COURSE · PARKLAND · BUCKET LIST · TIER A
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, United States · Former home of the PGA of America
Where Jack Nicklaus completed the career Grand Slam twice and the PGA of America once called home.
01 · Overview
~2 min read
BallenIsles Country Club occupies a singular place in American golf history. Opened in 1964 as the centerpiece of a three-course complex conceived to serve as the PGA of America's permanent headquarters, the East Course hosted a PGA Championship, the inaugural PGA Tour Qualifying School, and a World Cup before most of its current membership was born.
Dick Wilson and Joe Lee designed the East Course on the flat South Florida terrain that both architects understood intimately, marshaling water hazards and strategic bunkering in place of the elevation changes unavailable on the coastal plain. At 7,474 yards with a slope of 145 and a course rating of 76.5, the layout asks for length and precision in equal measure — four par 3s ranging from 164 to 220 yards, four par 5s that reward aggressive play, and a set of par 4s that consistently demand second shots into well-defended greens. A 2008 renovation by Keith Foster, and a subsequent Nicklaus Design modernization completed in 2023, have kept the playing surfaces current without erasing the Wilson-Lee bones.
The championship moment most associated with the grounds came in February 1971, when Jack Nicklaus won wire-to-wire to claim his second career Grand Slam — the first player in history to achieve that distinction twice. A par-4 13th-hole dogleg became part of tournament lore when Nicklaus reportedly drove through the corner, clearing the pond that guards the elbow. That same week, Nicklaus and Lee Trevino combined to win the World Cup for the United States in what was reported as the largest field the event had assembled to that point.
Today BallenIsles operates as a private residential country club, its three courses — East, North, and South — accessible to members and properly introduced guests. The 115,000-square-foot Grand Clubhouse, expanded at a cost of $35 million and completed in 2018, frames the 18th hole of the East Course and anchors a community whose golfing ambitions remain as serious as they were when the PGA of America first broke ground here more than sixty years ago.
THE DESIGN
Dick Wilson and Joe Lee built the East Course on classic Florida parkland principles: broad fairways funneled by strategic bunkering, with water deployed to punish rather than merely decorate.
THE WATER
Lakes, lagoons, and lateral ponds thread through all three courses. On the East, the 13th and 18th holes feature water that turns otherwise manageable holes into genuine championship tests.
THE GREENS
The 2008 Foster renovation brought USGA-standard putting surfaces throughout. The greens are well-bunkered, sloped to shed approach shots that miss the correct quadrant, and run firm in the South Florida heat.
THE LENGTH
A slope of 145 and course rating of 76.5 confirm what the scorecard suggests: BallenIsles East rewards a complete game, not merely a long one.
02 · The Holes
6 of 6 · tap any hole to watch creators play it
Six holes carry more of the course's weight than the other twelve combined — and the creator vlogs that prove it.
HOLE 13 · par 4 · 392y
A sharp dogleg par 4 whose inner elbow is guarded by a large pond. Jack Nicklaus is said to have driven through the corner during the 1971 PGA Championship — a gamble that became part of the course's championship lore.
392 yards · Scene of one of Nicklaus's most audacious tee shots in major championship play.
HOLE 18 · par 4 · 463y
A championship-style finishing hole whose elevated green is fronted by a lagoon, demanding a precise long approach with the Grand Clubhouse filling the backdrop. One of the more photogenic conclusions on the Florida parkland circuit.
463 yards · The lagoon fronting the green makes any bail-out short of the putting surface expensive.
HOLE 7 · par 5 · 554y
A lengthy dogleg par 5 threaded with significant water hazards that punish any deviation from the prescribed route. Part of 'The Stretch' on the South Course — three consecutive holes defined by water on virtually every shot.
554 yards · Among the most water-laden holes on a course that does not lack for water.
HOLE 6 · par 3 · 220y
At 220 yards, the longest par 3 on the front nine demands a wood or long iron into an elevated green. Club selection is complicated by the prevailing South Florida breeze, which shifts direction without warning.
220 yards · Statistically one of the most difficult par 3s in the Palm Beach Gardens area.
HOLE 14 · par 4 · 453y
Often cited as the toughest par 4 on the East Course, requiring both length off the tee and a precise long iron into a well-bunkered green. Arriving here in the middle of a tough finish means any scorecard damage is difficult to recover.
453 yards · Playing it in par during a 1971 PGA Championship round was considered a half-victory.
HOLE 3 · par 5 · 552y
The front nine's first par 5 and often its hardest hole, with a large water hazard running the length of the right side. Tee shots cannot drift right, and the second shot offers no safe refuge for the ambitious player who has already found trouble.
552 yards · Sets the tone for a front nine that refuses to offer easy par 5 scoring.
05 · In Their Words
1 on-camera verdict · spoken while filming here
The burger, the chicken tenders, the fries. They're so good here at BallenIsles.
