Golf season in Palm Beach Gardens

Palm Beach GardensOctober 29, 2026

Winter golf from Singer Island

From November to April, Palm Beach Gardens is golf country at its best. The mornings are cool enough to walk eighteen holes, the afternoons are warm enough for the pool, and late in February the PGA TOUR comes to town for a week. The residence sits on Singer Island, about fifteen to twenty minutes south of the Gardens, which makes it an easy base for a golf trip that ends each day on a twelfth-floor balcony over the Atlantic.

This post covers the season itself: the tournament at PGA National in February 2027, the courses you can book as a visitor in winter, the art festival and holiday evenings in the Gardens, where to eat on and around PGA Boulevard, and a day-by-day plan for a golf week with recovery at the spa below the residence. For the courses in depth, from the public tracks to the championship layouts, read our golf guide. For how the residence works for a golf group, see a golf trip with a beach.

Drive times from the residence

• North Palm Beach Country Club: about 15 minutes north on U.S. 1.
• The Gardens Mall and PGA Boulevard: about 20 minutes.
• PGA National, Palm Beach Gardens: about 25 minutes.
• Gardens North County District Park, home of ArtiGras: about 25 minutes.
• Palm Beach Par 3, on the ocean in Palm Beach: about 35 minutes south.
• PGA Golf Club at PGA Village, Port St. Lucie: about 50 minutes north on I-95.

A rental car is the easy way to cover all of it, and our rental car guide explains pickup at President Donald J. Trump International Airport (DJT), formerly Palm Beach International (PBI), about fifteen minutes from the residence. On tournament days, a rideshare from the building's lobby saves you the parking lot.

The winter calendar in the Gardens

The winter season in north Palm Beach County has a rhythm that golfers learn quickly. The courses come into season after Thanksgiving, the holiday lights go up in early December, and February is the high point of the year, with an art festival, the tour stop and spring training landing within a few weeks of each other.

Dates for the 2026-2027 season

• Early December 2026: the City of Palm Beach Gardens tree lighting at Gardens North County District Park, usually on the first Saturday of the month (expected Saturday, December 5, 2026; confirm on the city's events page).
• December 2026: holiday events at the Gardens Mall, which marks the season with Santa's arrival parade, and evenings at Downtown Palm Beach Gardens around the lake and carousel.
• February 6 and 7, 2027: the 42nd ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival at Gardens North County District Park (announced).
• February 24 to 28, 2027: the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches on PGA National's Champion Course (announced).
• Late February 2027: spring training begins in Jupiter and West Palm Beach; our post on spring training in Jupiter has the details.
• January to March 2027: the horse shows in Wellington, about 45 minutes inland, covered in our post on the Wellington equestrian season.

The events calendar places all of this alongside the rest of the year, and the when to visit guide covers what each month feels like on the beach.

Choosing your week

If the tournament is the reason for the trip, book the residence for the last week of February and plan around a Thursday or Friday at the course. If you would rather play than watch, the first three weeks of February give you the same weather, ArtiGras on the first weekend, and the Champion Course on television at the end of your stay. December suits a golf group that wants the holiday lights, cool mornings and open tee sheets early in the season. Check-in at the residence runs from 4 to 10 PM, so the first round fits best on the morning after you land, with the clubs unpacked and an evening on the balcony behind you.

The Cognizant Classic at PGA National

The PGA TOUR's stop in Palm Beach County is the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, played on the Champion Course at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens. The 2027 tournament is set for Wednesday, February 24, to Sunday, February 28, 2027, and 2027 is the 21st year that the Champion Course at PGA National has hosted it. Many visitors still know it by its old name, the Honda Classic, which it carried at PGA National for years before the new title sponsor arrived.

The week is one of the few chances to see a full PGA TOUR field up close within half an hour of the beach. The course is flat, the walking is easy, and the players warm up on a range you can stand beside. Because so many touring professionals live in Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter, the event has a hometown feel; you will hear locals in the gallery who play the same courses the rest of the year.

The course

• The Champion is a par 72 that stretches past 7,000 yards from the back tees.
• Water comes into play on many holes, and the wind off the Atlantic changes how it plays from one day to the next.
• The Bear Trap, holes 15, 16 and 17, is the stretch the week is known for, and it has its own chapter below.

Watching it on television

If you would rather watch from the sofa with the ocean through the glass, the 2026 tournament was shown in the afternoons on Golf Channel and NBC, and the 2027 broadcast is expected to follow the same pattern. A good plan for a group with mixed interests: the golfers go to the course on Thursday or Friday, everyone watches the weekend finish from the living room, and dinner is at the dining table for eight.

The tournament's own site, thecognizantclassic.com, carries the schedule, the field as it fills, and every ticket option. Check it in the weeks before you travel, since the daily schedule and the special days are confirmed close to the event.

