Looking for a deal? Check out summer golf at PGA National in Florida

In the mid-1990s, one of the golf tournaments I really enjoyed covering was the Senior PGA Championship, which used to be played every spring at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Back then, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Lee Trevino and Gary Player still had plenty of game, and they had a lot of style, which made the Senior PGA a fun event. And it was played on a difficult golf course, The Champion, famous for Nicklaus’ difficult Bear Trap of 15, 16 and 17, a stretch through a minefield of water hazards that often decides tournaments.

Today, PGA National’s Champion Course, which was originally designed by Tom Fazio and redone by Nicklaus, is the home of the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic, and the young pros have the same challenges that faced their elders. The resort?s storied golf history also includes hosting the 1983 Ryder Cup, 1987 PGA Championship.

The nice thing about PGA National Resort & Spa is that anyone can stay and play there, and you’ve got your pick of four other quality courses as well – The Palmer, The Haig, The Squire and The Estates.  And despite the occasional afternoon showers, summer’s really not a bad time to get out there because prices are lower than they are in peak season.

The resort offers a variety of packages throughout the year, but right now the “Summer Escape and Play” package, featuring spa access for two, instruction at the David Leadbetter Academy, and unlimited golf is available through Oct. 15, starting as low as $139 nightly during the week and $169 on weekends. It includes bag storage, range balls, access to great practice facilities, breakfast for two, and two-for-one cocktails.

This AAA Four Diamond resort is just 15-minutes from Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) or an hour from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and 90 minutes from Miami International Airport (MIA). For more information on the packages at PGA National or to make a reservation, click here.