Review: PGA National Championship Course
PGA National Championship Course begins just a few steps from the clubhouse. It really is a good starting hole, not too tough, but difficult enough to give you a good sense of what it to come on the remain 17 holes. Just like on this hole, you will often find trees on one side and water on the other. Sometimes it is mixed up with trees on both sides or water on both sides, but this is not a course for an extremely wayward driver. You can get away with a miss here and there, but you will be penalized by the thick rough. Now I’m not sure they always keep the rough as thick as they had it when I was there, just a couple weeks before the Honda Classic, but do whatever you can to avoid the thick rough. That is easier said than done. I had no problem testing the rough right away on the first hole. I was only a foot off the fairway but I just had to hack it up by the green as best I could. Once on the green you can expect smooth, consistent fast greens all the way around the course.
There are number of great holes on the front side of the Championship Course. On paper there are a couple holes that look easy, but playing them is much more difficult than one would think. The 4th hole is a short par 4, but because of the fairway bunkers, green side bunkers and a narrow crowned green, it can easily result in a big number on the card. The 6th hole is another short hole, this time a par 5. It shouldn’t be that tough, but with such a narrow fairway, water left and a prevailing headwind, it takes a number of accurate shots and good putting to beat this little hole. The front 9 wraps up with a solid, long par 4 again into the wind bringing you back to the clubhouse.
For more information: www.pgaresort.com
Quick Hits
+Tour Conditions
+Championship layout
+The Bear Trap
+Honda Classic
–Cart path only during Honda Classic prep