Rob,
I've had this summary in the computer awhile so glad this thread appeared and I could dust it off. Based on the recommendations of Matt Ward and others, I played the following Palm Desert area courses last spring: Desert Willow/ Firecliff Course (in Palm Desert), Desert Dunes (in Desert Hot Springs), Landmark North (in Indio) and PGA West Stadium (in La Quinta).
Desert Willow/ Firecliff Course. A Hurdzan/Fry/John Cook design, about 4 years old. Certainly one of the prettiest courses anywhere--blooming cacti-type plants everywhere along the native rough, really great to see after a winter of brown grass in Denver. Some decent medium length par 4s, a couple of very good short/driveable par 4s (6/15), and a number of good to very good greens and greensites. Clearly a lot of dirt was moved, and there is some detracting/distracting mounding, but all in all a solid effort.
Desert Dunes is located in the nearly-always-windy northern part of the valley. This RTJ II design from around 1989 is a mixed bag. It has some really solid holes, some weak ones and one big question mark hanging over it. The question mark is--why didn't RTJ II use the natural dunes more than he did? The dunesland is not as pronounced as, say, Pacific or Bandon Dunes, but the dunes are there. For the most part they're out of play--I wonder in some cases whether they were removed or moved! The best greensite on the course is the par 4 #12, with the green nestled in the dunes; the best driving hole is the next hole, the par 5 #13, where the drive is blind over a large dune. Other good features are his use of the only large tree stands in routing the 10th and 11th holes--a neat change of pace. The par 3s are pretty lackluster, with the cape type #8 and the redan-like #14. The par 5s are bland, the bunkering is pretty bland too. Two gag-me features were the water feature next to the 16th green and the Swilcan bridge over some bunkers bisecting the 9th and 18th green. Puhleeze!
Landmark North. Schmidt/Curley design (I think). Part of a 36 hole complex that hosts the Skins Game (they use both the South and North back nines). I really liked this course a lot. Good variety, with some reachable or nearly reachable par 4s with good driving options, some excellent longer par 4s, par 5s with fairway bunkering in the second shot LZ to make you think and decent par 3s. Generally the bunkering was well done. Holes of note: I liked the stretch of holes 6-9: the par 5 6th requires three good shots to an uphill green, followed by the drop shot par 3 7th, the short and well bunkered par 4 8th and the longish par 4 9th. I also liked the 12th through 14th stretch, with a very long par 4 followed by the nearly driveable 13th featuring a minefield of fairway bunkers and multiple options and a long par 3 14th to a fortress green. The latter is the best hole on the course IMO. I wasn't thrilled by the finish--15 is an island green par 3 that lacked the excitement/ pucker factor of PGA West Stadium's 17--more room I guess--and 16 through 18 were pretty pedestrian holes. All in all a very fine course, though, and the most scenic, with great views of the mountains and valley.
PGA West (Stadium). Saving what I hoped would be the best for last, and I wasn't disappointed. This course is a visual nightmare, Pete Dye mind-#$%^%$# and a total treat to play if you have your head and game on straight. If not, you could be miserable, but then just throw away the card and pencil and enjoy it for what it is.
Best,