Palm Coast Thanksgiving Scramble 2026: A Golfer's Holiday Guide

Palm Coast's inaugural Thanksgiving Scramble takes place Thursday, November 26, 2026, at Palm Harbor Golf Club, 20 Palm Harbor Drive. According to the City of Palm Coast's official announcement, the tournament has an 8 a.m. shotgun start, uses four-person teams, and costs $46 per player plus tax.

Registration is open, with the field limited to 25 teams, or 100 golfers. Call the Palm Harbor Golf Club Pro Shop at 386-986-4653 to check availability and register. The city has not published a fixed registration deadline, so registration effectively closes when the field fills.

Thanksgiving Scramble essentials

The event at a glance

This Thanksgiving-morning tournament leaves part of the day open for Palm Coast renters and visitors who are working a round into plans with overnight guests, kitchen duties, and an afternoon meal.

These figures and hours come from the October 6 city announcement. Since this is the first edition, participants should verify the fee, availability, check-in instructions, and weather policy directly with the Pro Shop before arranging their holiday around the tournament.

Who can play?

The announcement does not state a residency requirement, age cutoff, handicap requirement, or minimum playing level. Ordinary resident and nonresident greens-fee rules may not determine eligibility for this special event. Ask the Pro Shop whether all members of the foursome may register, whether individual golfers can be matched with a team, and whether junior players are eligible.

The registration deadline also calls for some caution. The official notice says registration is open and encourages early booking, but it does not give a closing date. A group that wants to play should assemble its roster and call instead of waiting until Thanksgiving week.

How the four-person scramble works

A team game with a simple rhythm

Every player hits from the starting position. The team chooses its preferred shot, and every team member plays the next shot from that location. The process continues until the ball is holed, as explained in the official event description.

This format usually makes the morning friendlier for a mixed group because one weaker shot does not automatically derail the hole. A reliable drive, good approach, or useful putt can help the entire foursome. It is still a tournament, so ask at check-in how lies may be placed, how scorecards should be marked, and how ties will be handled.

Build a useful foursome

A balanced team is more practical than four players with the same strength. If possible, bring someone comfortable off the tee and a steady approach player, along with golfers who can contribute around the green. Before the first hole, decide who will record scores and keep an eye on pace.

The city says winning golfers will receive gift certificates from Loopers Par & Grill. The second- and third-place teams will receive pies, an apt prize for a tournament scheduled on Thanksgiving morning.

What to expect at Palm Harbor Golf Club

A public course with practice facilities

Palm Harbor is a city-operated daily-fee course with tree-lined playing corridors, creative hazards, palms, old oaks, and Spanish moss. The official course page lists a driving range, putting and chipping greens, a pro shop, restaurant, parking, and restrooms among the facilities.

The course was renovated and redesigned in 2009, and its practice area gives visitors a place to settle in before the tournament. An extended warm-up may be difficult, though. With a shotgun start, everyone heads toward assigned starting holes at roughly the same time, which can compress bag drop, check-in, cart assignment, and practice.

Dress for the club's rules

Palm Harbor requires proper golf attire. The course's published dress code calls for collared shirts, prohibits jeans and T-shirts, and identifies the property as a soft-spike facility.

Before leaving the rental, make sure every golfer understands those rules. Pack golf shoes or suitable course footwear, a collared shirt, clubs, balls, tees, a glove, a ball marker, and a repair tool. Sunscreen, water, a compact rain layer, and any personal medication also belong in the bag.

Plan Thanksgiving morning around traffic and check-in

Allow for holiday traffic changes

The Feet to Feast Thanksgiving 5K is taking place in the area at the same time as the scramble, and the city says traffic changes will be in place. Golfers are specifically directed to use the Cooper Lane entrance: turn onto Club House Drive, continue to Casper Drive, and turn left at Cooper Lane, according to the city's route instructions.

Leave more time than you would for a normal tee time. During a shotgun start, one delay can complicate cart assignments and the coordinated start across the course. Check the latest city directions before departure, then follow temporary signs or staff instructions even if a navigation app suggests another entrance.

A practical arrival checklist

1. Call the Pro Shop in advance and ask when tournament check-in opens.
2. Confirm the four player names, fee, tax, payment method, and any cancellation policy.
3. Check the course status and weather before leaving the rental.
4. Load clubs and rain gear the night before so Thanksgiving cooking does not compete with departure.
5. Use the city's designated Club House Drive, Casper Drive, and Cooper Lane route.
6. Check in first, then allow time for the practice green or range if staff says the schedule permits.

Parking is listed as a course amenity on the Palm Harbor page, but the city has not promised reserved tournament spaces. Carpooling with your foursome can simplify arrival and reduce the number of vehicles your rental household has to coordinate.