How the tournament week runs

A PGA TOUR week has a shape, and knowing it helps you choose your day. Based on the 2026 tournament, the 2027 week is expected to run like this; check the published schedule before you buy.

1. Monday and Tuesday: practice days. Players arrive, play practice rounds and spend long sessions on the range and the putting green. The atmosphere is relaxed, and there is room to stand close to the ropes.
2. Tuesday and Wednesday: pro-am days, when touring professionals play with amateur partners. Wednesday, February 24, is the first day on sale to the public for 2027.
3. Thursday and Friday: the first and second rounds. The whole field is on the course, so there is golf on every hole from the first tee times in the early morning until late afternoon.
4. Saturday: the third round, after the cut has trimmed the field. Fewer groups, bigger galleries around the leaders.
5. Sunday: the final round and the trophy on the 18th green.

The special days

In 2026 the tournament named a Military Appreciation Day on Thursday, a Family Day on Saturday and a Play Yellow Day on Sunday, when fans were asked to wear yellow. The 2027 special days are announced closer to the event, along with the details for active-duty service members and veterans.

Which day suits you

• For the most golf: Thursday or Friday. You can follow several groups, watch the range in the morning and still find room along the ropes at the Bear Trap.
• For the finish: Sunday, when the leaders come through the Bear Trap in the afternoon with the tournament on the line. Come early and settle in by a green you like.
• For a calm first look: Wednesday, the pro-am, when the pace is slower and the players are in a lighter mood.

From the residence, any of these days works as a half day. The first groups go off around seven in the morning, so an early start and a mid-afternoon return leaves the late afternoon for the pool.

The Bear Trap, holes 15 to 17

The three holes golf fans talk about at PGA National are the 15th, 16th and 17th on the Champion Course, a run of water holes known as the Bear Trap. The name points to Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear, who reworked the course, and a large plaque at the entrance to the stretch, just past the 14th green, carries his words: "It should be won or lost right here."

The three holes

• The 15th is a par 3 of about 179 yards over water, with a tiered green where a shot to the wrong level leaves a long putt.
• The 16th is a par 4 of about 434 yards that bends to the right, with water down the right side and bunkers in the driving zone.
• The 17th is a par 3 of about 190 yards, playing slightly downhill to a green guarded by water, with a bunker behind that leaves a delicate shot back toward the lake.

The stretch regularly ranks among the hardest three-hole runs on the PGA TOUR, and a good share of each tournament's story is written here. A player can arrive at the 15th tee with a lead and walk off the 17th green chasing.

How to watch it

For 2027 there are dedicated Bear Trap tickets for a venue alongside the 16th and 17th holes, with double the space of earlier years. With a grounds ticket you can also stand along the ropes around the three holes. Two tips:

• Pick a spot and stay. On Thursday and Friday a new group comes through every few minutes, so a seat with a view of a green gives you dozens of shots in an hour.
• Come in the morning on the weekend. The leaders reach the Bear Trap in the afternoon, so an early arrival gives you a good place by the green when they come through.

If you play golf yourself, watching the best players in the world take on these three holes is the best lesson in course management you will get all year.

Tickets for the 2027 tournament

Tickets for the 2027 Cognizant Classic are already on sale on the tournament's site, thecognizantclassic.com, which sends you to Ticketmaster to buy them. You can buy for individual days, Wednesday, February 24, through Sunday, February 28, while they last.

The main ticket types

• Grounds tickets give general access to the course and the public areas, including the fan villages, the grandstands that are open to everyone and the ropes along every hole.
• Bear Trap tickets add the venue beside the 16th and 17th holes. Early sales open in the fall, and Bear Trap tickets are sold on the tournament site.
• Premium hospitality covers the tented venues with seating, food and drink, sold on the same site.

Practical points

• Mobile entry: tickets live in your Ticketmaster account on your phone, and you can send them to the rest of your group from there.
• Limits: up to six tickets per day per account.
• Older children: the tournament's youth program admits up to two children aged 15 and under free with each ticketed adult for grounds access, with no registration needed. Youth six and older need their own ticket for hospitality venues.
• Military and veterans: the tournament honors service members, veterans and their families, with the 2027 details to follow on its site.
• Help: the tournament's ticket office answers questions by email and phone, listed on its FAQ page.

When to buy

Buy as soon as your dates are set. Weekday grounds tickets are the easiest to get; for a weekend day or a seat in a hospitality venue, buy early in the season. Book the residence first, then the tickets, then dinner reservations for the tournament nights on PGA Boulevard, so every evening of the week has a table waiting.

Keep the tickets and the residence's arrival details in the same place on your phone. The residence's arrival page explains the smart lock and the valet, and the tournament tickets open at the gate in the same app you bought them in.

Getting to PGA National on tournament days

On tournament days, fans reach PGA National by rideshare or by parking off-site and riding a free shuttle to the gates, while the resort itself serves as the venue. The 2027 parking and transportation details are published on the tournament's site closer to the event; here is how it worked in 2026, which is the pattern to expect.

