6 things to know about The Park, host of Monday’s Rory/Homa/Lexi/Rose match
From top right, clockwise: The undulating par-3 11th hole, the punchbowl green on the par-4 12th, a deep bunker on the par-3 17th, and the green of the par-3 3rd.
Connor Federico
The ninth edition of The Match kicks off at 6:30 p.m. on TNT and MAX on Monday. Some of the biggest names in the professional game — Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang — face off in a 1 v 1 v 1 v 1 competition.
They’ll tee off under the lights at The Park West Palm. If you’re wondering why you haven’t heard of it before, that’s because the course isn’t even a year old yet, still making a name for itself on the Florida golf scene. Here are six things to know about The Park before you watch the pros take on a special 12-hole routing.
Want to play? It’s the least expensive tee time in The Match history
For out-of-staters, a round at The Park goes for $230 before adding a caddie or cart. For Florida residents, that cost drops to $180, and West Palm Beach residents get an even steeper discount.
It’s certainly not cheap. But against tee times at The Match’s famous Las Vegas venues, Shadow Creek ($1,250) and The Wynn ($600), The Park is the place to play if you’re looking to knock one of these made-for-TV spots off your list. All the other Match locations? They have been private courses.
Night golf isn’t just for the pros
The Park West Palm offers golf under the lights for just $30. The Lit 9 is a 9-hole par-3 course that’ll put your short-game ability to the test. The final hole is putter-only, and at 150 feet, it might be the longest putt you’ve ever tried. It leads right into their 9-hole putting course, a fun challenge flanked by plenty of food and drink options, with cup holders marking the teeing areas all over both courses.
Putting will be at a premium at The Match
No two greens are the same at this Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner design. With some of the firmest conditions you’ll find in Florida, these putting surfacers are as tough as they are creative.
Taking your approach shot to the wrong tier of the green will result in some nerve-wracking putts. A number of ridges on the greens funnel toward hole locations, but others will reject approach shots entirely. With a firm ground game at The Park, an up-close look at the pros imagining and executing their shots will be a fun watch.
An elite group of par-3s
This edition of The Match is making history for its first-ever mixed format. To further the intrigue, Rory, Max, Lexi and Rose will all tee it up from the same spot on The Park’s par-3s. Watch closely for the narrow, multi-tiered green on the par-3 11th and the vast, deep bunker on the par-3 17th. Not only are these stunning holes visually, but they’ll likely make for some key moments in competition.
Thankfully, it’s a one-ball golf course
Playability at The Park is breaking the public golf mold in South Florida. You’ll find lots of sand, but no water hazards. Wide fairways and waste bunkers mean golfers without their A-game will almost always find their ball — welcome news for most of us. And while water views often make for the prettiest golf holes, you’ll find that The Park is still incredibly photogenic thanks to its purposeful elevation changes and Sandbelt-style look.
From rags to riches
Poor course conditions and a decline in demand shuttered the city-owned West Palm Beach Golf Course in 2018. Five years and $55 million in fundraising later, The Park opened on the same site as that forgotten muni. Over 100 private donors, such as Tiger Woods and PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh, who attended the course opening in April 2023, are hoping that their reinvestment in this community golf facility can serve as a model for others around the U.S.
Has it worked? Not even one year after its grand opening, The Park has a full tee sheet and is hosting a national TV event. Enough said.
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