Fit the outing into Thanksgiving Day

Set expectations with the people staying home

The official announcement gives the start time without guaranteeing a finish time. Course conditions, pace, scoring, and the awards process can all affect when a player returns. An early-afternoon return works as a planning goal, though it is not a promise. Avoid assigning a golfer a kitchen task that must happen at one exact moment.

A renter hosting family can make the morning easier by completing cold dishes the night before, setting out serving pieces, and leaving written oven instructions for the household. If the main meal has an inflexible serving time, ask the Pro Shop for its best estimate of the event schedule before registering.

Food before and after the round

Loopers Par & Grill, the tournament sponsor and the restaurant at the course, is scheduled to operate from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, according to the event announcement. Golfers will have an option for food or beverages around the tournament, although the announcement does not say that a meal is included in the $46 entry fee.

Ask whether food must be purchased separately and whether the holiday menu differs from normal service. Even with the restaurant open, eat enough before play and carry permitted hydration or snacks under current course rules. Nobody wants to discover on a crowded holiday morning that one member of the foursome skipped breakfast.

Late-November weather planning

Pack for a cool start and a milder finish

Historical conditions can help with packing, but they are not a forecast for November 26. A Palm Coast-area station's NOAA-derived climate normals show a November average maximum of 74.2°F, an average minimum of 58.1°F, and monthly precipitation of 2.1 inches, as compiled in the Palm Coast 6NE climate table. NOAA explains that its official climate normals are calculated from the 1991-2020 period for qualifying stations in the U.S. Climate Normals documentation.

Those averages make layers a sensible choice. Wear a breathable collared golf shirt and a light pullover that can be removed, and carry a compact waterproof shell. Morning shade beneath mature trees can feel cooler than an exposed fairway later in the round.

Use the forecast and course status, not the average

Check the National Weather Service forecast during Thanksgiving week and again before departure. Wind and rain can change club selection, comfort, and course operations even when the temperature looks pleasant.

The official Palm Harbor page displays facility, driving-range, and course-condition updates. Conditions such as cart-path-only operation can affect pace and the amount of walking required. If rain is possible, bring a towel, rain gloves if you use them, a bag cover, dry socks, and a sealable pouch for a phone and wallet.

Decision rule: If the forecast or course status looks uncertain, call the Pro Shop at 386-986-4653 before leaving. Ask whether play is proceeding and how a delay or cancellation would affect entry fees.

Guidance for renters hosting golfers

Protect the home from wet gear and holiday clutter

Choose one garage, laundry-room, or covered-entry area for golf bags and damp shoes. Put down an old towel or washable mat, and keep wet clubs away from painted walls and upholstered furniture. A clearly marked gear zone also keeps bags out of food-preparation areas and guest walkways.

If several relatives are bringing vehicles, review the lease and any neighborhood or association parking rules before Thanksgiving. Keep sidewalks, neighboring driveways, mailbox access, and emergency access clear. Palm Coast's lettered sections can have quiet residential streets, but parking and lease restrictions still apply on a holiday.

Make the rental work for both groups

Golfers should keep one vehicle key, the registration phone number, and the designated route together. The people staying home should know the meal plan, how to reach the group, and which tasks are finished. Dividing those responsibilities can keep the scramble from adding to Thanksgiving-morning stress.

Visitors considering a longer stay can browse the Palm Coast renter guides for neighborhood context and review current rental listings. For an example of the space and layout available in a local three-bedroom rental, see Palm Coast Paradise Unit A. Availability and pricing can change, so use the listing only as a current reference.

How to verify details and register

Use the official call-in process

The city directs golfers to register through the Palm Harbor Golf Club Pro Shop at 386-986-4653. Before paying, have one person ask the same questions for the entire team:

• Are spaces still available for a complete foursome?
• Can a single golfer register and be paired with others?
• What is the total charge after tax, and what does it include?
• What time should players arrive for check-in?
• Are carts included, and are rental clubs available?
• Are there age, residency, or handicap requirements?
• What is the cancellation, rain-delay, or refund policy?
• Has the designated traffic route changed?

Write down the staff member's instructions and share them with all four golfers. Revisit the official announcement and course page shortly before the holiday because operational details can change after an article is published.

Keep two official pages bookmarked

The newsroom announcement is the primary source for tournament timing, format, entry fee, capacity, prizes, holiday restaurant hours, and traffic directions. The course page is the place to check the address, amenities, dress code, contact information, and current operating status.

Sources

• City of Palm Coast: Palm Harbor Golf Club to Host Inaugural Thanksgiving Scramble
• City of Palm Coast: Palm Harbor Golf Club
• NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information: U.S. Climate Normals
• Palm Coast 6NE Climate and Daylight Data

Need a Palm Coast home base?

If the Thanksgiving Scramble is part of a longer visit or a move to Palm Coast, Oasis Rentals can help you compare rental options for golfers, hosts, and visiting family. Contact Tyler at 386-516-5774 or Tyler@386rent.com, and mention the space, parking, and holiday-hosting needs that matter to your household.