By rideshare

Rideshare was the tournament's preferred option in 2026. You set "PGA National Park" or 1 Ryder Cup Blvd, Palm Beach Gardens, as the destination, the driver takes you to a dedicated rideshare lot, and a shuttle runs you to the main entrance gate. At the end of the day you walk back to the main entrance for the shuttle to the rideshare area. From the residence this is the simplest plan: call the car from the building's lobby, ride about 25 minutes north, and nobody has to drive home after a cold drink at the 18th.

By car

• General parking in 2026 was at Dyer Park, 7301 Haverhill Road in West Palm Beach, about 20 minutes from the residence, open from 6 AM to 7 PM, Wednesday through Sunday.
• Passes were sold online in advance on the tournament's parking page, with a limit per person per day. Passes bought on the day were paid by credit card only.
• Shuttles from the off-site lots to the course were free and air-conditioned, and ran all day.

Tips for the drive

• Leave the residence by about 7:30 AM if you want to watch the range before the first groups reach the turn.
• Bring your car back to the building's valet when you return; the valet is run by the building and is paid.
• If you have a rental, the rental car guide covers the routes north, and the car-free guide covers rideshare from the island.

Check the tournament's parking page in January 2027, when the details for the new year are expected.

A spectator day on the Champion Course

A day at the tournament is a long, easy walk in the sun with some of the best golf you will ever see from a few yards away. Here is how a Thursday or Friday tends to go from the residence, based on the 2026 layout and gate times.

1. Early breakfast on the balcony. Coffee from the built-in machine and something simple from the kitchen; our breakfast and groceries guide covers where to stock up.
2. Leave by 7:30 AM. Gates opened at 7 AM in 2026, and the first groups go off about then.
3. The practice range. Watching the players warm up is one of the pleasures of a tournament day, and it is quiet in the morning.
4. The opening holes. In 2026 there was a shaded grandstand at the first tee, a shaded family bleacher at the eighth green and a shaded viewing area at the ninth.
5. Lunch in a fan village. Food and drink were spread across three zones of the course, with coffee and light bites near the opening holes and more choice on the back nine.
6. The Bear Trap in the early afternoon. Find a spot at the 15th or 17th green and watch groups come through.
7. The 18th. In 2026 a tented venue and a fan village sat by the closing hole.
8. Back to the island by mid-afternoon, in time for the pool or the beach.

Small things that help

• The tournament's app and smart map show where each group is on the course; enable location on your phone.
• Free phone charging stations were set up in the fan villages and hospitality venues in 2026.
• Autographs are given only in the designated autograph zones; in 2026 the kids' autograph zone was beside the clubhouse.
• The marshals, the leaderboards and the tournament's site carry the day's updates, so a glance at them keeps you with the groups you want to follow.

Plan on walking several miles over the day. The ground is flat and grassy, and the shaded stands give you places to sit between holes.

What to wear and bring to the tournament

Dress for a long morning outdoors in Florida's winter sun: light layers, a hat and comfortable shoes. Late February mornings in Palm Beach Gardens are usually cool and the middle of the day is warm, so a light sweater you can tie around your waist by ten o'clock is the right idea.

What to wear

• Golf-casual clothes. A polo or a light shirt, shorts or chinos. There is no formal dress code for the grounds, and you will see plenty of golf clothing in the gallery.
• Walking shoes or spikeless golf shoes that you are happy to wear for several miles on grass.
• A hat and sunglasses.
• Something yellow if you go on the Sunday and the tournament repeats its Play Yellow Day.

The bag policy

PGA TOUR events follow the TOUR's bag policy. Plan around it before you leave the residence.

• Small bags only. Bags larger than 6 by 6 inches are not allowed, and that includes backpacks, camera bags and chair bags.
• Clear bags up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches are allowed.
• Chairs: collapsible chairs without a chair bag are allowed; oversized chairs with footrests are not.
• No outside drinks or coolers. Food may be allowed in a clear one-gallon resealable bag at the tournament's discretion.
• Pay by card. The TOUR encourages contactless payment at its events.
• Service dogs only on the grounds.

What to put in your pockets

• Sunscreen, applied at the residence and again at lunch.
• Your phone with the tickets loaded and the tournament app installed.
• A pen and a cap or ball if a teenager in your group wants an autograph.

The residence's packing list covers the rest of a winter week, from a light jacket for evenings on the balcony to swimwear for the pool.

Booking your own rounds in winter

Winter is the best season to play golf in Palm Beach County, and the courses know it. Tee sheets fill from December through March, and the best morning times go to players who book ahead. A few habits make a winter golf week easy.

