[Jeff Tang]

Interesting news from the Palm Beach Post. I’ve always enjoyed playing here, but the course has had severe conditioning issues the last year or so due to what I understand to be an issue with the current sprinklering system. Good news that it sounds like much of the course will remain largely unchanged.


https://www.google.com/amp/www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/new-developer-pour-million-into-reviving-west-palm-golf-course/bylJ8vzbopIVpjorvfs70H/amp.html

[Tim Gavrich]

If they're going to be building the TopGolf and hotel on the SW corner of the property, it will be a bummer to lose hole 5, which I think is an excellent short par-4. Hopefully they choose an architect for the "sympathetic restoration" very wisely. This will affect the great clockwise/counterclockwise routing of the course, which I think may be its biggest strength.


WPB GC in good shape is one of the best values in public golf. May it remain so.

[Rees Milikin]

If they're going to be building the TopGolf and hotel on the SW corner of the property, it will be a bummer to lose hole 5, which I think is an excellent short par-4. Hopefully they choose an architect for the "sympathetic restoration" very wisely. This will affect the great clockwise/counterclockwise routing of the course, which I think may be its biggest strength.


WPB GC in good shape is one of the best values in public golf. May it remain so.

That’s one of the best holes on the course, would be ashamed to lose it.


This course has some of the best land movement in South Florida and could really shine with some love.

[Joe Bausch]

I’m guessing the course is affordable.  Maybe 24 bucks?

[Jeff Tang]

If they're going to be building the TopGolf and hotel on the SW corner of the property, it will be a bummer to lose hole 5, which I think is an excellent short par-4. Hopefully they choose an architect for the "sympathetic restoration" very wisely. This will affect the great clockwise/counterclockwise routing of the course, which I think may be its biggest strength.


WPB GC in good shape is one of the best values in public golf. May it remain so.

Agreed on number 5. one of the better holes there. Curious to see how they use the space. There is not a lot of room in that corner, and not sure how they would route 4. 5, and 6 to make it work. Maybe they would make 5 a par 3 due to space limitations.

[John Blain]

Played a lot of golf there in the mid 90's and always enjoyed playing there. In fact at one time it was ranked in the "Top 10" public courses in the country. Unfortunately the Mark McCumber renovation was a total disaster and, in my opinion, ruined the golf course.


I played there about a year ago or so for the first time in many years and thought the place was awful. It was sad to see.


Hopefully this latest news will be a good step forward.


-JP

[Jeff Tang]

Played a lot of golf there in the mid 90's and always enjoyed playing there. In fact at one time it was ranked in the "Top 10" public courses in the country. Unfortunately the Mark McCumber renovation was a total disaster and, in my opinion, ruined the golf course.


I played there about a year ago or so for the first time in many years and thought the place was awful. It was sad to see.


Hopefully this latest news will be a good step forward.


-JP

JP, can you elaborate on what the course was like prior to the McCumber changes?  Is that when they brought in all the new sand for the waste areas?

[ChipRoyce]

Too funny; I just played West Palm for the first time today. Here's the email I sent fellow GCA'er Jerry Kluger this afternoon after playing. Rather than repeat myself, please read my comments below.
 
Gavin and I played today; very good routing and can see some of the remaining Dick Wilson (Palmer’s group did work in 2009. The course is in rough shape; irrigation system was destroyed last summer by the hurricane. They’ve kept the tees and greens alive, but the fairways and rough are very spotty.  What’s cool is that the course is on VERY sandy soil (if cleared of all vegetation, would be rolling sand dunes – with some elevation changes similar to Seminole). The rough has died off replaced by sandy waste areas.  his course could be REALLY special if they could come up with a maintenance plan to get the fairways back in shape, use rough sparingly, and allow the native areas to become integral to the course.

[Jerry Kluger]

I played the course before and after the renovation and I have to say that the idea behind the renovation was good but the execution was not so good.  Biggest problem as I understand it was all the waste areas they created were supposed to be composed of a sand that would allow golf carts to drive on it but they brought in the wrong sand.  The waste areas were there to replace the dense and rather ugly vegetation bordering most of the holes. 


