Palm Beach Gardens Golf Course

Today we revisit Southeast Florida with a GroupGolfer feature in the greater Fort Lauderdale area: $17 for 18 Holes with Cart and Range Balls at Palm Beach Gardens Golf Course in South East Florida ($58 Value. Use Any Day, Any Time Before August 31, 2011.)

The Palm Beach Gardens Golf Course, a Roy Case design, is built with an eye towards the golfer looking for both a challenge and scenery. Carved out of the beautiful Loxahatchee Nature Preserve, this par 72 weaves its way through southern pines, palm trees and marsh land with surprisingly well-defined elevation changes — leaving you with more than just one photo opportunity. And with four sets of tees available, golfers of all skill levels can choose their own destiny for the day.

If there was any one hole in particular that would stand out from the rest, it would be the appropriately named No. 18, "Swamp Thing." The tee shot is played through a chute of pines to a narrow island of fairway with marsh on the left and trees on the right. The ideal drive is a slight draw down the left center, which leaves the best angle for the difficult second shot.

The second shot is played over an eighty-yard expanse of swamp to a crowned fairway that is jealously guarded by large mounds, trees and marshland. The short iron approach is played to a small flat green, itself protected by a sand bunker on the left and a huge volcano-like grass bunker on the right.

While the last hole may sound intimidating, Palm Beach Gardens Golf Course equals a great day of challenging yet fair golf all around. To make sure your day starts off right, make your way over to the unique practice facility with its aqua driving range — that way you can get all those water balls out of your system before the first tee!