Before you fly

• Book your first two rounds before you land. Most public courses take bookings online or by phone; reserve the week's anchor rounds as soon as your dates with the residence are set.
• Book as a foursome. A group of four is the easiest booking on any tee sheet. With six in the residence, a foursome plays while two head to the spa or the beach, and you can swap.
• Ask about outside play. Each resort course sets its own tee-time policy for visitors, and it can shift through the season, so ask what is open for your dates when you call.

During the tournament week

The week of the Cognizant Classic is the liveliest of the year on the golf courses of Palm Beach Gardens. The Champion is set aside for the tour that week, and golfers who came to watch the tournament book rounds at the other courses in the area too. If you want to play and watch in the same trip, book your rounds early in the week or on the days before the tournament starts, and keep one day for the course as a spectator.

Tee-time tips for the season

• Early is pleasant. Winter mornings are cool, calm and clear, and an 8 AM tee time has you back on the island for lunch.
• Twilight works well too. Many courses offer later tee times, and in winter the light runs until about six, long enough for a relaxed late round.
• Confirm the day before. Call or check your booking, and ask how the greens are rolling that week.
• Plan for the drive. In season, give yourself about 30 minutes on U.S. 1 or PGA Boulevard to reach Palm Beach Gardens, with time to hit a few balls before you tee off.

The golf guide covers booking, rental clubs, lessons and etiquette in detail, all of which apply in winter. The chapters below add the courses that suit a golf season trip from the residence.

Playing PGA National's courses

PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens is a golf resort with several courses, and in season it is the name golfers most want on their scorecard. Its layouts range from the tournament course to a short par-3 course, so there is a round there for most players in a group.

The courses

• The Champion, par 72, the home of the Cognizant Classic and the Bear Trap. It is the round most visitors ask for, so book it early for February.
• The Palmer, par 72, an Arnold Palmer design, the resort's most entertaining and forgiving course for all skill levels.
• The Fazio, par 72, set up to challenge low handicaps while staying enjoyable for higher ones.
• The Match, par 67, opened in 2021 and designed with match play in mind; a good choice for a friendly game between two pairs.
• The Wee Bear, a par-3 course with holes from 60 to 130 yards, made for practicing shots and for players of all abilities.

Booking a round

The resort handles tee times through its golf reservations page and by phone. The reservations team sets the tee times for players who are not staying at the resort, and the courses open to visitors can change through the season, so ask what is open for your dates when you call. Book the Champion as early as you can, and ask which dates it is open to play around the tournament.

How to fit it into the week

• Make it the centerpiece. Give a PGA National round a whole morning: an early start from the residence, time on the range and lunch afterward in the Gardens.
• Play the Wee Bear with a mixed group. A short course suits a partner who plays now and then, or a teenager learning the game.
• Pair it with the tournament. Play the Palmer or the Fazio early in the week, then watch the pros on the Champion from Thursday.

After a round there, the drive back to the island takes about 25 minutes, and the residents' heated pool and whirlpool are waiting.

North Palm Beach Country Club

The closest round of the trip is also one of the most satisfying. North Palm Beach Country Club is a public 18-hole course owned and run by the Village of North Palm Beach, about fifteen minutes north of the residence on U.S. 1.

The course

• A Jack Nicklaus Signature design. Nicklaus Design rebuilt the course with new greens, new grass, new irrigation and better drainage, and it reopened in the fall of 2006. It was Nicklaus's second municipal design.
• A long history. Nicklaus has described the original course as a late-1920s layout by Seth Raynor.
• The numbers: par 71 and just under 7,100 yards from the back tees.
• The character: generous fairways off the tee, lakes that add strategy, greens with plenty of movement and bunkers filled with orange sand.
• The setting: close to the Intracoastal, so the breeze off the water is part of the game.

Practice and facilities

• A lighted driving range and a putting green.
• A golf shop and a locker room.
• The clubhouse at 951 U.S. Highway 1, in the center of North Palm Beach.

Booking

Tee times are booked through the golf shop by phone. Book as far ahead as the course allows for a winter morning, and ask about twilight times if the mornings are full. The golf shop can also tell you how the greens are rolling that week and whether the range is open early.

Why it works for a golf week

Its closeness makes it the right first round of a trip, when you want to shake off the flight without a long drive. It is also the right round for the last morning: play nine or eighteen early, be back on the island by lunch and spend the afternoon at the pool before dinner. The golf stay page lists it as the nearest tee, and the golf guide covers the other public courses between here and West Palm Beach.

Palm Beach Par 3 and PGA Golf Club

Two more rounds earn a place in a winter golf week: a short course on the ocean in Palm Beach and a three-course public club up the coast in Port St. Lucie.

Palm Beach Par 3

Palm Beach Par 3 is the Town of Palm Beach's own course, at 2345 South Ocean Boulevard, about 35 minutes south of the residence. It has 18 par-3 holes from 81 to 211 yards on 39 acres between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal.

