COURSE · PARKLAND · BUCKET LIST · TIER A
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, United States · The Big Cat
A boldly engineered private club where Jack Nicklaus and Justin Thomas reimagined what Florida golf can demand.
01 · Overview
~2 min read
Panther National arrived in Palm Beach Gardens in 2023 as the first new private golf club built in Palm Beach County in nearly two decades. Conceived by founder Dominik Senn and realised through an unlikely but productive partnership between Jack Nicklaus and an active Tour star, the course signals a deliberate ambition: to build a modern private club that competes on the same level as the great American trophy courses.
The collaboration between Nicklaus and Justin Thomas is, by most accounts, unprecedented — the first time the Golden Bear has taken on an active PGA Tour professional as a co-designer. Thomas's fingerprints are most visible in the course's sheer scale and its demand for distance management. The championship 'JT' tees stretch the layout to nearly 8,000 yards, and the routing is built around a series of decision points that reward strategic play from the tee rather than simple power. A course rating of 78.7 and a slope of 147 make the arithmetic plain enough.
South Florida's flat limestone plain is rarely associated with elevation, yet Panther National moved close to two million cubic yards of earth during construction to produce changes in grade that are genuinely uncommon for the region. The tee box on the 12th sits forty feet above sea level; the green on the 11th sits at thirty-four. These are modest numbers by mountain-course standards, but in the context of the Palm Beaches they alter wind exposure, sightlines, and approach angles in ways that genuinely change how the course plays.
The club's wider offering reflects Senn's lifestyle-driven vision. A par-3 course called Panther9 — including an island-green hole inspired by TPC Sawgrass's famous 17th — sits alongside a nearly one-acre putting course known as The Cub. A 66,000-square-foot modernist clubhouse designed by architect Max Strang, featuring Michelin-calibre dining and a curated wine cellar, is designed to complete the picture. Panther National is, in short, a club that intends to be taken seriously on every front.
THE DESIGN
Nearly two million cubic yards of moved earth give Panther National contours that South Florida rarely possesses. Tee boxes perch up to forty feet above sea level, altering exposure and forcing players to recalibrate every approach.
THE ROUTING
The course is built in a series of compact loops returning to the clubhouse, giving members flexible nine-hole options while ensuring each outward sequence builds toward a demanding climax before coming home.
THE TEST
At 7,864 yards with a 78.7 course rating and slope of 147, the layout is not long for the sake of it. Strategic bunkering and water features — including a full island green on the fifth — reward precise tee-shot placement over raw distance.
THE AMENITIES
Panther9, a par-3 short course with holes from 60 to 200 yards, and The Cub, a 30,000-square-foot putting green, ensure that practice and play coexist at the same standard as the championship layout itself.
02 · The Holes
5 of 5 · 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 5 · par 4 · 403y
The shortest par 4 on the outward nine plays every yard of its distance over water along the entire left flank, concluding at an island green that leaves no room for a cautious approach. Distance control is everything; the margin for error is essentially nothing.
403 yards · An island green on a par 4 — rarer, and more unforgiving, than the island-green par 3s it recalls.
HOLE 11 · par 5 · 654y
At 654 yards, this is a genuinely miles-long par 5 by any measure, finishing at one of the highest points on the property — 34 feet above sea level. The climbing finish turns what might be a reachable three-shot hole elsewhere into a sustained test of club selection and nerve.
654 yards · One of the longest par 5s in Florida, made harder still by an elevated green that adds effective distance to every approach.
HOLE 12 · par 4 · 440y
The highest tee on the course — forty feet above the surrounding terrain — gives a commanding view but demands an immediate decision: challenge the flanking bunkers to shorten the approach, or lay back and play the full yardage in. Neither choice is comfortable.
440 yards · The course's highest point sits on the tee, not the green — a deliberate inversion that changes how risk reads from the driver's perspective.
HOLE 9 · par 4 · 539y
A very long par 4 — playing to 539 yards — closes the front nine with a climb back toward the clubhouse. The future 66,000-square-foot modernist clubhouse will preside over the finishing approach, adding theatre to an already demanding hole.
539 yards · At 539 yards, this is among the most demanding closing par 4s in South Florida.
