The Park West Palm combines traditional golf course design – the punchbowl inexperienced on the twelfth gap being a strong instance – with trendy enterprise practices to create what is perhaps the most effective each day payment golf course in Florida. Now in its second 12 months (The Park opened in April 2023), the 190-acre facility, simply minutes from downtown West Palm Seashore, is what golf’s “grow-the-game’’ advocates have touted for years – family-friendly, each day payment golf with upscale facilities and repair.
“I believe we verify all the packing containers that we’ve been making an attempt to verify,’’ mentioned Brian Conley, common supervisor of The Park West Palm Seashore.
Let’s have a look:
An excellent Gil Hanse/Jim Wagner/Dirk Ziff designed course? Examine.
One in every of South Florida’s prime public course apply services? Examine
A dynamic youth golf program? Examine
Lighted par-3 course? Examine
Caddy program? Examine
12-minute tee occasions? Examine
Meals and beverage choices? Examine
Quick access to all areas of Palm Seashore County? Examine
Hanse and his crew pay homage to golf’s “golden age’’ of design – with quantity of Australian Sandbelt tossed in, significantly on the par-3, eleventh gap, the place sand protects the inexperienced on all sides besides within the entrance, thus permitting gamers who miss quick the chance to play the ball on the bottom to get on the inexperienced.
Most of the inexperienced complexes at The Park have that “low mow’’ design that offers gamers the choice taking part in the ball on the bottom or within the air.
“We don’t have a water hazard options wherever,’’ Conley mentioned. “A number of the inspiration did come from the Sandbelt. When the ball might be superior and performed on the bottom, the sport is extra gratifying. And it’s sooner.’’
These “low mow’’ areas, together with 12-minute tee occasions, assist clarify the 41,000 rounds performed in The Park’s first 12 months.
Positioned on the footprint of the unique West Palm Seashore Golf Course, The Park West Palm Seashore is a $55 million mission funded by particular person donations, together with Tiger Woods. Former PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh was a vocal proponent of the mission. The PGA itself shouldn’t be concerned in The Park, though its South Florida Part headquarters is positioned on the property.
It may be argued that The Park’s enterprise roots return to 1990 and authentic idea for Emerald Dunes. Positioned only some miles to the west, Emerald Dunes, designed by Tom Fazio, was born with nice fanfare. One, it was marketed because the 1,000th golf course in Florida; and two, it was imagined to be on the vanguard of a state and nationwide growth in high-end, each day payment golf.
That growth was a bust. However is The Park West Palm a reincaraation of that five-decades previous concept? Perhaps. Nevertheless it’s higher armed, higher deliberate and higher at proudly owning its id.
“We’re nonetheless very a lot a brand new enterprise and new golf course,’’ Conley mentioned. “There’s a studying curve all of us have encountered. We got here out of the bottom from a high-end, each day payment perspective, however there’s a studying curve in educating folks as to what that’s and what it appears like.
“However even the issues that haven’t progressed as quick as we’d like are trending in the appropriate route. So, in some situations, we’ve surpassed expectations and in different methods, we’re nonetheless studying.’’
In a means, studying is what The Park is all about. Whether or not that’s studying to play the sport for the primary time, studying the significance of being custom-fit for golf equipment, and even studying the way to take a lesson, The Park is proving to be a template for a method (or some ways) to develop the sport.
“We’re actually one in every of one,’’ Conley mentioned. “Is it essential for others to comply with? Not essentially. Is there a chance for others to comply with? Certain, however it’s not a necessity.
“Golf might be consumed in every kind of various manners. Right here at The Park – whether or not it’s an outing on the par-3 course or taking part in the Hanse course, we wish folks to have enjoyable.’’
