The Palm Springs area is renowned for its outstanding golf courses, with almost 125 of them to choose from in the area. The rustic desert setting with palm-lined fairways and majestic mountain backdrops certainly foster inspiring play. The following are 5 of the top Palm Springs golf courses to check out.
Indian Wells Golf Resort
Located in Indian Wells, this course is considered to be one of the finest municipal courses in the West. The John Fought designed course is nearly 7,400 yards long and features pleasant landing areas and attractive bunkering throughout. There are also 60 sand traps to add to the challenge.
Silver Rock Resort
Located in La Quinta, Silver Rock was the former host of the Bob Hope Classic from 2088 to 2011. This golf course was designed by Arnold Palmer and plays across one of the Palm Spring desert’s more impressive settings. Silver Rock is situated at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains and is nearly 7,600 yards long. Similar to many other Palmer designs, there are plenty of outs that can be used for approaches.
TPC Stadium Course
Located in La Quinta as part of PGA West, this course is definitely not well suited for the meek and mild. It has a reputation for being one of the toughest courses to play west of the Mississippi. Throughout the stadium there is endless subtlety of elevation and even lies are at a premium. There are challenges throughout the round of play, and even low-handicap players will struggle to make par. A decent short game is definitely necessary.
Desert Willow Golf Resort
Located in Palm Desert, this course features beautifully manicured grounds with a rustic setting for exciting and challenging play at the 2 golf courses located here. Stronger players will enjoy the demanding green structures, tough bunkering and forced carries at the Firecliff Course, while everyone will love the water-laden and much more forgiving Mountain View Course. After a round of golf, lunch out on the patio is an absolute must.
Shadow Ridge Golf Club
Located in Palm Desert, the course is Nick Faldo’s first American design. It features a number of tough par 3’s, engaging par 4’s and finely sculpted terrain inspired by the Australian Sand belt. The course include 89 traps throughout along with massive putting surface and welcome landing areas. On shorter par 4’s and par 5’s par is possible if you closely study ball placement.