BallenIsles was originally the
PGA National Golf Club (1964–1973), commissioned by Palm Beach Gardens patron
John D. MacArthur as the home of the
Professional Golfers Association. From 1973 to 1989, it was privately operated as JDM Country Club, before splitting from JDM and renaming to BallenIsles in 1989. There are three courses, and the East Course, originally named the Champions Course, hosted the
1971 World Cup,
1971 PGA Championship,
Senior PGA Championship (1966–1973), and the first
qualifying tournaments for the
PGA Tour. The North and East courses were designed by
Dick Wilson and Joe Lee. The South course was redesigned by Gene Bates Golf Design, and is reserved for members and their guests. The current PGA National Golf Club is adjacent to the west. There are four golf associations, MGA (Men's Golf Assoc). MSGA (Men's Seniors), WNGA (Women's Nine Hole) and the WGA (Women's Golf). The WGA also holds an annual event on behalf of Play for P.I.N.K. and the MSGA raises money for the USGA 1st Tee program. The MGA's annual prostate cancer fundraising event benefits Scripps Research. The BallenIsles Director of Golf, Jeff Fitzherbert, was named the 2016 Troon Golf PGA Professional of the Year. Teaching professionals include Chris Kaufman, voted by his peers as 2016 Florida Teacher of the Year in South East Florida, Matt Grobstein and Scott Dietrich. The staff also includes Annette Thompson, named as one of Top 50 Teachers by Golf for Women Magazine in 2012 and 2017 and named as one of top 25 U.S. women's teacher in
Golf Digest. ==Other recreation==