• The history: designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee, opened in 1961, bought by the town in 1973 and redesigned by Hall of Fame golfer Raymond Floyd in 2009.
• The round: quick and social, with wedges and short irons and holes along the water. It suits a mixed group, a partner who plays now and then, or a golfer working on the short game.
• Lunch: al Fresco, on the second floor of the clubhouse, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with ocean views.
• Booking: online through the course's tee-times page or by phone. Arrive 20 to 30 minutes early.

Pair it with a morning on Worth Avenue; our post on Worth Avenue before lunch has the walk.

PGA Golf Club at PGA Village

For a full day out, PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, about 50 minutes north on I-95, has three public 18-hole courses owned by the PGA of America.

• The Wanamaker and the Ryder, both by Tom Fazio.
• The Dye, by Pete Dye.
• The PGA Short Course, six holes for beginners and younger players.
• A practice facility with Toptracer range technology, open an hour before your tee time.
• Booking: online through the club's tee-time page or by phone.

It makes a good second-half-of-the-week trip: leave after breakfast, play eighteen and stop for a late lunch in Jupiter on the way back.

ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival, February 6 and 7

The first weekend of February 2027 brings ArtiGras, the juried fine arts festival that has become one of the bigger art weekends in Palm Beach County. The 42nd festival is set for Saturday, February 6, and Sunday, February 7, 2027, at Gardens North County District Park, 5101 117th Court North, in Palm Beach Gardens, about 25 minutes from the residence.

What you find there

The 2026 festival, the 41st, gives the picture of what to expect:

• More than 200 juried artists showing painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry and mixed media in rows of white tents.
• Live music on the main stage through the day.
• Artist demonstrations and live painting, including the commemorative poster artist at work.
• A chef showcase with cooking demonstrations and tastings from local chefs.
• Interactive art for all ages and a youth art competition.

In 2026 the festival ran from 10 AM to 5 PM on both days; check the 2027 hours on artigras.org.

Tickets and parking

• Tickets are sold on artigras.org in advance and on the day, and in 2026 children 12 and under were admitted free.
• Parking in 2026 included a free shuttle from the Fairway Office Center and paid parking at two nearby schools. The 2027 parking map is published on the festival site before the event.
• A VIP patron program with a hospitality tent is also offered for those who want it.

How it fits a golf week

ArtiGras falls two and a half weeks before the tournament, which makes the first weekend of February a good time for a golf trip with something for everyone. The golfers play Saturday morning at North Palm Beach or PGA National, the rest of the group goes to the festival when the gates open, and everyone meets for a late lunch on PGA Boulevard. If an original piece comes home with you, the residence has plenty of room to keep it safe until checkout. The arts and culture guide has the museums for the rest of the week.

December in Palm Beach Gardens

December is a lovely month for a golf trip in the Gardens. The mornings are cool, the courses are easier to book than in February, and the evenings bring holiday lights, a tree lighting and shopping in the open air.

The city's tree lighting

The City of Palm Beach Gardens lights its holiday tree at Gardens North County District Park in early December. In 2024 and 2025 it was held on the first Saturday of the month in the late afternoon, with free admission and the tree lit just after dark. The 2026 lighting is expected on Saturday, December 5, 2026; confirm the date and time on the city's events page before you go.

Holidays at the malls

• The Gardens Mall marks the season with Santa's arrival parade and a run of holiday events through December. Its December holiday hours are posted on its site, and an evening of shopping there pairs well with dinner on PGA Boulevard afterward.
• Downtown Palm Beach Gardens, across PGA Boulevard, has open-air walkways around a lake, and its waterfront carousel, open daily from 11 AM to 7 PM, is a cheerful stop on a December evening.

A December golf week

• Play early. December mornings are cool and clear; a long-sleeved layer helps on the first tee.
• Shop in the afternoon. Holiday shopping at the Gardens Mall pairs well with a round in the morning.
• Book dinner ahead. The weeks before Christmas are a festive time on PGA Boulevard, so reserve a table for the evenings you want out.

More December in the Palm Beaches

The rest of the month is covered in our other seasonal posts: Christmas and New Year's on Singer Island, the holiday season in Palm Beach and December in West Palm Beach. Together they cover the boat parade, the sand tree on the waterfront and the island's own holiday evenings.

Lunch and dinner in Palm Beach Gardens

PGA Boulevard is the dining street of Palm Beach Gardens, and in season it is a good place to end a golf day. The restaurants cluster in a few spots within a mile or two of each other, so it is easy to pick a place on the drive back from a round.

Around the Gardens Mall

The Gardens Mall, at 3101 PGA Boulevard, and the blocks around it hold the dining rooms most visitors know. Among the names in and around the mall:

• The Capital Grille, a steakhouse, the natural choice for a group dinner after a big round.
• Seasons 52, a seasonal American menu.
• Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurant, American food with house-made wine.
• P.F. Chang's, Brio Italian Grille, Earls Kitchen and Bar and Blu Sushi for easier dinners.

