PGA National Resort - Palmer Course

The first time I played The Palmer was a few months before its 2017 renovation. Honestly, it was a very forgettable golf course with no real distinguishing features. Having played it twice since that Arnold Palmer Design Company project, I think it’s my second-favorite of PGA National’s “big courses,” behind The Match and ahead of the brutal Champion. Thoughtful rolls, decks and bowls within The Palmer’s putting surfaces have turned it into a charming resort play.

This course has been neglected. Many bare spots, insects have taken over, many dead trees can create a danger on windy days. The worst was the amount of trash on the course , and the weeds and water accumulation in the traps. Brookfield should really keep an eye on how their money is being spent. I felt bad for my host who I am sure paid plenty to host me.Cant comment on other courses at this club but the Palmer course is a disaster and I would suggest staying away , it cannot be fixed without a major effort.

At the time I made this review, golfadvisor gave this course 2.4 stars, which is pretty mind boggling because this IMHO this is a 5-star course. The resort and facilities are going through major upgrades, but it doesn't take away from my round or how good of a shape the Palmer course was in. I used the SFPGA golf pass deal which is $55 for a round. The driving range is pretty nice, you could only hit from the mats, but the mats are pretty nice and fluffy. The course was in excellent shape, and although it is surrounded by housing, it has more of a resort style feel than the Fazio course. Also, Palmer has a nicer design over the Fazio, and it's quite challenging, no matter what tees you play from. Follow the hole-by-hole tips on the website, I felt they helped me tremendously, so much to the point that I was able to break 90. I was surprised how green and lush the course was despite the lack of rain we've gotten this summer. The greens although they weren't super fast, rolled pretty good. The back nine, especially the finishing holes seemed to play a lot harder than the rest, which forces you to stay focused all the way to the end. The 18th hole is gruesome and pretty, very worthy of a finishing hole. I rank the Palmer over the Fazio. Next, I'll try the Estates and Champion courses and come up with my final ranking.

The layout was great. As a Palmer Signature course I could really enjoy the layout and the use of water hazards throughout the course.

The conditions were awful. The fairways were burnt out, the rough was bare in many spots and the greens were so inconsistent it was ridiculous.

It looks like the entire property needs refurbishment and update.

If we were charged $50-$60 for the round I would be ok with that. But at $150 I expected a whole lot more.

If you can play here, you should. It was a solid course with good conditions. Finished right at 4 hours. It was the only course at PGA I played, so I can’t compare to any others. The pro shop staff was great and the member I was paired up with was great, bag drop staff not so much. They had no interest in helping me unload my minivan rental when sports cars are pulling up at the same time LOL! Which would have been fine if they were all busy but a couple were just talking with each other.

I have been a member at PGA for several years now and recently left because the club has really gone down hill. The head golf professional at PGA National is Randy Raimondi, who takes himself way too seriously. Instead of speaking to members like "members", he talks to you like youre a kid. He cancels tee times without first notifying the member, he doesnt return phone calls, and emails take him over a week to respond. Brookfield Asset Management recently purchased the club and the service coming out of the golf department is terrible. Randy needs to be fired immediately. I know of two other members that left because of the way they were treated from Randy. Im sure Randy doesnt care and he will just sign up new members, but the reputation of the club is spreading quickly. The club culture spreads from the top down and Randy needs to learn how to treat people. I actually think he has a Napoleon complex.

Overall very fun track. Lots of options off of the tee. Par 5's are challenging. Greens in great shape. Only negative was the bunkers were inconsistent.

This was a quality course with quality features. Greens undulating. Fairways were a good width. Bunkers avoidable.

This course of the 4 we played was a great layout and fun to play would recommend this course over champions.

This course is more interesting than the Champions Course, with doglegs and water in strategic locations. It was in excellent condition considering a heavy rain the night before that resulted in cart path only requirements.

