(The island green 165/141 yard par three third hole has a beach bunker guarding the left and rough protecting the right. The putting surface is elevated and is tricky to hit with the swirling wind.)
Palm Beach National strikes me as a low key, low budget design where Joe Lee dug out some ponds, built up his greens, and bunkered the front sides. There is a lot of room off the tee to drive the ball, and very seldom is water in play. It’s a very playable golf course, and after playing some of his tougher designs, makes me respect his work even more. This is a place that actually grows the game and is fun. There are a couple holes that have flair and give it visual appeal, but a high handicap can get it around with one ball.
(The 505/465 yard par five seventh is well bunkered but the player who gets his second shot on the right side will have a clear path for his third. Note the three trees in background. I thought they were the coolest things. They’re linear with small branches. I never found out what they were.)
(The 179/155 yard par three eighth is a classic Joe Lee hole. He clearly feels getting the ball airborne is the key element of golf.)
The only flaw is the holes either go straight or dogleg to the right. There are no doglegs to the left. I was told Joe Lee lived on this golf course, so it’s possible that he faded the ball, and this was his home track. For the majority of golfers, fade holes work out good because they’re slicers. It might be another reason why Palm Beach National is so popular.
(The 379/340 yard par four ninth doglegs right but if one hits it down the left, then this palm tree interferes with the approach shot.)
(For Clevelanders, how great would it be to have Barrio’s catering all the Metroparks courses?! Kudos to Palm Beach National for out of the box thinking.)
During the post round discussion, it was mentioned that many of the holes looked alike. My friends also felt that they hit the same shots over and over. I concur with both statements. The compact property just doesn’t have enough physical characteristics to differentiate the holes from one another. This makes all the water holes the highlights of the round. 3,15,18 are all really good holes. The eighteenth is such a fun ending hole that most golfers leave with a good impression that brings them back.
(The 390/356 yard par four fifteenth doglegs right with the water guarding the inside…
…the approach shot is hit to a green that allows a low runner. The putting surface extends further back so the bunker on the left guards the rear portion.)
Palm Beach National has all the tenets that I believe are the key to success. It has a good price point, a solid design, and a lively atmosphere. As I get older, I find myself attracted to places like this. Golf is becoming more about the time I spend with my friends, and less about my score. That said, I reckon I could get under my handicap five out of ten times. I give Palm Beach National a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play).
(The 358/311 yard par four eighteenth has so much room to left and short of the bunker that’s it’s foolish to squeeze it into the neck of the fairway short of the green…
…
…most of the green is set diagonally behind the trap. It’s important to get a good yardage for a full shot. As the crow flies, the hole plays shorter so the long hitter has a chance to get it very close. It’s a terrific ending hole especially for matchplay!)
(It never gets old seeing these guys!! This one is basking in the sun on the branch. He’s about 4’ long.)
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