This week the PGA Tour heads for the Sunshine State and the start of the ‘Florida Swing’. The Honda Classic will be contested on the Champion Course at the PGA National Resort and there are several big names to look out for in the field. Namely Rory McIlroy, who is looking to secure the world number one spot with a victory following a near miss at the WGC Accenture World Matchplay, and a certain Tiger Woods, who will no doubt be desperate for a win which will steal the headlines and temporarily halt the young Irishman’s seemingly unstoppable march to the summit of the game. Whatever the outcome we can be assured of one thing: the PGA National Resort and the mighty Champion Course will certainly play a part.


PGA National has a distinguished history of tournament play having hosted the 1983 Ryder Cup, the 1987 PGA Championship, and nearly two decades of PGA Seniors’ Championships. Golf is a plenty at the resort with no less than five championship courses designed by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom and George Fazio and Karl Litten.

The sun setting over one of the Sunshine State’s finest courses, the Champion Course at the PGA National Resort.

The Champion is joined by the Haig, Squire, Palmer and Estate Courses, each of which presents visiting golfer with its own unique challenge.

The Haig Course was the first to be completed at the PGA National Resort, and was designed by Tom Fazio. The main challenge around the 6,806 yard layout comes from Fazio’s strategic position of his water hazards, demanding a combination of both power and accuracy. Water comes into play on 15 holes at the Haig, which was named after the legendary Walter Hagen, an unprecedented winner in golf’s early years.

The Palmer Course was designed by Arnold Palmer, whose aggressive attitude towards playing the game is reflected in his creation at PGA National. The fairways are forgiving and the greens large, but with the prevalence of huge water hazards, attacking play comes with considerable risks.

Great swathes of water are among the many hazards on this fantastic course.

The Squire is the shortest of PGA National’s layouts, and its creator Tom Fazio has described it as a ‘thinking man’s golf course’. Many of the holes have dog-leg fairways, often demanding conservative club selection from the tee to find prime position.

The Estate Course is PGA National’s fifth, and is located a couple of miles outside the boundaries of the resort. Amid the verdant Florida landscape, the Estate offers a distinctly different experience to its siblings.

Players at the Honda Classic will also have contend with extensive bunkering.

Last but certainly not least is the Champion Course where the big boys from the PGA Tour will do battle this week for a share of an impressive $5.7 prize fund. Originally designed by Tom Fazio and his late uncle George Fazio, The Champion Course was redesigned by the legendary Jack Nicklaus in 1990. Despite not being the longest modern day championship course – the Champion Course stretches to a little over 7,000 yards – and featuring generous fairways and receptive Tif-eagle greens, the Champion Course still presents an significant challenge, even to the world’s best players.

The main challenge facing golfers here is to manage their way around the course to avoid the many hazards that await stray shots. Water is an ever present threat and although fairways are wide, they are bordered by thick, lush rough and towering native trees which are penal but also give players the odd chance to manufacture something spectacular in the form of an escape shot. The bunkering is also excellent and the green side bunkers in particular place an emphasis on accurate driving so that players have the best possible lines to the pins.

The 18th on the Palmer Course is a particular highlight.

The Champion Course however, is not only restricted to more talented players. Five sets of tees mean the course can be played from anywhere between the maximum 7,048 yards to a more manageable 5,145 yards from the forward tees. This is a must play course for anyone jetting off to the Sunshine State for a golf holiday and while golfers of all shapes and sizes can enjoy the delights of this course be warned…you will have to negotiate the infamous “Bear Trap”; a three hole stretch that is considered by many to be one of the toughest in the world. Are you up to the challenge? Why not catch the action from the Honda Classic and find out!?

Just to whet your golfing appetite, here are some of the best moments from the history of the Honda Classic…

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