Downtown Palm Beach Gardens

Across PGA Boulevard, Downtown Palm Beach Gardens, at 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, is an open-air center around a lake with a mix of casual restaurants, a Whole Foods Market for picking up groceries on the way home, and the carousel and splash pad by the water. It is the relaxed choice on an evening when nobody wants a reservation.

Along PGA Boulevard

• The Cooper, a local favorite on PGA Boulevard known for its happy hour; arrive by about 4:30 PM for a seat at the bar.
• La Masseria, an Italian dining room at 5520 PGA Boulevard.

Tips for the season

• Reserve tournament week early. From February 22 to 28, 2027, fans and players' families are in town, and an early booking holds your table on PGA Boulevard for every night of the trip.
• Lunch after a morning round is easier to book than dinner.
• Check hours and menus before you go, since they change through the season.

Closer to the residence, the Singer Island restaurants guide covers the island, waterfront seafood covers the docks and dining rooms on the water, and Palm Beach dining covers the island to the south. On the night after a long day at the tournament, the dining table for eight in the residence is a fine place for takeout.

The Gardens Mall and Downtown Palm Beach Gardens

Golf trips have quiet afternoons, and Palm Beach Gardens fills them well. The Gardens Mall and Downtown Palm Beach Gardens sit across PGA Boulevard from each other, about 20 minutes from the residence, and between them cover a long afternoon of shopping.

The Gardens Mall

• The anchors: Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy's.
• The rest: two levels of fashion, home and lifestyle shops under one roof, which makes it a comfortable choice on a warm afternoon.
• Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 8 PM, Sunday noon to 6 PM; individual stores and restaurants vary.
• Where: 3101 PGA Boulevard, at the corner of Alternate A1A.

Downtown Palm Beach Gardens

• Open-air shopping along walkways around a lake, with REI and Whole Foods Market among the larger names.
• The Downtown Carousel, running since 2010 on the waterfront, open daily.
• A pop-jet fountain and splash pad by the water.
• Painting classes at a paint bar on site, for a rainy-afternoon option.

Golf shopping

Palm Beach Gardens is a golf town, and the pro shops at the courses carry the logo shirts, hats and gloves visitors like to bring home. A PGA National or Cognizant Classic shirt from the tournament's merchandise shop is a souvenir golfers wear for years.

How to pair it

• A morning round at North Palm Beach Country Club, then lunch and the mall.
• A non-golfer's afternoon at the mall while the foursome plays PGA National, with everyone meeting for dinner on PGA Boulevard.
• A rainy-afternoon plan for the whole group; our rainy day page has more ideas.

For the finer shopping streets south of the island, Worth Avenue and CityPlace among them, see the shopping guide.

A golf week from the residence, days one to four

Here is a week built around the tournament, based on a Saturday arrival on February 20, 2027, with the Cognizant Classic from February 24 to 28. Move it a week earlier for a quieter golf trip, or fold in ArtiGras on February 6 and 7.

1. Saturday: arrive. Land at DJT, pick up the rental car and check in from 4 PM by smart lock and take the elevator up to the twelfth floor. Stock the kitchen on the way, unpack the clubs into the king suite's walk-in closet and have drinks on the balcony as the light goes. Dinner on the island or at one of the building's restaurants.
2. Sunday: the first round. An 8 AM tee time at North Palm Beach Country Club, fifteen minutes away. Back by lunch, then an afternoon on the private beach below the residence, with chairs and the beach-butler service. A quiet dinner at the dining table.
3. Monday: the big round. Leave at 7 AM for PGA National and the Palmer or the Fazio, booked weeks before. Lunch on PGA Boulevard. In the afternoon, the spa's hydrothermal circuit for the golfers, booked with the resort. A light supper and an early night.
4. Tuesday: the easy day. Breakfast on the balcony, a morning swim in the residents' heated pool, and a walk at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park at the north end of the island. In the late afternoon, a bucket of balls at the range in North Palm Beach to keep the swing loose, then dinner at Sailfish Marina.

Notes for the first half

• Book everything early. Tee times, the tournament tickets and dinners for the weekend are the reservations that fill first.
• Keep Tuesday open. A rest day in the middle of the trip is what keeps the golf good to the end.
• Use the fitness center. A short stretch on the yoga terrace or an easy session in the fitness center before breakfast helps the back and shoulders after two rounds.

The friends in the group who do not play have their own plan for these days, set out in the chapter on non-golfers below.

Days five to seven, tournament days

The second half of the week belongs to the tournament, with one more round and a long lunch to finish.

