Justin Thomas and Jack Nicklaus’ collaboration course, Panther National, opens in Palm Beach Gardens
Two-time Major champion Justin Thomas collaborated with the PGA Tour legend Jack Nicklaus to design the Panther National in Palm Beach Gardens. The 18-hole championship course is situated to the west of The Club at Ibis and opened on Monday for its exclusive members. It is also the area's first-ever private golf community.
NUCLR GOLF, a popular golf update page on X (formerly known as Twitter), shared a post about the official opening of the Panther National in Palm Beach Gardens. The caption read:
"Panther National, a course design collaboration between Justin Thomas and Jack Nicklaus has officially opened in Palm Beach Gardens."
The Panther National's golf course also includes amenities such as residential accommodation. The Signature Estate Homes and Custom Estate Home sites will provide around 218 homes that would have a price tag ranging from $5 million to $50 million.
Also, as per The Palm Beach Post, the membership cost for the Club is currently priced at $400,000 but will rise to $500,000 from January 2024.
What did Jack Nicklaus and Justin Thomas say about their newly opened Panther National course?
Justin Thomas and Jack Nicklaus were both present at the Panther National for the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, November 17. Other golf stars such as Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler, and Lexi Thompson were also present at the venue for a 4-hole exhibition match and the ceremonial tee shots.
Yianni Kourakis of WPBF 25 News shared a video on X in which he spoke to Nicklaus about working with Thomas. To which, the 18-time Major champion said:
"It means an opening of a really good golf course. We've gotten a great response from it. Working with JT, I think people are going to enjoy it."
Jack Nicklaus said that Justin Thomas was a bit like him when he first started designing courses and was not aware of much when it came to designing golf courses. Nicklaus said:
"JT is a little bit like I was when I started, he doesn't know anything. He went along and asked questions. If he decides he wants to get involved, we'll do some other golf courses, and he'll learn the same way I did"
Justin Thomas also shared his thoughts on designing his first-ever golf course and his experience with the legendary Jack Nicklaus. While speaking to The Palm Beach Post, he said that he was very far from designing a golf course alone but added that it was a great start for him.
"I would love to design at some point, but I'm a long way away from doing that solo. It's a great introduction for me," Thomas said.
Justin Thomas was also seen playing in the Netflix Cup last week. He teamed up with F1 racer Carlos Sainz to win the inaugural edition of the digital streaming platform's new sports tournament.