On October 13, the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches announced that Bear Trap admission for 2027 will be more than 50% below 2026 pricing, capacity will double, and food and drink go back to being bought separately. Two years after declining attendance led to a smaller buildout at PGA National, organizers are now trying to put more people into the most social corner of the Champion Course. For anyone who lives a few minutes from Avenue of the Champions, the event is now set up as a day out close to home.
The 2027 event week runs Wednesday, February 24, through Sunday, February 28. That is one calendar day earlier than the 2026 week, which ran February 25 through March 1. The Champion Course is again the venue, listed at 7,223 yards and par 71.
In 2026 the Bear Trap was an open-air premium area overlooking No. 17 and the No. 16 green. It had covered seating on a first-come basis and private standing room beside the green. Admission included beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks, and food and premium spirits cost extra. In 2026 fans could also stand on the 17th tee box for the first time, and CBS12's cut-day coverage quoted people who called the Bear Trap easy to walk up to.
For 2027, organizers are taking the drinks out of the ticket and selling the ticket to twice as many people.
| 2026 Bear Trap | 2027 Bear Trap | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission price | 2026 rate | More than 50% lower |
| Capacity | 2026 level | Doubled |
| Food and drink | Beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks included; food and premium spirits extra | Everything bought separately, as needed |
| Where it sits | Overlooking No. 17 and the No. 16 green | Same corner of the Champion Course |
The launch prices were $150 on Thursday and Sunday and $165 on Friday and Saturday, plus taxes and fees. That special pricing ended October 29. The tournament's ticket FAQ still lists Bear Trap tickets as on sale. The admission price now covers entry to the venue, and food and drink are paid for separately during the day.
The price cut makes more sense alongside the last few years. Before the 2025 tournament, the Palm Beach Post reported that fans would see fewer grandstands and suites. It said the reason was declining attendance and the PGA Tour, which took over the event before the 2024 tournament, wanting the event to make a profit.
The tournament office has also changed hands. The PGA Tour cut staff in April 2026, as Golfweek reported, and the Cognizant Classic's executive director position was part of that change. In May, the Tour named Max Novena interim executive director. Ken Kennerly, who ran the event for nearly 20 years, became president of Children's Healthcare Charity, the tournament's longtime charity partner, and will work closely with Novena.
The Bear Trap change is the first big fan-facing decision under that new leadership. In the October announcement, Novena described it as a return to the venue's roots:
"We're bringing back the experience that made it a fan favorite, with more accessible pricing, more room for fans and the electric atmosphere that makes the Bear Trap so special. We want more people to be part of it and these changes are an important step in making that happen."
A bigger Bear Trap brings more cars onto PGA Boulevard during event week. The October release lists two parking add-ons you can buy with a ticket, each available daily from Wednesday, February 24, through Sunday, February 28, with a limit of two per person per day:
Dyer Park is a familiar option. The 2026 transportation plan used the same lot at the same $10 price. That plan also had free air-conditioned shuttles from off-site parking sponsored by TBC Corporation, a rideshare lot at PGA National Park, 1 Ryder Cup Blvd., and priority parking for Cadillac drivers. The new option for 2027 is Lot H at BallenIsles. It costs more than Dyer Park and sits closer to the resort, and both passes are sold as add-ons when you buy your ticket. Shuttle and rideshare details will go up on the tournament's parking page.
For families, the FAQ says up to two children age 15 or younger get free grounds admission with each ticketed adult.
Some residents would rather work the week than buy a ticket. Volunteer registration costs $90 from October 2 through January 1, after an $85 early-bird rate that ended October 1. The fee covers:
Volunteers park in Lot V at Mirasol Park, 12649 Ibiza Drive, and take a shuttle to and from PGA National. With the two weekly Grounds tickets, someone else in your household can come along.
On September 16, PGA National Resort announced Triple Stick Golf Club. It is a members-only course that follows the routing of the former Estates Course in Bay Hill Estates, and it is separate from the Champion Course the tournament uses. Love Golf Design drew it as an 18-hole, par-70 layout in the Dye style, with railroad-tie bulkheads, flat-bottomed bunkers edged in native grasses, and areas of sand, shell and screenings. Both nines finish with a par 5.
The club's page lists the course as opening late fall 2026. Membership is private and non-equity, with access to the full set of PGA National courses plus racquet, fitness, spa and dining, and it extends to a spouse or partner and to children under 23. An 11,000-square-foot clubhouse designed by Peacock + Lewis is expected in 2028. The resort has been owned since 2025 by Henderson Park in a joint venture with South Street Partners and Salamander Collection.
So the same property is heading in two directions. Day-to-day golf at PGA National is becoming more of a membership product. For one week in late February, though, the most crowded corner of the Champion Course is being priced to let in twice as many people as last year. For Palm Beach Gardens residents without a membership, that week is the easiest time to spend a day on the property.
If February at PGA National is part of how you think about where to live in Palm Beach Gardens, whether that means a short drive to the Bear Trap, a membership at Triple Stick or a home near BallenIsles, Malloy Home Team can walk you through how each of those communities fits around the golf calendar. Schedule a Consultation, and we will look at it with you before tournament week.
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