Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (May 20, 2025) – BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. has received approval from its members to construct a new 10-hole short course and putting course, both to be designed by golf course architect Rees Jones. The new short course complex will be located in the southwest portion of the BallenIsles community and is expected to open for member play in the fall of 2026.
“We are so proud of the work that Rees (Jones) and Bryce (Swanson) did with us in 2019 that we could not wait for the opportunity to work with them again,” said BallenIsles Country Club Director of Golf Jeff Fitzherbert. “The short course land abuts the South course, that is so popular with our members, so the fit was natural. We are eager to get to work and see what the Rees Jones design team will come up this time.”
In December 2024, BallenIsles Country Club members voted upon and approved the $6 million project, which includes a 10-hole short course with holes ranging in distance from 80 to 160 yards, as well as a 9-hole putting course and skill green. The short course will enable members to enjoy a fun golf format from multiple tee locations, distances and angles each providing varied levels of difficulty and targets. This will become the ultimate short game learning area, fun golf format and area of general beauty to learn, enjoy and improve. The Club expects families and players of all skill levels to find a format that is faster, easier, and fun. The Rees Jones design will focus on flexible playing options and decorated with the beauty that is synonymous with BallenIsles.
“The new short course and putting course will be great additions to BallenIsles for our members and their families to enjoy,” added Fitzherbert. “With the informal nature of the two courses we expect they will appeal to a wider audience of potential users, while further beautifying and enhancing the BallenIsles community. We will become the only large-scale residential community to offer an amazing amenity such as this, further instilling BallenIsles as the club of choice in the South Florida high-end residential golf communities.”
The short course and putting course add to BallenIsles Country Club’s incredible array of golf amenities that includes three championship courses – the East Course, renovated by Nicklaus Design in 2022; the South Course, redesigned by Rees Jones in 2020; and the North Course, designed by Kipp Schulties when redone in 2013. The Club’s innovative ‘71 Golf Learning Center provides members with a 3,000-square-foot central location for custom fittings, club repairs, and golf instruction. The state-of-the-art Practice Grounds has a 65-bay two-sided 12.5-acre Long Game area, complete with Toptracer technology and Flagd Golf digital yardage boards, an abundance of aiming targets for all types of long shots, a practice putting green, rough, uneven lie and fairway bunker practice areas, along with a wedge range with targets from 30 to 105 yards. In addition, BallenIsles’ four-acre Short Game area features the 25,000 sq. ft. Snead Green putting course, five pitching and chipping greens, warm-up green and the world’s flattest putting green.
About BallenIsles Country Club
In 1963 legendary Florida developer John D. MacArthur and the PGA of America teamed up with golf course architects Dick Wilson and Joe Lee to design a championship-caliber golf facility. Over the next ten years, BallenIsles, then called PGA National Golf Club, hosted numerous major tournaments like the PGA Championship and PGA Seniors Championship and was home for the Professional Golfers’ Association of America. The Club was also the host site for the original PGA TOUR Qualifying School and held the inaugural PGA Merchandise Show.When the MacArthur/PGA of America agreement expired in 1973, the Club was renamed the JDM Country Club for John D. MacArthur. For the next 15 years, the prestigious local country club hosted many celebrities and professional golfers and staged many events on the three golf courses on the property. In 1988, the three golf courses and surrounding property were sold by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and renamed BallenIsles Country Club. A multi-year and multimillion dollar plan to develop a private country club community was unveiled. Since the early 2000’s, BallenIsles Country Club has been consistently ranked as one of the Top 100 Clubs in America.
A $35 million clubhouse renovation was completed in 2018, featuring 115,000 square feet of luxurious space. In November 2024, a $19 million renovation and expansion of the 71,000 square foot Sports and Lifestyle Complex include a renovated Aquatics Center with resort-style grand swimming pool, outdoor Cabana bar, Artisan dining venue and more. The Club amenities also include a world-class 21-court tennis and 9-court pickleball complex, a full-service Cosmo & Company salon and spa, health and wellness fitness center, Pilates and spin studios.
For more information visit www.BallenIsles.org
Media Contact:
Becky Collison
BallenIsles Country Club
Director of Marketing & Communication
561.249.5818
bcollison@ballenisles.org