5. Wednesday: the pro-am. A relaxed first look at PGA National as a spectator. Rideshare from the residence at 8 AM, watch the range and follow a few groups with their amateur partners, and be home by early afternoon for the pool. Dinner at the residence, with groceries from the Whole Foods at Downtown Palm Beach Gardens.
6. Thursday: the first round. The big day at the course. Leave at 7:30 AM, start at the range, walk the front nine in the morning and settle in at the Bear Trap after lunch. Back to the island by mid-afternoon, then a massage at the spa below, booked ahead with the resort. Dinner on PGA Boulevard, reserved weeks ago.
7. Friday: your own round. A last tee time at North Palm Beach Country Club or a short game at the Wee Bear, then lunch and the Gardens Mall. In the afternoon, watch the second round on the living room television with the ocean through the glass.

The weekend

If your stay runs to Sunday, spend Saturday on the beach and the balcony, and go back to the course on Sunday morning for the final round. Get to the 17th green in the morning and make it your place for the day. Watching the leaders come through the Bear Trap in the afternoon, with the trophy in reach, is the moment the week is built around.

Checkout

Checkout is at 10 AM. Pack the clubs the night before, have a last coffee on the balcony, return the car at DJT and fly home with a tan, a tournament shirt and a few strokes off your short game.

Changing the week

• A December version: swap the tournament days for two more rounds and an evening at the Palm Beach Gardens tree lighting.
• An ArtiGras version: arrive on Thursday, February 4, play Friday, spend Saturday at the festival and the course, and play again on Sunday.
• A longer stay: the longer stays page covers settling in for two weeks or more, which gives you the art festival and the tournament in one trip.

Recovery at the spa below the residence

Every golf day from the residence can end at the spa, with a massage, the hot pools or the sauna. The resort's wellness centre, about 100,000 square feet with 22 treatment rooms, is an elevator ride below the twelfth floor. Treatments are run by the resort and booked and paid for with the resort; they are not included in the stay.

For golfers

• Massage. A sports or deep-tissue massage after a round is the most popular choice with golf groups; the therapeutic massage guide explains the styles.
• The hydrothermal circuit. Hot and cold pools in turn, finishing in a sauna; see the hydrothermal bathing guide.
• Heat. The sauna guide covers the dry heat that loosens the shoulders after a long walk.
• Cold. A cold plunge for those who like it; our cold therapy guide covers how the spa offers it.
• Myofascial work. For the back and hips that golf tightens; see craniosacral and myofascial therapy.

Included with the stay

Some of the best recovery comes with the stay. The residents' heated pool and whirlpool, the fitness center, the yoga terrace and the meditation garden are all included with the residence, along with the private beach and its beach-butler service. An easy swim and twenty minutes in the whirlpool after a round is how many golfers end the day.

Booking tips

• Book treatments before you arrive. Late February is a popular time at the spa, and afternoon slots on tournament days go first.
• Time it after the round. A massage in the late afternoon, then dinner on the balcony.
• Think comfort. These are wellness treatments for comfort and relaxation, which is what tired shoulders want after eighteen holes.

The wellness page lists everything the spa offers, and our post on a week around the spa shows how guests build a stay around it.

For the friends who don't play

A golf week works best when the friends who do not play enjoy the week as much as the golfers do. From the residence that is easy, since the beach is downstairs and the best of the Palm Beaches is within half an hour.

Mornings while the foursome plays

• The beach below the residence, with chairs, towels and the beach-butler service included with the stay. Our beach day page covers how it works.
• A morning at the spa, with the hydrothermal circuit or a treatment booked with the resort.
• A walk at MacArthur Beach State Park, at the north end of the island, with its boardwalk over the lagoon.
• The Manatee Lagoon in Riviera Beach, where cool winter mornings bring the manatees into the warm water.
• Worth Avenue and the Norton Museum in Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, about 20 minutes south.

Afternoons together

• The Gardens Mall and Downtown Palm Beach Gardens for shopping and lunch.
• The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, about 30 minutes north, for a climb and a view up the coast.
• A boat trip from the marinas across the bridge; the boating and fishing guide lists the charters.
• Spring training, if your dates run into late February.

A day at the tournament for everyone

Even friends who never pick up a club tend to enjoy a morning at the Cognizant Classic. The fan villages, the shaded grandstands and the Bear Trap make a good outing, and an hour by the 17th green gives everyone a taste of the week. Up to two children aged 15 and under come in free with each ticketed adult for grounds access, which makes the tournament a good day for a parent and a young golfer.

Evenings

Then everyone meets at the residence. The dining table seats eight, the kitchen has Miele appliances for a shared dinner, and the balcony holds the whole group for the evening. The friends stay page covers how six people share the residence, and the celebrations page covers marking a birthday or anniversary during the trip.

Booking the residence for golf season

The residence is set up for a golf group: two bedroom suites with their own baths, a sofa bed in the living room, a powder room, laundry for golf shirts and a balcony for the evening.

Who it suits

• Two couples with a foursome between them, or three couples with one pair who skip the golf.
• A group of friends of up to six, all 25 or older.
• A parent and older children who play, on a trip timed for the tournament.

