MOUNTAIN COURSE
LA QUINTA RESORT AND PGA WEST (760) 564-4111
Palm Springs Golf Course Review
General information
PGA West "The Western Home to Golf" features 3 private courses and 5 open for public play layouts - a total of 8 courses created by 5 of golf's top designers. The Nicklaus Tournament, The Stadium (Pete Dye),the Greg Norman Course and along with the private Palmer, Weiskopf and Nicklaus courses - form a membership package that rivals that of any program in the country. This is the only private club in the world with two courses ranked in Golf Magazine's 100 Greatest courses in the World! The nearby Dunes and Mountain (Pete Dye) Courses at La Quinta are also part of the PGA West complex - both open for public play. Visit www.pgawest.com to find out more about PGA West, including club memberships and privileges. Visit www.laquintaresort.com/golf/ for more info on the courses that are open for public play.
The nearby La Quinta Resort provides luxurious accommodations and upscale resort amenities that make a stay and play package an enticing option. On property are numerous swimming pools and hot tubs, a Health and racquet Club with tennis pro shop, state of the are fitness facility with the latest equipment plus an aerobic room, 23,000 square foot Spa at La Quinta, Kids Club Activity Center and meeting rooms. There is a full service spa and tennis complex featuring 19 courts - one of the few facilities in the country to offer play on all three playing surfaces (Har-Tru clay, grass and hard courts). A variety of dining options are also available. For more information, visit our page for La Quinta with a direct link to their website by clicking here.
PGA West has hosted numerous prestigious tournaments from the PGA, Senior PGA, LPGA, and NCAA including the 1998, 200, 2002 and 2006 PGA Tour Qualifying Schools. One of the most famous shots in history occurred when Lee Trevino made a hole in one on "Alcatraz" - the par three 17th on the PGA West Stadium Course during the 1987 Skin's Game. David Duval eagled the par five 18th on the Arnold Palmer private course during the 1999 Bob Hope Desert Classic, on his way to recording a memorable 59 on Sunday, to claim the championship!
THE MOUNTAIN COURSE
The Mountain and Dunes Courses at La Quinta share clubhouse and practice facilities. This includes a beautiful restaurant/lounge with outdoor patio, locker rooms with showers for men and women, and a full service pro shop. There is a targeted grass range, short game area and putting greens. Both courses have yardage marking systems that include 100, 150 and 200 markers on the cart paths and fairways, sprinkler heads that are measured to the front, middle and back of the green, and color coded flags to indicate front, middle and back hole locations.
The Mountain Course is a Pete Dye design that is carved into the Santa Rosa Mountains, and as the name indicates, features breathtaking mountain vistas. Open for public play and rated as one of Golf Magazine's "Top 100 Courses You Can Play", this layout demands accurate, strategic play - with 94 sand bunkers/sand waste areas strategically situated along a rolling terrain. Water also comes into play on four holes on the front and 1 on the back. There are some significant elevation changes, and numerous risk/reward doglegs that can make or break a round. Golfers can cut off as much as they choose on the par 4 first (around sand) seventh (around a pond) and eighth (sand again) to shorten the holes.
The course winds through a residential community for much of the first 13 holes with 4 through 6 playing alongside jagged rock out-croppings , then stunningly proceeds into a valley between majestic mountains from holes 14-17. The 16th is a gorgeous par three that plays from an elevated tee over landscaped desert to a green nearly surrounded by sand, and numbers 14 and 17 also demand reasonable desert carries.
There are 5 sets of tees that play to distances and slopes measuring 6732 yards/135 slope, 6300 yards/129 slope, 5768 yards/122 slope, 5330 yards/116 slope for men and 126 slope for women, and 4875 yards with a slope of 123. Spectacular scenery and fine playing conditions make this a treat for any player. The design presents nothing too challenging for the average golfer or high handicapper, yet is an interesting test for the scratch players. Highly recommended! For more info, visit our page for the property, with direct link to their website by clicking here.
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