This was my first time playing the Palmer Course at PGA National. It is by far the most challenging course of the PGA National courses I have played (I have not yet played the Championship course)

The course was in beautiful condition and well kept. The Palmer Course is a true test of golf with challenging pin positions. The course plays long. I had many 170 - 190 yard approach shots into greens which are elevated and all run off the sides. Be sure to aim for the center of the greens. The greens have many mounds, undulations, ridges and humps. The greens were smooth, quick and rolled true. The 18th hole is a 600 yard real challenge surrounded by water. The 18th hole presents challenges all over with a tight drive, hazard filled 2nd and 3rd shots and challenging green.

My two rounds at The Palmer this year formed a study in how far just a bit of focused attention can go for a tired golf course. Arnold Palmer Course Design's Brandon Johnson, as well as the agronomy staff at PGA National, took The Palmer from a pleasant enough if unmemorable Florida resort course up two solid notches primarily through an expansion and recontouring of the greens and a reshaping of all of the courses bunkers. They didn't reinvent the wheel, but they did polish it and give it some great new tires, and now The Palmer is a much more engaging place for a round, which will make visitors and members happy.

I played the Palmer Course back in January with a friend. The layout cuts a winding path south of the main clubhouse through a residential neighborhood where, pleasantly, the the houses do not encroach heavily on the field of play. The layout is solid if fairly straightforward, with the most noteworthy holes being the 7th, the 11th and the 18th. The greens had been heavily overseeded and were very slow.

That said, the course has recently undergone some improvements, mainly a conversion of the greens to Champions Bermuda, which don't require winter overseeding. This should lead to better conditions and I look forward to updating this review soon.

That Arnold Palmer, he made this with the experienced golfer in mind. A very difficult track, but rewards with great shots. Be prepared to shape shots off the tee, and play it left to right. The 18th hole is a nightmare if you are playing bad, but it can also be the cherry on top of a great round on a great course. Fairways are pretty open, but must be precise into the greens and the rough is very capable of drowning a golf ball. Some of the best greens I have played. To The King!

Really enjoyed the Palmer Course. Extremely hot out but the course was in great shape. Thanks to the staff as well. We all had a great time.

I don't know whether it was the course, itself, or the fact that were were on holes 37-54 of a weekend getaway with 95 degree heat, but that was a tough track. We played from the blue tees, which was about 6700 yards. Be prepared to hit mid to long irons into elevated greens with a good bit of undulation. Despite the challenge and the effects of two days of fatigue and "dehydration," we had a good time. Next time, however, I think we'll play this one first.

For all of the hype the Champions Course receives on how difficult it is, I would put the Palmer course close behind it. The setup is more fair, with wider fairways and flatter greens, but the rough was thicker than the average Florida course, which really put a premium on hitting the fairway. Number eighteen is particularly difficult measuring at almost 600 yards. Overall, this course is an excellent choice while staying at PGA National.

Another beautiful and well kept PGA National golf course. Designed by Jack Nick Laus's friend Arnold Palmer. This was by far the toughest challenge of the weekend at PGA National (including Champions Course) A true test of golf with the Sunday pin positions we had. Pins are tucked away with little room for landing. A lot of 180+ yard shots into greens. If that isn't enough the 18th hole is a 600 yard beast with a tight drive, hazard filled 2nd and 3rd shots and tough green. Bring a bunch of balls, this is quite the challenge.

While I have been to PGA National to play before I had yet to play the Palmer course at this fine resort. While the champion gets most of the publicity as the host of the Honda Classic (and a fantastic course as well) the Palmer was just as much fun to play. It is a true resort course as it is very playable from any set if tees especially off the tee with wide fairways and plenty of room to miss. The greens can be a little challenging which can give even the experienced golfer something to think about. The greens were in perfect shape and had some nice speed to them. Played in under 4 hours as the 3rd group off. Excellent condition as well. In my opinion you need to go to PGA National but not just for the Champion course.