By Pete McDaniel
Photo By Stephen Szurlej
May 2008
Amid-winter tee time for a single anywhere in Florida usually involves a potluck pairing and much patience with the slow-moving snowbirds. I was prepared to face a double dose of those challenges when attempting to play as many good public courses as possible from West Palm Beach to Port St. Lucie.
To my surprise, pairings and snowbirds were the least of my problems in the Golf Digest star chase.
The plan was to arrive in Palm Beach County early Monday, normally the slowest day even in the busiest golf season, and schedule two rounds at one facility that first day. Because I had an evening-departure flight on the fourth day, I would play two courses near the airport.
I figured the eight 4-plus-star courses would make me tough to beat. I might even squeeze in an extra 18 at one of the PGA of America's multicourse facilities. Never could I have forecast a celebrity outing or an unseasonable tornado warning that would throw me off. Good for the drought-stricken area; not so good for me.
The Palm Beach International Airport is one of the most accessible, with a comparably short wait for baggage and shorter commute to car-rental sites. Even my hotel -- a Courtyard Marriott -- was just five minutes away. Arriving at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens for an 11 a.m. tee time, I was paired with three members of the Executive Women's Golf Association. We played the Squire course, a Tom Fazio design with water in play for the accuracy-challenged on most holes.
The expeditious play enabled me to make a scheduled 3 p.m. tee time on the Champion course, site of the Honda Classic to be played two weeks later. That's when I received the bad news: Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins and some of his celebrity friends had tied up the course all day. Maintenance was busy filling in divots, raking bunkers and otherwise keeping me off. I sulked away with only four stars. So much for the great start.
1. PGA G.C. (Ryder)
★ ★ ★ ★ ½ (Dye) ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
$89, pgavillage.com, 800-800-4653
2. Abacoa G.C. ★ ★ ★ ★
$140, abacoagolfclub.com, 561-622-0036
3. PGA National G.C. (Squire) ★ ★ ★ ★
$215 for resort guests, pgaresort.com, 800-633-9150
4. Okeeheelee G.Cse. ★ ★ ★ ★
$47, okeeheeleegolf.com, 561-964-4653
5. Links at Boynton Beach ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
$55, boynton-beach.org, 561-742-6501
Daylight hours on trip: 44
Miles traveled: 270
Best Places to Play stars accumulated: 25½
Green fees per star: $24.90
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