WESTIN MISSION HILLS RESORT - Pete Dye Course (760-328-3198)
Palm Springs Golf Course Review
Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa offers visitors the 6,706-yard, par-70 Pete Dye Resort Course that presents a challenge for all skill levels. With hidden pin placements, carries over water, pot bunkers, elevated tees and railroad ties, this course incorporates all of the signature marks of celebrated architect Pete Dye.
A full-service clubhouse offers deluxe amenities and dining opportunities. The 2,100 sq. ft. Pete Dye Resort Course Golf Shop offers a wide range of apparel and equipment from leading golf manufacturers. A grass range and short game practice area are on property.
The Westin Mission Hills is a full service luxury resort, featuring a variety of upscale accommodations with outstanding amenities that include a beautiful spa, multiple swimming pools and Jacuzzis, the Cactus Kid's Club and play area, fitness center, tennis courts, fine and casual dining, plus recreational activities that include basketball, croquet, sand volleyball, shuffleboard and more. Stay and play packages are available.. For more info on the resort, visit our page for The Westin Mission Hills Resort by clicking here.
The Pete Dye course features four sets of tees that play to distances and slopes measuring 6706 yards/131 slope, 6158 yards/126 slope, 5587 yards/ 116 slope for men and 126 for women, and 4841 yards with a slope of 117 for ladies playing from the forward sets. On property is a clubhouse featuring a pro shop stocked with stylish attire and accessories and locker rooms with showers that also have facilities for club re-gripping and shoe service. Adjacent is the poolside bar with hot and cold sandwiches, beverages and snacks - which also are available from through on-course cart service. A multi tiered two-sided grass range provides complimentary balls for guests, and three putting greens, a chipping green and two sand bunkers are situated nearby.
As with all Troon Golf facilities, the service here is outstanding. On our late August 2005 visit, the course was in wonderful condition from tee to green. The layout is well marked with 150 yard stakes visible on par fours and fives, and yardage plates posted on the fairways at 100 and 200 yards (250 on par fives). Sprinkler heads provide measurements to the center of the green (and some even have yardages to the front and back), and pin placements sheets, indicating front, middle and back hole locations are posted on the back of all golf carts.
The design is challenging and fun to play, with the four sets of tees affording golfers of all abilities with an opportunity to choose a set that fits their game. As a resort course, this layout generally features abundant landing areas off the tee, particularly on the front side. There are 64 sand bunkers situated along the fairways and greenside - some of them quite large and deep. A key to scoring well here is to hit the fairways while avoiding the sand traps and rough, which can make recoveries for par quite difficult. Most fairways are bordered by mounding and trees, which though not dense can certainly come into play on errant tee shots and approaches. The green complexes come in variety of shapes in sizes, with true running putting surfaces that are often raised, and protected by sand, depressions, grassy swales and collection areas. The sixth hole looks easy on the scorecard - a 330 yard par four - but golfers will need an extremely accurate approach to avoid the slope and deep rough situated immediately left of the plateau green complex.
Water comes into play on just five holes, but the challenge they present on these holes is quite formidable. This is particularly true of the par four 14th and par four 18th, which provide landing zones that are defined by ponds intruding upon the fairways. Golfers not executing a well placed tee shot, may find themselves laying up to a peninsula landing area and playing for an up and down with a wedge or short iron on the third shot. Generally, we found the back nine to be tighter off the tee, with trees and water squeezing the landing zones.
This is an extremely beautiful golf course, with outstanding mountain views at every turn. From the back tees, the challenge is formidable. The Gold tees provide a fair round with trouble lurking off the tee and greenside if proper shots are not executed. Seniors will enjoy the Jade tees, and women playing from the forward sets will find this experience very player friendly - especially on the water holes, in which the hazards are basically taken out of play. This is a thoughtful design that allows vacationers to enjoy a wonderful experience, and scratch golfers to use all the tricks in their bag. We recommend it highly. For more info, visit our page for the Pete Dye Course at Westin Mission Hills Resort, with direct link to the properties' website by clicking here.
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