06 · How to Play Here
4 routes to a tee time
Member Tee Times · members only
Full Golf members can book tee times up to 7 days in advance. Sports members have seasonal restrictions (after 12:00 PM from November through April) and a 5-day booking window.
Annual Dues From ~$28,000 to $31,500+
Accompanied Guest · single
Guests must be accompanied by a member at all times. Day guests must be registered in the Golf Shop prior to play. Preferred guest fees apply for members' guests.
Guest Fee
House Guest Card · package
Unaccompanied guests staying in a member's residence require a House Guest Card. Request forms must be submitted 48 hours in advance at the Clubhouse Reception.
Guest Card Fee
Troon Privé Reciprocal Access · external
Full members of BallenIsles have access to Troon Privé-managed private clubs worldwide. Conversely, members of other participating Troon Privé clubs may request reciprocal access to BallenIsles (subject to host club availability and policy).
Reciprocal Rate $35–$55 (plus guest fees)
07 · History
1 PGA Championship · since 1971
1963
Developer John D. MacArthur partners with the PGA of America to create a world-class facility intended as the organization's permanent headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens.
1964
Designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee, the East Course opens as the centerpiece of the three-course facility then known as PGA National Golf Club.
1965
The facility hosts the very first PGA Tour Qualifying School, establishing its early legacy as a proving ground for emerging professional talent.
1966
The club begins hosting the Senior PGA Championship annually, a tradition that would continue through 1973.
1971
Jack Nicklaus wins wire-to-wire on the East Course in a rare February scheduling, becoming the first player to complete the career Grand Slam twice. That same week, Nicklaus and Lee Trevino win the World Cup of Golf for the United States.
1973
Following the expiration of the PGA of America agreement, the club is renamed JDM Country Club in honor of founder John D. MacArthur, ending its chapter as a PGA headquarters.
1988
The MacArthur Foundation sells the property, which is rechristened BallenIsles Country Club and begins its transformation into a private residential golf community.
2008
A $9 million modernization introduces new turf varieties and USGA-standard greens throughout the East Course, earning a Golf Inc. Magazine Renovation of the Year finalist nomination.
2019
A $7.5 million total reconstruction by Rees Jones, including new irrigation and strategic modifications, produces 'The Stretch' — three consecutive holes defined by water on every shot.
2023
Jack Nicklaus's design firm modernizes the East Course and opens the '71 Learning Center, named to commemorate the 1971 PGA Championship victory on these grounds.
08 · Common Questions
7 questions · sourced from 9 vlogs
No. BallenIsles is a private residential country club. Golf is available to members, properly registered guests accompanying a member, and in limited circumstances to unaccompanied guests holding a House Guest Card issued through a resident member. There is no public tee-time booking system.
You must be introduced by a member. Day guests play alongside the member who sponsors them; tee times are arranged through the Golf Shop. If you are staying in a member's residence, you may be eligible for a House Guest Card, which requires a request submitted at least 48 hours in advance at Clubhouse Reception.
Potentially. BallenIsles participates in the Troon Privé reciprocal program, meaning members of other Troon Privé-managed clubs may request access, subject to availability and the host club's policy at the time of the visit. Contact the Golf Shop directly to inquire.
The East Course, designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee and opened in 1964, hosted the 53rd PGA Championship in February 1971. Jack Nicklaus won wire-to-wire, becoming the first player to complete the career Grand Slam twice.
From the back tees the East Course measures 7,474 yards with a USGA course rating of 76.5 and a slope of 145 — firmly in championship-level territory. Water on multiple holes, large bunkering complexes, and fast USGA-spec greens make bogey avoidance the primary objective for most golfers.
The prime season runs from roughly November through April, when Florida's heat and humidity are most manageable and the courses are in peak condition. Summer months bring afternoon thunderstorms and higher temperatures; some courses implement maintenance closures, often on Mondays.
As a private club, BallenIsles has no on-site lodging for outside guests. Nearby options include the PGA National Resort, Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens, and Marriott's Oceana Palms. Palm Beach International Airport is 15 to 20 minutes south via I-95 or Florida's Turnpike.
10 · The Library
6 creators · YouTube-indexed
Most relevant
Sabrina Andolpho · 31:50
37K views · 1y ago
gabbygolfgirl · 47:46
42K views · 8mo ago
Peter Finch Golf · 73:28
748K views · 10mo ago
Bob Does Sports · 46:57
920K views · 11mo ago
Brad Dalke · 112:55
412K views · 8mo ago
gabbygolfgirl · 50:00
573K views · 7mo ago
Brad Dalke · 70:26
773K views · 8mo ago
gabbygolfgirl · 47:34
554K views · 8mo ago
Grant Horvat Golf · 58:22
1.7M views · 9mo ago
Save it to your studio, share it with the group, or — if the ballot gods favour you — book it for next season.