Is PGA National Any Good or Not?

The comments seem to be all over the map about PGA National - host of this week's Honda Classic. I cannot decipher whether or not the course sucks, is marginal, or it pretty good because I keep getting mixed signals. (I'm playing dumb in this post instead of actually being dumb in my others.)

Geoff Shackelford calls PGA National dreadful.

Daniel Wexler notes that the original Fazio design was so bad that they had to have Nicklaus come fix it twice.

This will be the second of six playings at the PGA National Resort’s Champion course, a typically watery Florida layout best know for a pair of dangerous back-nine par 3s (the 179-yard 15th and 190-yard 17th). The present track bears only limited resemblance to the George and Tom Fazio design which originally occupied the site – a course which, despite eventually requiring not one but two complete Jack Nicklaus renovations (in 1990 and 2002), was deemed strong enough by the PGA of America to host the 1987 PGA Championship. Go Figure.

Then, on PGA Tour Review (a new blog find for me), the notation about the course is not exactly glowing.

But, in the midst of lots of "meh" talk about PGA National, Chris Baldwin at TravelGolf seems to love the place! Unfortunately, it's only because has played there in the past.

Which is why the PGA Tour needs more tournaments on courses that are fun for hackers like PGA National’s Champion. This high end South Florida course is a blast even if you manage to miss that big fairway and plop one in the lake on No. 1.

While you’re out there, you want to step back and take in some of the looks from the tournament tees - which aren’t even marked for public play. No. 18 and it’s 200-yard plus forced water clear just to reach fairway is particularly knee knocking.

Of course, none of the Tour guys figure to have much trouble with it at all.

Basically, the course isn't so memorable unless you have actually played it and tanked at it.