home to the Professional Golfers' Association of America since the resort's establishment, but the PGA moved to new headquarters in Texas in summer 2022.[3]

The resort also includes 339 hotel rooms, nine restaurants and lounges, a 34,000-square-foot conference wing, a 40,000-square-foot spa, 33,000-square-foot health and racquet club with 19 tennis courts, a golf academy, and a members club.[4] It was sold by the developer, E. Llwyd Ecclestone Jr., to Walton Street Capital in 2006 for $170 million, before being sold again in 2018, to Brookfield Asset Management for $218m.[5]

Courses

Earlier clubs

BallenIsles

The original PGA National Golf Club (1964–1973) in Palm Beach Gardens was nearby to the east,[8] and is now the BallenIsles Country Club. The Champions Course (now the East Course at BallenIsles) hosted the PGA Championship in 1971, won by Nicklaus in late February.[9] [10] It also was the site of eight consecutive Senior PGA Championships (1966–1973), and the original qualifying school tournaments for the PGA Tour.[11] [12]

Dunedin

An earlier PGA National Golf Club (1944–1962) was on the western side of the state at Dunedin, northwest of Tampa. Designed by noted architect Donald Ross it opened in 1927 as a municipal course.[13] Acquired by the PGA of America in 1944,[14] [15] the course was renamed and hosted the for eighteen consecutive years (1945–1962). The PGA of America moved its national offices from Chicago to Dunedin in 1956,[16] then sold its holdings in the course back to the city in 1962 and relocated to eastern Florida in 1965 at Palm Beach Gardens.[15] Now the Dunedin Golf Club, the course was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.[17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Course Rating and Slope Database™: PGA National - The Champion . USGA . August 20, 2014.
  2. http://www.pgaresort.com/golf/pga-national-golf PGA Resort and Spa - golf courses
  3. News: PGA of America moving headquarters from Florida to Texas. December 4, 2018. ESPN. Associated Press.
  4. News: Walton Street Capital buys PGA National. 24 August 2006. South Florida Business Journal. 15 May 2019.
  5. News: Brookfield under contract to buy PGA National Resort & Spa for $255M. Bandell. Brian. 31 December 2018. The Real Deal. 15 May 2019.
  6. Web site: The Champion Golf Course | Best Golf Courses in the US. www.pgaresort.com. 17 February 2021 .
  7. Web site: Announcing "PGA National Resort" to be added to course list. July 28, 2014.
  8. News: Permanent home for golfers . Lawrence Daily Journal-World . (Kansas) . Associated Press . Grimsley . Will . April 23, 1964 . 15.
  9. News: Jack the giant killer - 2nd PGA falls to Nicklaus . Toledo Blade . (Ohio). Loomis . Tom . March 1, 1971 . 15.
  10. Dominance of the Smiling Bear . . Jenkins . Dan . Dan Jenkins . March 8, 1971 . 22 . February 18, 2017.
  11. Web site: Tournament Info for: 1971 PGA Championship . . July 20, 2012.
  12. Web site: Club history. BallenIsles Country Club. July 20, 2012.
  13. Web site: Historic Local Golf Course Set to Celebrate 85th Anniversary . Patch.com . (Dunedin, Florida) . Rosenfeld . Jeffrey . January 14, 2012. February 18, 2017.
  14. Web site: History 1940-1949 . PGA of America . February 18, 2017.
  15. Web site: History 1960-1969 . PGA of America . February 18, 2017.
  16. Web site: History 1950-1959 . PGA of America . February 18, 2017.
  17. Web site: National Register of Historic Places Listings: Weekly List . June 13, 2014 . February 18, 2017. National Park Service.