PGA National Renewal

	Haig's No. 18
	Photo: PGA National Resort

Golf loves nothing so much as its own history, and no doubt there is much to love: Please insert your favorite dewy-eyed, sepia-toned memory here. (I'll take Hale Irwin's ecstatic high-five-the-entire-crowd lap around Medinah's 18th green in the 1990 U.S. Open.)

For golf resorts, however, the past isn't necessarily a leading indicator; glory days of yore can mean lazy mediocrity in the here and now.

I suspect I first conceived these thoughts several years ago, on my maiden trip to PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Its tournament pedigree was spotless: its Champion course (one of five here) hosted the 1983 Ryder Cup matches (so long ago now that the U.S. actually won), the 1987 PGA Championship and 18 Senior PGA Championships.

The resort is home to the PGA of America, which manages all three events, so these facts didn't perhaps carry all the apparent gravitas. Still, at that time, even graded as a legacy the place disappointed, frayed around the edges like an old leather staff bag.

A corporate retreat recently sent me back for a second look, and times have changed -- it's gone from tired to top shelf.

I might have suspected as much, given that the PGA Tour now will be coming to town each March for the Honda Classic. As the Tour's ad campaign says, "These guys are good," but they are also picky. After a multimillion-dollar, multiyear overhaul, PGA National's guests, professional and amateur alike, should all be satisfied.

A total of $4.1 million alone went into the Champion Course, renamed (someone call Rick Schroder) the Champ.

The face-lift includes all-new grass, a bigger practice range, bunker renovations, tree removal and replacement, a whiz-bang irrigation system and more. Forecaddies now come standard with every group, so your only lost balls will be O.B. or U.W. (under water).

Much of the latter danger can be found on the infamous stretch of difficult water holes from the 15th through the 17th, known as "the Bear Trap," in honor of designer Jack "The Golden Bear" Nicklaus.

For would-be walkers, the Champ also has added bag-carrying caddies for an additional fee -- always a welcome option.

The Outstanding Others

If the Champ remains the resort's show pony, the other four courses certainly aren't dogs, although they are less pricey.

The Squire, honoring Gene "The Squire" Sarazen, was built a quarter-century ago by Tom Fazio and his uncle, George Fazio. It's the shortest and tightest of the fivesome, emphasizing accuracy and brains over brawn.

The Fazios also designed The Haig (dubbed in homage to the pioneering great Walter Hagen), notable for a lack of forced carries, and thus more playable for shorter hitters and less-accomplished golfers.