Desert Golf Mag (Private Rankings in Coachella Valley, Phoenix, and Las Vegas)

[Peter Ferlicca]

We get a local magazine out in the Coachella Valley that includes the top 10 private, resort and public courses in each area.  It also includes membership initiation fees and yearly dues for each club too.  So I will give the rankings for each one that the magazine published.  I have no clue who does the ranking, but I will say the Coachella valley one is absurd.  IMO it is not even close to what it should be.  I am doing the listing of private golf clubs; if someone wants the public and resort too I will post them.

Coachella Valley
1. The Reserve (Weiskopf and Moorish)
2. Hideaway (Pete Dye)
3. Mission Hills Country Club (Dinah Shore)
4. The Quarry at La Quinta (Tom Fazio)
5. The Tradition (Arnold Palmer)
6. Bighorn (Canyons) (Tom Fazio)
7. Madison Club (Tom Fazio)
8. Stone Eagle Golf Club (Tom Doak)
9. Toscana Country Club (Jack Nicklaus)
10. The Hideaway (Clive Clark)

Phoenix and Arizona
1. Desert Forest Golf Club
2. Forest Highlands (Canyon)
3. Desert Mountain (Geronimo)
4. The Estancia Club
5. Alta Mesa Country Club
6. Paradise Valley Country Club
7. Superstition Mountain Golf Club (Lost Gold)
8. Pinnacle Peak Country Club
9. Desert Mountain (Outlaw)
10. The Gallery Golf Club


Nevada Las Vegas
1. Southern Highlands Golf Club
2. TPC at Summerlin
3. Southshore at Lake Las Vegas
4. Shadow Creek, North
5. Las Vegas Country Club
6. Dragon Ridge Golf Club
7. Anthem Country Club
8. Canyon Gate
9. Red Rock Country Club
10. Stallion Mountain, South

I want to hear everyone’s opinion on how they feel about these private rankings.  I feel that they are completely skewed.

[Brad Tufts]

I would like to see public and resort...

[Matt_Cohn]

Also, which is the better collection - Coachella or Phoenix...

[Matt_Ward]

Pferlicca:

You said, "I feel that they are completely skewed."

How bout you tell us what you rate and in what order ?

[Peter Ferlicca]

I will list the Public and Resort Rankings now.

Coachella Valley Public
1. Classic Club
2. Desert Willow (Firecliff)
3. SilverRock Resort
4. PGA West (Nicklaus Tourney)
5. Desert Willow (Mountain View)
6. Eagle Falls Golf Course
7. Golf Club of Terra Lago (South)
8. Indian Springs Golf and Country Club
9. Trilogy Golf Club
10. Desert Dunes Golf Course

Coachella Valley Resort
1. Marriott Shadow Ridge
2. La Quinta Resort Mountain
3. PGA West Norman
4. Indian Wells Celebrity
5. Westin Mission Hills Pete Dye
6. La Quinta Resort Dunes
7. Rancho Las Palmas
8. Westin Mission Hills Gary Player
9. Indian Wells Players
10. Desert Princess

[Peter Ferlicca]

Phoenix and Arizona

Public
1. We Ko Pa Saguaro
2. Grayhawk Raptor
3. Raven Golf Club at South Mountain
4. Stoneridge Golf Course
5. TPC Scottsdale
6. Whrilwind Golf Club Devils Claw
7. Legend Trail
8. Raven Golf Club at Verrado
9. Troon North Pinnacle
10. Arizona National

Resort
1. Boulders North
2. Wildfire Palmer
3. Lodge at Ventana Canyon Mountain
4. Tucson National Sonoran
5. Gainey Ranch Arroyo/Lakes
6. The Phoenician
7. McCormick Ranch Palm
8. Arizona Golf Resort
9. Sedona Golf Resort
10. Apache Stronghold

[Peter Ferlicca]

Nevada and Las Vegas

Public
1. Cascata
2. Bear's Best
3. Las Vegas Paiute Sun Mountain
4. Rio Secco
5. TPC at the Canyons
6. Primm Valley Desert
7. Wolf Creek
8. Casablanca
9. The Badlands
10. Las Vegas Paiute Wolf

They do not list Resort rankings for Nevada Las Vegas

[Phil Benedict]

As far as Coachella Valley resort goes I've played Shadow Ridge many times and like it a lot.  Lots of width and angles.  Haven't played all the other courses on the resort list but it's better than La Quinta Mountain, which is #2.

[Peter Ferlicca]

I live in the Coachella Valley, and I have played a lot of the private courses out here, and for the Reserve to be ranked #1 has got to be a joke.  If I made the list I would have it like so, but obviously I'm not the one making the magazine.

1. Stone Eagle
2. Bighorn Canyons
3. Madison Club
4. PGA West Nicklaus Private
5. The Quarry
6. Ironwood CC South
7. Tradition
8. Mission Hills CC (Dinah Shore)
9. La Quinta Citrus Club
10. The Palms Golf Club

This would be for Private of course

[Mark Smolens]

Raven at South Mountain 3, and TPC Scottsdale 5?   Whirlwind and Legend Trail on list but no TSN?  Paradise Valley and Pinnacle Peak CCs, but no Whisper Rock?

[TX Golf]

While the current lists for the Coachella Valley are pretty absurd, I still think the Dye course at Hideaway should be in the top 10. Also, the North course at Terra Lago (formally landmark) is one of my absolute favorites as well. Where is the Stadium Course on these lists???