COURSE
— · The Nash
A public Florida layout where the island green on the third has become the course's enduring calling card.
01 · Overview
~1 min read
Palm Beach National sits in Lake Worth on the southern edge of Palm Beach County, offering daily-fee golf in a region better known for its private clubs and resort enclaves. Designed by Joe Lee and J. Porter Gibson and opened in 1962, it has quietly outlasted trends and ownership changes to become one of the area's most reliably accessible 18-hole layouts.
Joe Lee's original routing — reworked substantially by Lee himself in a 1992 renovation alongside long-serving superintendent Mark Jarrell — reads as a measured Florida parkland design, mixing short, strategic par-fours with three par-fives that invite aggressive second shots. The course plays to a par of 72 across roughly 6,500 yards from the tips, making it a genuine test without tipping into penal territory. Jarrell's agronomic influence over several decades helped stabilize turf conditions that the South Florida climate regularly challenges.
The hole that draws the most conversation is the par-3 third, where an island green forces a carry over water with little margin for error. At 165 yards it is not a brute, but the surrounding water sharpens the mind in ways that distance alone cannot. The rest of the round unfolds across relatively open terrain, where wind off the Florida flatlands becomes the decisive variable on exposed stretches.
In recent years the facility has leaned into a more social identity under the banner of 'The Nash,' the name given to its bar and grill operation. A technology-equipped driving range, a Players Club membership program, and a deliberately relaxed first-tee culture have drawn a younger and more diverse golfing crowd. The result is a course that takes its golf seriously without asking its guests to do the same about everything else.
THE TURF
South Florida's heat and humidity demand careful turfgrass management. Decades of stewardship from superintendent Mark Jarrell produced conditions that hold up through the long playing season.
THE WATER
Water features punctuate the routing at key moments, most memorably on the island-green third. The hazards are selective rather than omnipresent, rewarding committed shot-making over caution.
THE WIND
Set on open, flat terrain, Palm Beach National offers little shelter from prevailing breezes. Club selection on the exposed mid-round holes can shift by two sticks without warning.
THE SETUP
Multiple tee options, a relaxed atmosphere, and transparent daily-fee booking make this a course that plays to a wide handicap range. The layout rewards strategy without punishing beginners into submission.
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 3 · par 3 · 165y
The course's most photographed moment — a par-3 played entirely over water to a green with no margin for misadventure. At 165 yards it demands a committed, well-struck iron and a willingness to accept the outcome. There is nowhere to bail out.
165 yards · Fully surrounded by water, the island green leaves zero room for a conservative miss.
HOLE 1 · par 5 · 511y
A reachable par-five that sends players out in good spirits, offering two distinct routes to the green. At 511 yards it tempts the longer hitter to go for it in two, setting the strategic tone for the round that follows.
511 yards
HOLE 5 · par 4 · 426y
At 426 yards, the fifth is among the more demanding par-fours on the front nine. A longer drive is rewarded with a workable angle into the green; a wayward tee ball compounds the difficulty of the approach considerably.
426 yards
HOLE 13 · par 4 · 420y
A mid-length par-four on the back nine where position off the tee matters more than raw distance. The approach demands a precise iron to a green that does not forgive the short side.
420 yards
HOLE 14 · par 5 · 509y
The second of three par-fives plays just short of 510 yards and offers a genuine eagle chance for the big hitter. For everyone else it is a measured three-shot hole where a clean lay-up sets up a makeable birdie putt.
509 yards
HOLE 18 · par 4 · 358y
The closing hole is a shorter par-four at 358 yards, inviting a driver or long iron off the tee before a wedge into the final green. Players finishing within sight of The Nash have little excuse not to end on a birdie.
358 yards · One of the shorter closers in the region, yet the temptation to overswing into trouble is real.
05 · In Their Words
3 on-camera verdicts · spoken while filming here
Shout out Palm Beach National again for having us out here. Actually it's in pristine shape right now.
