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2.8
31 Reviews (31)
5 Stars
12
4 Stars
14
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.0
Value
3.1
Layout
4.6
Friendliness
3.7
Pace
3.4
Amenities
4.0
40.0%
Recommend this course
27 out of 31 reviews
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Average Rating
Avg Rating
2.0
1 Reviews (1)
5 Stars
0
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.0
Value
3.0
Layout
5.0
Pace
3.0
Amenities
4.0
StaffFriendliness
3.0
0%
Recommend this course
1 reviews
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Average Rating
Avg Rating
2.0
1 Reviews (1)
5 Stars
0
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.0
Value
3.0
Layout
5.0
Pace
3.0
Amenities
4.0
StaffFriendliness
3.0
0%
Recommend this course
1 reviews
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About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 72
Length 7045 yards
Slope 148
Rating 75.2

Nicknamed “The Champ,” PGA National’s flagship golf course is one of resort golf’s more demanding tests. Originally laid out by Tom Fazio in 1981 ahead of hosting duties for the 1983 Ryder Cup, it has since become a passion-project of sorts for nearby resident Jack Nicklaus, who has made both major and subtle adjustments to the course since the 1990s.

The Champ is a quintessential South Florida course, with water coming into play on all but two holes, with narrow fairways and smallish greens guarded by deep fairway and greenside bunkers as well. If that menu of challenges isn’t enough, the course’s relatively open routing tends to invite fresh breezes, especially through the prime winter season. Good thing PGA National Resort’s accommodations and amenities are luxurious and relaxing; after going 18 holes with The Champ, golfers are grateful for a well-earned break.

Course Details

Year Built 1981
Greens TifEagle Grass
Golf Season Year round

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School Academy Yes - "PGA National Golf Academy"
Golf Simulator Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Indoor Practice Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities, Spa

Available Sports

Tennis

Reviews

2.8
31 Reviews (31)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 8
Dinner 6
Patio Dining 6
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 8
Plays Long 7
Water Hazards 7
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 7
Entertaining Clients 7
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 6
This Course's Location is:
At a Resort 7

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

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Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 10
Plays Once a year
2.0
First Time Playing

Golfing professionals play here!

It’s no secret why pros come to play golf here. The Champ course is a very hard course. When I was golfing here I almost made a hole in one on #15, I made a 4 so I only missed it by 3. My best score of the day. It was very fun. The rest of the golf course was not fun. I saw an alligator and it was big and frightening to me. They had big hot dogs in the restaurant and I drank three beers at lunch. Good thing the restroom is close to the restaurant. I had to go both #1 and 2 before driving back to my hotel. I had a coupon so I only paid $200 to play here. I played with 2 nice ladies and a grumpy old man. He had gray hair and smoked smelly cigars. After playing I went to the beach, it’s about 20 minutes from PGA National.

You should play here because pros play here a d the hot dogs are really big!

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 157
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Texas Advisor
Top 100 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

Now I know what the pros feel like

This is a tough course, designed in a way to be really punishing in the last 4 finishing holes as you can get really strong headwinds on holes with lots of water, with greens that are not very forgiving. The greens are deceivingly tricky, they roll pretty fast and are hard to read the breaks. I was in a scramble, and we could not drain most of our putts to save our lives. I would love to come back and play this course on my own and I expect it will eat my lunch. The price point to play is a little high though considering you could play at much much nicer and prettier courses in the area, like North Palm Beach and Sand Hill Crane. However, if you want to get a taste of what the pro's have to deal with, give the Champions a try.

Conditions Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 310
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Birmingham Advisor
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Accuracy over length is key to scoring here

The Champions course is a bit of a contradiction: Players here should be mentally prepared to navigate water hazards on 16 of the 18 holes. That being said, I found the course to be imminently playable, and most importantly, scoreable.

In addition to the abundance of H2O, there are pitfalls to avoid. Green side bunkers are deeper than most. Moreover, if you find yourself in one, you are often juxtaposed across from a closely-mown green side runoff, or another hazard. The best example of this is at the short par-4 fourth hole. It is cleverly designed. A fairway bunker down the left side of the fairway draws one’s eyes on the tee box. But there is a ton of room to the right. Playing ~330 yards from the blue tees, most players will try to blast driver or 3W over the bunker to get as close to the green as possible. Today, the pin was up front, placing a premium on the approach shot. With a metal wood off the tee, a player can find themself with a half shot in. The front half of this green is not designed for a half shot because you have to hit it high and stop it fast. A cavernous bunker sits right-front of green side and anything missing short or left rolls down into one of those tricky closely-mown collection areas. I think it is a better strategy to lay up off the tee (I hit 5 iron and had 130 yards in) so you can have a full shot in and spin it. Players in my group alternately hit their ball from the bunker to the collection area and back into the bunker. Another hit three putts trying to escape the collection area without it rolling back to their feet, before putting it into the bunker.

Hopefully, you are picking up that this is not a long course. It plays shorter than the listed yardage. The key to playing well is getting your ball into the right positions.

The greens were very quick. Pay close attention to the grain and trust your forecaddie’s reads.

Conditioning is great this time of year in anticipation of the looming Honda Classic.

The Bear Trap’s bark is a bit more than its’ bite, in my opinion. The tee shot at 15 is a little uncomfortable, but even with a back pin, it was still just a 9-iron. The 17th was merely a wedge. There are harder holes earlier on the back nine, particularly Nos. 11 and 14.

Finally, as enjoyable as my round was, the price to play here is a reach. Forecaddie fee is included in the rate, but gratuity is extra. For a greens fee north of $400, I’m not sure the value meets the experience. I suspect that this is largely a result of the booming conference and convention business that churns through the resort. It’s definitely an expense account destination.

