INDIAN WELLS GOLF RESORT Celebrity Course
(760-346-4653)
Palm Springs Golf Course Review
Indian Wells - home of the LG Skins Game (featuring Zach Johnson, Stephen Ames, Fred Couples and Brett Wetterich in 2007) is a world class golf property situated in the beautiful resort community near Palm Springs. The immediate area features 4 luxurious, full service hotel properties, (Hyatt Grand Champions Resort Villas & Spa, Indian Wells Resort Hotel, Miramonte Resort & Spa and Renaissance Esmeralda resort & Spa) 3 superb spas, exceptional dining and shopping plus the Indian Wells Tennis Garden - home to the prestigious Pacific Life Open Tennis Tournament.
The two championship courses (The Players & The Celebrity) at Indian Wells feature 36 holes of outstanding golf - on tracks that are immaculately landscaped and impeccably conditioned, with some of the most spectacular vistas in the area. The combination of mountain views framed around the lush palm trees, enticing water features and flowering plants, make the experience at Indian Wells one of the most aesthetically pleasing in Southern California!
The amenities at Indian Wells include a practice range, short area and beautiful natural turf nine hole putting course (lit for night play) . The luxurious 53,000 sq. ft. clubhouse features an extensive pro shop, fine and casual dining and provides guests with 360 degrees of golf course and spectacular mountain views. Complete banquet facilities, a spacious lawn with croquet courts, and the Callaway Performance Center combine to make this one of the most upscale golf resort experiences in the Palm Springs area. Callaway's Golf Academy is also on property and is open for lessons and clinics of all types.
The Celebrity Course is perhaps the most meticulously landscaped golf property in the Palm Springs area. Vibrant flower beds are situated near every tee area and tropical plants plus other native foliage line the fairways and green complexes. There is a clear cascading stream that winds throughout the extremely rolling terrain, and waterfalls often flow into greenside ponds. The resulting environment is one of the most gorgeous we have encountered in our travels out west.
Golfers will have to contend with an undulating topography the results in some uneven lies. Many fairways are parallel - separated by vegetation and mounding that sometimes creates a bowl effect. A local rule allows for golfers to take a "free drop" if there ball ends up in any of the plentiful flower beds (this to preserve the landscaped environment). In fact, some golfers may say that if you cannot hit the fairways and greens - play from flower bed to flower bed!
There is a great amount of sand on this course - in fact we counted 97 bunkers which are located near the landing zones along the fairways or greenside. These white, soft sand traps are consistent and provide sufficient recovery opportunities near the greens, but the high lip nature of the fairway bunkers can be quite penal.
Water is another significant feature of this course. Thirteen holes have hazards in play in some shape or form. Those on the front are mostly along the perimeters, but the back nine has some beautiful and incredibly challenging water holes. On the front, golfers will have to carry ponds on the approach to the green on the short par five 4th and again on the par three 6th. Both are beautiful golf holes with palm trees and mountains forming a memorable backdrop.
The back nine opens with a couple score-able par fours that play along a wide and deep wash, and another short par four that can be reached off the tee. The finishing holes are quite challenging, beginning with the 13th and 14th, which share water hazards off the tee. Number 14 is a spectacular par five, with a wide landing zone off the tee that plays towards a steam which crosses about 115 yards out. Fifteen demands a tee shot over water, and the par three 16th is one of the most scenic holes on the course, with mountains, bunkers and water framing the view. Water falls situated near the tee and greenside on 18 make this a beautiful closing hole.
There are 5 sets of tee boxes that play to distances measuring 7376 (rating 75.3/slope138), 6913 (73.3/134), 6264 (70.6/126), 5636 (67.7/117 for men and 74.0/127 for women), and 5108 yards (71.3/122). All carts are equipped with ball & club washers plus UpLink GPS, which provides hole diagrams and accurate yardages from tee to pin. Sprinkler heads are also measured to the center of the greens, which run fast and have a significant amount of undulation.
This is a highly recommended golf experience... wonderful tract and outstanding scenery. The terrain is generally more rolling than what golfers will encounter on the usual Palms Springs area course. This is not a desert layout - and the parallel fairways provide more room than one might expect, to recover from errant tee shots, making this a friendly experience for all levels of golfers. For more info, visit our page for the course, with direct link to the Indian Wells Golf resort website by clicking here.
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