This place is very, very getable.
This is a fairly easy golf course so hopefully we don't embarrass ourselves.
06 · How to Play Here
4 routes to a tee time
Public Daily Fee · single
Palm Beach National is a public, daily-fee golf course. Tee times can be booked directly through the official website or by calling the pro shop. The club is known for its relaxed atmosphere and 'fun' vibe, including music and occasional complementary shots at the first tee.
GolfNow / Chronogolf Booking · external
The course inventory is frequently listed on major third-party booking engines including GolfNow and Chronogolf (Lightspeed).
Players Club / Membership · package
The club offers 'Players Club' passes and annual memberships which provide discounted rates and advance booking privileges. Options range from casual golfer passes to die-hard memberships.
Golfpac Travel Packages · hotel package
Customized golf packages and vacations are available through travel partners like Golfpac Travel, often bundled with local hotel stays.
07 · History
8 moments · 1962–2023
1962
Joe Lee and J. Porter Gibson's 18-hole design opens for play in Lake Worth, establishing the course as a public championship layout in Palm Beach County.
1967
Bob Rich of the Rich Products Corporation acquires the facility, beginning a multi-decade era of family ownership that would define the club's character.
1979
Jarrell begins a long tenure that will shape both the agronomic health of the course and his own reputation as an influential figure in Florida turfgrass management.
1992
Original architect Joe Lee, working alongside Jarrell, completes a comprehensive rebuild of the course to modernize its playability and address agronomic conditions.
2011
Management shifts to the Rich Entertainment Group, modernizing operations and brand while preserving the Rich family's foundational ownership legacy.
2018
A new membership program repositions the facility as a high-volume, accessible public destination built around a 'pro-for-a-day' atmosphere.
2022
The course adopts The Nash identity, centering a more relaxed and social golf experience to distinguish itself from the region's traditional private-club culture.
2023
The driving range is upgraded with Inrange ball-tracking technology, drawing a younger demographic and reinforcing the facility's modern, social identity.
08 · Common Questions
7 questions · sourced from 6 vlogs
Palm Beach National is a public, daily-fee course. Tee times can be reserved directly through the course's official website or by calling the pro shop. The course also lists available inventory on third-party platforms such as GolfNow and Chronogolf.
Yes. The Players Club program provides a range of pass and membership options, from casual-golfer packages to full annual memberships. Members receive discounted rates and advance booking privileges. Details are available through the pro shop.
Travel partners such as Golfpac Travel offer packaged itineraries that include Palm Beach National alongside local hotel accommodation. These packages suit visitors building a multi-day South Florida golf trip.
The Nash is the course's signature bar and grill, known for a relaxed, social atmosphere. It serves as the main gathering point before and after rounds and lends its name informally to the facility's broader brand identity.
The Island Hole is the par-3 third, playing 165 yards over water to a green that is fully surrounded by a hazard. It is widely regarded as the course's signature hole and the one most likely to be remembered — for better or worse — long after the round.
The layout is welcoming for a wide range of ability levels. Multiple tee options reduce the yardage significantly, and the atmosphere is deliberately unpretentious. The island green on the third is genuinely penal, but the rest of the course offers recovery options for errant shots.
Yes. The facility features Smashers On Inrange, a technology-equipped driving range powered by Inrange ball-tracking hardware. It is part of the course's broader effort to attract a more social and tech-savvy golfing audience.
10 · The Library
6 creators · YouTube-indexed
Most relevant
Good Good · 73:46
400K views · 8mo ago
Micah Morris · 45:01
152K views · 1y ago
BustaJack Golf · 75:33
245K views · 1y ago
Sabrina Andolpho · 32:32
97K views · 1y ago
Henry Grillo Golf · 30:45
37K views · 1y ago
gabbygolfgirl · 72:07
477K views · 6mo ago
Save it to your studio, share it with the group, or — if the ballot gods favour you — book it for next season.