Conditions Excellent
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Everything You'd Expect from a Tour Quality Course

It was everything you've seen on TV. Great condition. Great playing features for all levels of play.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 12
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Great course

Great place to play and definitely a bucket list item.

Wouldn’t recommend playing it in September though as the course wasn’t in perfect shape as March during the Honda Classic

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Best track for testing your game

What’s a real golf course ? The answer is the champ course, no mercy,no bail out, and tons of risk rewards opportunities!
One of my all time favorite tour stops and the after round pool is amazing!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Champions Course only course worth playing here

Champions Course in great shape. Other courses needed work. Greens were very nice!!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
Incentivized Review
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

A must play

Challenging due to water being in play on what seems like every shot. The greens are receptive and provide a fair test without being punishing, getting to the green is where the difficulty lies. Worth a visit by an true golfer.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Played practice round in 90 degee whether then when it was time to play 35 mph winds and in your face for the Bear Trap, still shot 83!!! Even through the bear trap.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

NOT WORTH IT

I have been a member at PGA National for about 4 years and i have witnessed the quality of the courses dropping. New ownership took over the course and the club told everyone things were going to get better. Unfortunately, this is not true. The courses have all deteriorated and lately, its embarrassing. There are literally brown spots everywhere, and no one is spending time fixing the details (and this is not because it is the summer bc other public courses dont have the same problem, maybe try turning on the sprinklers and using some fertilizer) Eventually, the details become overwhelming. I have attached pictures of the condition of the Champion, which is the flagship course. In the past, the service, and hotel rooms were subpar, but now, the courses are being neglected as well. There is trash all over the course, theres brown spots everywhere, and the courses are not maintained like other public courses in the area. The club will charge guest $150-$175 to play the champ, and the greens are full of sand. It definitely doesn't play like a private course, it plays like a municipal course. Dont get me wrong, the layout is awesome, but the whoever is the greenskeeper, they need to address the details. I dont understand why they can't send two guys out during the day and have them fix up the little things that are no consistent with a private club, let alone a PGA tour stop. I heard the PGA tour threatened to take away the tour stop because the greens were in such bad shape for the Honda Classic. The club clearly cares more about making money then the members. Trust me when i tell you they are very good at taking your money, but they won't treat you like its a prime country club. Tons of members are leaving the club because the service is terrible, i am sure even more will leave bc of the conditions of the courses.. The champ range is not open half the time, and the club promised it would be for the members. The attitude of the employees are unacceptable and they act like you are bothering them. Something needs to happen and it needs to happen quickly. Look at the pictures i posted.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 143
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
Incentivized Review
5.0
Golf Channel
Conditions Good
Layout Good
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 79
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 500 Contributor
First Time Playing

A Champ Perhaps, But Not A Classic

Sluggishly-paced round on a bucket list course was highlighted by stellar service from the pro shop staff, starter, cart attendant and beverage cart server. Ditto for staff for course snack bar, which offered tasty bar fare. The course? Well....from the blue tees, The Champ is not particularly stimulating visually nor it is especially tough, save No. 16 - the middle hole of the renowned Bear Trap - and No. 18. Back nine is more stout than front due to water hazards and placement of bunkers, several of which were concrete hard. The fairways and greens were brownish in spots with greens running a bit slow. Worth at least one trip around this very popular course, but not a second trek, unless the price is right.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 56
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Pennsylvania Advisor
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing

Experience the Honda Classic Golf Course

PGA National is a huge resort with 5 courses. Today we played the Champions Course where the play the Honda Classic..it was a nice Course, but not too visually appealing. The course was in good shape and it was fun to play where the pros play.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 335
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Golf Advisor
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Appropriately named, the "Champ" is a middleweight test

Playing a round at PGA National's Champion Course is a bit like stepping into the ring with a boxer. You need to stay alert at all times, because if you take a temporary vacation, even for a single shot, you can get knocked down in a hurry. Surviving to the end with your wits about you is a victory in itself, and a rewarding one. It toughens you up, because if you can play well here, you can play well anywhere.

Also worth noting, the course's recent greens expansion has made approach shots a little more manageable, though the firmness of those new putting surfaces makes shots from the rough almost impossible to keep on the green. Drive it straight if you can.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Wet weather
Walked

Horrible weather made course horrible...but bucket list anyway.

The Florida weather destroyed the course. The staff offered many acceptable options but it was a bucket item list for me. So this review is not indicative of anything but bad weather. The entire PGA National experience more than made up for it. Pro shop to service staff....plain awesome!

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Felt Like a Pro

Played this course over the past weekend and was so excited to tee it up where the pros play every year. We played the middle tees, and it was a good idea as I can see this course being very long, thus the championship caliber. Couldn't ask for a course in better shape and for being the prime track at the resort, there was little to no traffic. Bear Trap is a great experience, though for my money the 18th hole is just as difficult. Finishing the round right in the front of the great facilities at PGA National was a real treat and very special experience. Will definitely be back.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Champions Course Review

Extremely challenging and extremely hot outside but a ton of fun. Highly recommend this course. The staff was great, the course was in great shape, etc.

Thanks!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather

Finally got to play this course IRL

After only experiencing the Champ on TV and in video games, I was excited to finally get the opportunity to play it. It was closed the last time I was down there. I'm happy to say that I was not disappointed. My only complaint was that the greens had recently been punched, but that's going to happen when you play in FL in August. I still managed to mix in a few birdies, which helped ease the pain of the Bear Trap, where for the first time all day we saw 3-club winds in the face.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Challenging

This is definitely one of the most difficult course I have played. The setup was fair, but there is definitely a premium on the tee ball. Greens had some interesting undulations but were very receptive. The Bear Trap is an exciting stretch of three holes that were a nice balance of scenery and difficulty. I highly recommend trying this course out.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
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