Ten best courses in the Palm Springs area...

[David Ober]

I'm setting up a golf trip for some buddies, and we're considering Palm Springs and Arizona.

What courses do you guys recommend. They can be public or private, since I have some pretty good connections to get on many, but not all private clubs.

I've played many in the Palm Springs area, but nowhere near all of them and I would love some thoughts from the group...

Thanks.  

[Evan_Green]

I was quite impressed with the Marriott Shadow Ridge.

Faldo's design is inspired by the Australian Sandbelt. Really neat bunkering. Quite unique from other courses in the Palm Springs area.

[Craig Van Egmond]

I've only played 2 but I recommend them both: TPC Stadium and La Quinta Mountain.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

La Quinta Mountain was the best I saw but none really hit me as really you got to play. Also the courses where the used to play the night matches with Tiger were great for views and beauty etc but just ok golf.

[Evan_Green]

David-

Where have you played in Palm Springs already?

[PThomas]

I second the PGA West Stadium and La Quinta Mtn nominations

[Matt_Ward]

David O:

The same thing applies in the Palm Springs area that was also mentioned by me and others in your Phoenix thread of a similar nature.

Palm Springs is only now starting to provide a wide swath of daily fee or muni type golf options. For years the area was and still is the home of the gated community / golf club.

On the public side I would say suggest the following:

Marriott Shadow Ridge -- well done layout by Faldo and company. Far from your formulaic Springs layout. The finishing hole is one of the best in the Cochella Valley.

Desert Willow (Firecliff) -- I really enjoyed the Hurdzan, Fry, Cook layout in Palm Desert. Much more than your basic muni layout and gives you plenty to think about when playing there.

Landmark -- the 36-hole layout in Indio isn't really that bad of an alternative for those on a budget.

Desert Dunes -- has to be the windiest interior site I have played and that includes any of the courses in the Great Plains. I never really liked the course because playability is always an issue and new management has still got plenty of things to do there in terms of overall turf quality. One of the few courses I know where the 4-5 club wind situation is a daily feature on many days.

PGA West / Stadium -- still a "must play" for those who have never played it.

One other layout to consider is going to the Southern California GC in nearby Calimesa -- about 30 minutes west of Palm Springs. If price is a concern you can play 36 holes (Schmidt / Curley) for a bit less than some of the more noted and tonier layouts in the Desert.

[David Ober]

I've played The PGA of SoCal courses many, many times. Also have played Desert Dunes and one of the Landmark courses. Will definitely consider the Faldo course, Desert willow and PGA West. Thanks. :-)

[A_Clay_Man]

The course that will occupy all ten of those slots, doesnt open until Nov.
 

[Tom_Doak]

David:

I haven't played many of them and I haven't gotten back to a lot of them in the past year while we've been working out there, but the courses I would recommend for seeing a variety of stuff are (in no particular order):

The Quarry at La Quinta
PGA West Stadium Course
PGA West Nicklaus Private Course [pretty wild stuff]
La Quinta Mountain Course
Marriott Shadow Ridge
The Vintage Club Desert Course
Bighorn (not the Mountain course but the newer Fazio one)
Stone Eagle
and Porcupine Creek if you could get on it (I haven't)

[Dennis_Harwood]

David--

Tom has given you a great list, but unfortunately you can forget all the private courses on the list if your trip is anytime before next June--

None of the Private courses open until the middle of November and with short days and members only polcy (Who geneally crowd those courses until Easter) you will never get a group on the course (if you individually want to play that is another matter, if you have a friend who is a member)--

Sratch Quarry, PGA private, Vintage, Bighorn, --Tom may pull some strings at Stone Eagle, and I hear the sole owner of Porcupine is considering membership sales at $4 mil(that is not a misprint)-- Anything short of that and Porcupine is only a dream--