Perhaps the biggest problem was that they had tee times at 7 minute intervals which made every round nearly 5 hours.

[John Blain]

I think McCumber sold the city of WPB a bill of goods and in essence destroyed a really nice Dick Wilson public golf course. Taking down those Australian pines and turning them into waste areas turned out to be a huge mistake. I also have to believe the course was mismanaged, they cut back on maintenance and the conditions got to the point where you really didn't want to play there anymore.
Back in the day a lot of good players played there on a regular basis, guys like Dana Quigley and a lot of good amateurs.
The old clubhouse and pro shop were really charming and overall it was just a great place. Unfortunately, I think those days are gone for good.


-JP

[Rees Milikin]

Here is a 1953 aerial for comparison

[Dean Stokes]

http://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/content/major-project-at-west-palm-beach-municipal-golf-course-nears-fruition?utm_content=buffer6f70a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[Jeff Schley]

Never heard of Drive Shack, but I guess Top Golf isn't afraid of them.

The city commission recently approved plans for a Topgolf competitor, Drive Shack, to open next to Palm Beach International Airport. An American Links official said marketing studies show the area will support both businesses, the Topgolf site having the advantage of its visibility from the interstate.

[Dean Stokes]

I played here last week for the first time.....I have no idea how it looked "pre McCumber" but I enjoyed the routing and the holes. That being said it is pitiful condition except for the greens which were somewhat decent. There's barely any grass on the tees or the fairways which makes hitting solid shots difficult.


I can only imagine how good this course would be with some money and care put into it....the holes have character and the fairways meander along in a rolling (not hilly) fashion. Such a shame to see an old Florida gem in dire condition - especially since tax payer money most likely paid for the renovation not too long ago!

[MCirba]

I’m guessing the course is affordable.  Maybe 24 bucks?

 

[Dean Stokes]

$41.........but cheap beer and sandwiches and a 2 hour 50 mins round!

[Joe Bausch]

$41.........but cheap beer and sandwiches and a 2 hour 50 mins round!

Sold!

[Steve_ Shaffer]

PGA of America has a plan to revive West Palm’s golf course


https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20200110/pga-of-america-has-plan-to-revive-west-palmrsquos-golf-course

[David Harshbarger]

From the archives here's a photo tour from Mark Saltzman


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=60b69611a7bd6466ac9584cfe12ddf6e&topic=50747.0

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Gil Hanse may become involved IF investors can be found:


https://sports.yahoo.com/golf-course-neglected-two-years-113836568.html

[MCirba]

How did I miss that this place closed?   What a shame.

[Mark Fedeli]

I love this course and I really hope it makes a comeback. I played it a number of times in the 2010-2016 range. My parents rent a place down there in the winter and my dad, who plays almost every day at publics all over the area, hadn’t heard of it (which also says something about him, to be sure). I had to drag him there. He didn’t “get” it (which also says something about him).


Anyway, along with Park Ridge, it was one of my favorite public courses down there. They both offer something refreshingly different from a lot of the others in the area. Much needed.

[Jerry Kluger]

I played the course before and after the renovation which wound up being a mess besides which the course was so poorly run.  I believe Mark Macumber oversaw the renovation and created large sandy waste areas which I understood were meant to be driven in with golf carts however, as I was told, they brought in the wrong type of sand and carts could not drive in them which slowed play but people tried anyway and got stuck.  Also, when I was there they were using tee times in 7 minute intervals - yes, 7 minute intervals which meant the course was mobbed and the typical round was close to 5 hours.  They need to bring in a knowledgable course management company to run the place and try to figure out what to do with those sandy areas.

[Scott Weersing]

I bet the city is still paying off the bonds for the 2009 renovation. "cost the city millions to refurbish in 2009 "


[/size]I wonder if they can find money for a new course. [/color]

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Timetable Offered For Resurrection Of West Palm Beach Muni

https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2021/02/27/pga-of-america-florida-course-reopening/[/size][/font]

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