Featured Golf Course

The Park is located in the city of West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County. The city's first golf course, the West Palm Beach Country Club, opened in the early 1920’s and was designed by W.B. Langford of the golf course architectural form of Langford & Moreau. During World War II, it was purchased and closed by the federal government in order to enlarge the Palm Beach Air Force Base (Morrison Field). For a short time, the city leased the Belvedere Country Club in 1942 to provide its citizens with a place to play golf. During this time the city officials considered purchasing the North Palm Beach Golf Course and clubhouse but decided instead to build a new golf course closer to the city.

After a site was chosen, they selected the design of prominent golf course architect Dick Wilson and began construction in 1946. Wilson designed a unique, highly rolling, waterless 18-hole layout. The new half-million-dollar West Beach Municipal Golf Course opened on Wednesday, July 2, 1947.  The first golfers off the tee were Palm Beach Mayor E. Tinsley Halter and Frank Wideman, West Palm Beach resident and United State Assistant Attorney General. A women’s golf tournament was held on opening day with teams representing Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Delray Beach and Belle Galde. The golf course would soon be a regular stop on the PGA tour. Arnold Palmer, Gardner Dickinson, and Gay Brewer are just a few of the past winners of the annual West Palm Beach Open Invitational.

In 2009, the city funded a renovation of the golf course under the direction of Mark McCumber, ten-time PGA tour winner. Unfortunately, over the next decade the course fell into disrepair and suffered  financial difficulties. The city decided to close the course in 2018. After sitting vacant for several years, the city entered into an innovative public/private partnership to bring golf back to the community. managed by the West Palm Golf Park Trust, a private foundation. They also wanted to include dedicated youth programs and community outreach such as affordable golf instruction, classrooms for mentoring and after school tutoring. Golf course architect Gil Hanse and his design partner Jim Wagner along with Dirk Ziff were brought in to design a completely new 18 hole golf course that would be open to everyone.

Groundbreaking on the new facility took place on April 29, 2021. “Thanks to the wonderful partnership between the Trust and the city, I am confident the West Palm Golf Park will become a place that promotes a love of the game, inspires a sense of community, and creates opportunities. This golf park is in line with my vision of creating a community of opportunity for all in West Palm Beach,” said West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James.

Nearly two years later, the golf course was dedicated with Tiger Woods hitting the ceremonial tee shot. A few weeks later, April 17, 2023, the golf course was formally opened to the public. Joe Sellars, the first black superintendent at the old West Palm Beach Country Club, was given the honor to hit the first shot on opening day.