PGA National Resort & Spa’s Champion Course to undergo major renovation

PGA National Resort & Spa will close its Champion Course on June 4, 2018, for a major rebuilding and re-grassing of its greens.

In addition to comprehensively redesigning the course in 2002, Jack Nicklaus also directed the redesign of The Champion’s 14th hole in 2014.

The Champion Course has hosted the Ryder Cup, PGA Championship, several years of the Senior PGA Championship and the Honda Classic for the past 11 years.

Under the direct supervision of Mr. Nicklaus, PGA National’s director of agronomy, Brad Nelson, will be collaborating and working closely with Nicklaus Design Associates. The course is expected to open later this year.

Adjacent to the tee of the daunting first hole, The Champion Course’s driving range was upgraded and now includes a secluded section for PGA TOUR pros to practice their short game as well as greenside and fairway bunker play.

“Our owners, Walton Street Capital, have continually strived to improve and enhance and our world-class golf assets,” says Greg Saunders, Vice President, Managing Director. “These vital and substantial upgrades and improvements will greatly benefit our coveted guests and partners, including PGA TOUR players competing in the Honda Classic, our valued members and their families, as well as resort guests.”

The destination also features four additional first-class layouts: The Palmer, The Fazio, The Squire and The Estates. All will be open for play during the renovation. The newly transformed Palmer Course, originally designed by Arnold Palmer, reopened last November after undergoing a comprehensive renovation to rave reviews.

Additionally, PGA National offers the David Leadbetter Golf Academy and David Pelz Scoring Game School for individual instruction and group clinics; Every Ball Counts – the world’s first science-based, statistics-driven training system for golf improvement offered at its off-site Estates Course; and state-of-the-art club fitting at the PGA National Club Fitting Lab.

Photos: PGA National Resort & Spa