There are more than 17,000 golf courses in this country, and over a thousand in Florida alone (the most in the country), but there are none quite like the new Match Course at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
PGA National is steeped in golf history, and has always been one of the nation’s highest-profile and largest golf resorts, with five courses (now five and a half) headlined by the Champion Course, which annually hosts the PGA Tour (the long running Honda Classic just changed sponsors and it is now the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, which starts next Thursday, February 28, 2023). Along with vaunted Pinehurst, North Carolina and Destination Kohler (aka Whistling Straits), Wisconsin, it is one of just three U.S. resorts that have hosted both a Major and the Ryder Cup.
In the case of PGA National, that was the 1983 Ryder Cup and the 1987 PGA Championship—plus the Senior PGA Championship a whopping 19 times. The Champion Course opened as a George and Tom Fazio design in 1981, but was extensively redone by Jack Nicklaus, who is most associated with the layout and its infamous “Bear Trap,” a trio of holes known as one of the toughest stretches in American golf.
The other traditional eighteens at the resort include the Palmer, the Fazio, and off-site hidden gem the Estate. There used to be a fifth course here called the Squire, but it was reimagined in 2021 as two new layouts, The Match Course and the Staple, both by innovative designer Andy Staples. The changes were part of a massive resort-wide overhaul that took advantage of COVID to shut the resort for nearly a year. The $100-million-plus upgrade touched everything from guest rooms to dining to the spa, fitness, tennis center and pools.
The Match Course is a creative new twist on the current red-hot trend towards shorter courses and non-traditional routings. It has 18-holes, but the scorecard has no pars and no course rating. Instead of tee boxes, there is one vast teeing area on each hole with the back and front marked, in many cases well over 100-yards long, and the player who won the previous hole gets to decide where to tee it up. As a result, there are what would be par-4s that can play as long 3s, par-3s that can play long or very short, and a little bit of everything in between. At over 5,800 yards, it’s short for eighteen, but there are still “par-4s” here that can stretch over 430 yards.
It is designed solely for match play, not stroke play, and anyone out of contention is expected to pick up. As a result, the full eighteen can be played in under three hours (the stated maximum). The course slogan is “Because Nobody Cares What You Shot!” Even if you do, you can’t enter your round for handicap purposes because it’s not
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
The Puerto Rico Open finished with a dramatic playoff Sunday, but it was hardly the end for the event. In fact, while I was attending the tournament—one of the most spectator friendly in all of golf—the PGA Tour and Puerto Rico Tourism Company announced a two-year extension of the longest running PGA Tour event in the Caribbean, since 2008.
National Geographic’s new epic adventure, Queens explores Alaska, Mexico, Central America and Africa to compellingly spotlight and celebrate animal matriarchies and female leaders in nature. This is an eye-opening opportunity for armchair travelers to spy extraordinary remote places and feel uplifted. Gorgeously filmed and edited, the seven-episode ground-breaking Queens is the first-ever wildlife series steered by a women-led production team. Narrated by award-winning actor and executive producer Angela Bassett, Queens revels in female resilience, fortitude, passion and dedication. “This series is about stepping into and holding onto your power,” says Bassett. “These animal queens show us how to be a truly great leader. Each episode tells the story of sacrifice and strength, but also friendship and love. Behind the scenes is an equally inspiring story four years in the making of incredible women from around the world. It has a message of courage and hope that’s close to my heart.” Queens premieres on National Geographic March 4; on Disney+ and Hulu March 5. In the trailer (below), which features Billie Eilish’s electropop hit, You Should See Me in a Crown, Bassett asserts, “The strongest females fight for the survival of their families. Chosen to lead for her instincts, charisma, wisdom. We don’t call her Mother Nature for nothing.”
Morehead State University’s contribution to the moon landing mission marks the beginning of a new era in space exploration, characterized by increased collaboration between academic institutions and space agencies.
Marriott Bonvoy and Cathay members can enjoy a wealth of benefits and privileges, such as hotel stay redemptions, two-way points transfer, and enhanced flight and travel package experiences.
The work, due to begin in early March, is the first phase of the multi-million-pound redevelopment project at the five-star resort, as it seeks to reposition itself as one of Scotland’s top resorts and an international destination.
A major winter storm has closed Yosemite National Park and is bringing other parts of the Sierra Nevada region to a full stop. Meteorologists are forecasting some areas of the region, including Lake Tahoe, to receive at least 12 feet of snow, or higher, as the system slowly moves through mountainous regions. Other parts of the region including Mammoth Lakes, the Sierra National Forest, and Yosemite National Park receive severe winter storms and advise the public to stay off the roads. The National Weather Service (NWS) has already placed most of the region on an Avalanche Watch, Avalanche Warning, and Blizzard Warning through at least March 3 at 10:00 am PST. Yosemite National Park officials have already closed the park, and are asking all visitors currently in the park to «leave no later than noon» today, according to the park's website. “A significant winter storm will impact much of the West heading into the weekend, including dangerous, blizzard conditions for the Sierra Nevada,” the NWS shared in an advisory. In response to the upcoming storm, airlines have begun issuing travel waivers to accommodate the rebooking of passengers. United Airlines has issued a travel waiver for several airports in the region including Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) in Aspen, Colorado; Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) near Vail, Colorado; Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN) near Steamboat Springs, Colorado; and Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.