The rooms

• The king suite with its bath and walk-in closet, which takes golf bags well.
• The queen suite with its bath and a workspace for anyone who has to check in with the office.
• The living-room sofa bed for a fifth and sixth guest.
• The in-residence laundry for golf shirts after each round.
• A full Miele kitchen for breakfasts before early tee times.

House rules that matter for a golf week

• Check-in is from 4 to 10 PM by smart lock, and there is no early check-in from December through April. Plan the first round for your second morning.
• Checkout is at 10 AM.
• Six guests maximum, no pets, no smoking, and no parties or events. Quiet hours run from 11 PM to 7 AM, which suits early tee times anyway.
• Parking is valet, run by the building and paid; EV charging is available.

The full list is on the house rules page, and the how to book page explains reserving your dates.

When to book

The last week of February is the most requested week of the golf season, because the tournament and the best weather fall together. Book the residence first, as soon as you know your dates, then the tournament tickets, the tee times and the spa. December and early February are easier to secure and bring the same mornings on the course.

Common questions

When is the Cognizant Classic in 2027?

The 2027 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches runs from Wednesday, February 24, to Sunday, February 28, 2027, on the Champion Course at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens. Wednesday is expected to be the pro-am, with the four tournament rounds from Thursday to Sunday. Tickets are sold on the tournament's site.

How far is PGA National from the residence?

About 25 minutes north by car. On tournament days, most fans arrive by rideshare to a dedicated drop-off lot or park off-site and ride a free shuttle; in 2026 the general lot was at Dyer Park in West Palm Beach. The 2027 parking details are expected on the tournament's parking page early in the new year.

What is the Bear Trap?

The Bear Trap is the run of holes 15, 16 and 17 on PGA National's Champion Course: a par 3 over water, a par 4 with water down the right and another par 3 to a green guarded by water. It is named for Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear, and is one of the hardest three-hole stretches on the PGA TOUR.

Can I bring a bag or a chair to the tournament?

Under the PGA TOUR bag policy you can bring a small bag up to 6 by 6 inches or a clear bag up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, plus a collapsible chair without a chair bag. Leave outside drinks and coolers at the residence; contactless card payment is encouraged on site.

Can we play PGA National's Champion Course?

PGA National books its courses through its golf reservations page and by phone, and it sets the tee-time policy for players who are not staying there, so ask about your dates when you call. The Champion is the most requested in February and is set aside for the tour during tournament week. The Palmer, the Fazio and the Match are good choices that week.

What is the closest golf course to the residence?

North Palm Beach Country Club, about fifteen minutes north on U.S. 1. It is a public course owned by the Village of North Palm Beach, rebuilt by Nicklaus Design and reopened in 2006, with a lighted driving range and a putting green. Book tee times through the golf shop well ahead in winter.

When is ArtiGras in 2027?

The 42nd ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival is set for Saturday and Sunday, February 6 and 7, 2027, at Gardens North County District Park in Palm Beach Gardens, about 25 minutes from the residence. Tickets are sold on artigras.org. In 2026 it ran from 10 AM to 5 PM with more than 200 juried artists.

Where should we eat after a round in Palm Beach Gardens?

PGA Boulevard is the dining street. The Capital Grille, Seasons 52 and Cooper's Hawk are in and around the Gardens Mall, Downtown Palm Beach Gardens has casual restaurants around its lake, and The Cooper is a local favorite for happy hour. Reserve early for tournament week, when fans and players' families fill the tables.

Where do we keep golf clubs at the residence?

The king suite has a walk-in closet with room for golf bags, and there is space in the hall. The residence also has an in-residence washer and dryer for golf shirts, and the building's valet, which is paid, brings the car up for early tee times.

Sources

• Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, official site
• Cognizant Classic: Frequently asked questions
• Cognizant Classic: Parking and transportation
• Cognizant Classic: 2026 transportation and parking details
• Cognizant Classic: Ultimate fan guide
• PGA TOUR: Know before you go (bag policy)
• PGA National Resort: The Cognizant Classic
• PGA National Resort: Golf courses
• GolfMagic: A guide to the Bear Trap
• Nicklaus Design: North Palm Beach Country Club
• Palm Beach Par 3: Course history
• PGA Golf Club at PGA Village: Golf
• ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival
• WFLX: 41st ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival returns to Palm Beach Gardens
• The Gardens Mall
• EDENS: Downtown Palm Beach Gardens
• The Gardens Mall restaurants: a dining guide for 2026
• City of Palm Beach Gardens: Tree lighting

Photographs

• Photo: “PGA Village” by Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Photo: “Downtown at the Gardens” by No machine-readable author provided. Andyxox~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Photo: “Downtown at the Gardens Court” by No machine-readable author provided. Andyxox~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Photo: “Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA - panoramio (10)” by William “Patrick” Ma…, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Photographs of the residence and the resort are the owner’s own.