HOLE 16 · par 4 · 335y
The easiest hole on the scorecard by handicap rating offers a late-round lifeline — a short, potentially driveable par 4 that tempts bold players while punishing those who overcook their line. After the sustained difficulty of 13 through 15, the relief is carefully calculated.
335 yards · Rated Handicap 18, it is the lone genuine birdie invitation in a brutal back-nine stretch.
05 · In Their Words
2 on-camera verdicts · spoken while filming here
It's just so quiet and peaceful out here and the golf course is in always great shape.
This place is a treat... a special spot.
06 · How to Play Here
2 routes to a tee time
Private Membership Access · members only
Panther National is an ultra-luxury private golf club. Access to the Jack Nicklaus and Justin Thomas designed championship course is restricted to members and their invited guests. Members can book tee times via the club's dedicated member app or portal.
Initiation Fee Price on Application
Member-Guest Play · members only
Guests may play the course if accompanied by a member of Panther National. Guest fees and availability are subject to club policies.
Guest Fee
07 · History
9 moments · 2006–2024
2006
Founder Dominik Senn — a former Swiss alpine skier — relocates his sports management agency to Jupiter, Florida, eventually conceiving the idea for a modern, lifestyle-driven private golf community.
2022
On February 22, the project officially breaks ground — the first new private golf club development in Palm Beach County in nearly two decades.
2022
PGA Tour star Justin Thomas partners with Jack Nicklaus to co-design the course, marking the first time Nicklaus has collaborated with an active Tour professional on a design project.
2022
Construction crews begin relocating nearly two million cubic yards of earth to create elevation changes unusual for the region — the physical foundation of Nicklaus and Thomas's bold design vision.
2023
Panther National opens on November 17. Co-designers Jack Nicklaus and Justin Thomas hit the ceremonial inaugural tee shots together.
2023
The club celebrates its launch with an exhibition match featuring Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele, Lexi Thompson, and Shane Lowry — announcing the club's arrival to a national audience.
2023
The par-3 short course opens alongside the championship layout, offering holes from 60 to 200 yards including an island-green tribute to TPC Sawgrass's iconic 17th.
2024
The club is selected as the venue for a televised skins competition featuring Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood, Keegan Bradley, and Shane Lowry — the course's first major broadcast exposure.
2024
The club breaks ground on its 66,000-square-foot modernist clubhouse designed by architect Max Strang, which will include 'The Rock' — a tower housing Swiss crystals as a tribute to Senn's heritage.
08 · Common Questions
7 questions · sourced from 5 vlogs
No. Panther National is a strictly private golf club. Access to the championship course is reserved for members and guests accompanied by a member. There is no public tee-time system, and the club does not operate on a resort or semi-private basis.
Membership is by application. Prospective members should contact the club directly through the official website at panthernational.com. Initiation fees and annual dues are available on request. As with most ultra-private clubs of this tier, a member sponsorship or introduction is typically expected.
As a private residential club, on-site accommodation is reserved for property owners and their guests. The PGA National Resort & Spa is the closest full-service resort option, approximately ten to fifteen minutes away. Several upscale hotels in Palm Beach Gardens — including the Hilton Garden Inn and Embassy Suites — are also within easy reach.
Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) is the primary gateway, roughly 25 to 30 minutes from the club via FL-710 (Beeline Highway) or I-95. North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport (F45) is a closer option for those arriving by private aircraft.
The course was co-designed by Jack Nicklaus and PGA Tour star Justin Thomas, opening in November 2023. It is widely noted as the first time Nicklaus has collaborated with an active Tour professional on a design project.
Panther National carries a course rating of 78.7 and a slope of 147 from the championship JT tees, which stretch to nearly 8,000 yards. Those are serious numbers — comparable to some of the most demanding private layouts in the United States. The combination of length, engineered elevation change, and water hazards makes it a genuine test even for low-handicap players.
The club offers Panther9, a par-3 short course with holes ranging from 60 to 200 yards, including an island-green hole inspired by the famous 17th at TPC Sawgrass. The Cub, a nearly one-acre putting course, serves members looking to sharpen their short game. A dual-sided practice range surfaced with Trinity Zoysia grass completes the practice facilities.
10 · The Library
3 creators · YouTube-indexed
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