 PGA WEST TPC STADIUM COURSE 800.742.9378
Palm Springs California Golf Course Review
General information
PGA West "The Western Home to Golf" features 9 golf courses (5 public and 4 private) created by 5 of golf's top designers. The Stadium( Pete Dye), the Greg Norman Course, the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course are open for public play, and along with the private Palmer, Weiskoph 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 courses 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 membership and privileges.
PGA West has hosted numerous prestigious events from the PGA, Senior PGA, LPGA, and NCAA including the 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2006 PGA Tour Qualifying Schools. In fact, Tour Qualifying had just ended prior to our early January 2007 visit. One of the most famous shots in history occurred when Lee Trevino made a hole in one "Alcatraz" - the par three 17th, on the TPC Stadium Course during the 1987 Skins 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!
TPC STADIUM COURSE
The clubhouse at the Stadium Course also services the (open for public play) Nicklaus Course. This is a beautiful facility that features spacious, well appointed locker rooms with showers for men and women, a full service restaurant & lounge, and an outstanding 4,000 square foot pro shop. The PGA West logo apparel and golf accessories make particularly attractive gift items.
Practice facilities on property are extensive, with putting greens, a short game area that includes a sand bunker, plus a targeted grass range - all complementary for green-fee paying guests. The John McLean Golf School - the number 1 rated golf school in the world, features state of the art facilities with a full staff of PGA Master professionals including three of Golf Magazine's World's Top 100 instuctors.
On course, golfers will easily find the plentiful sprinkler heads that are measured to the center of the green, and each cart has placards which indicate the days hole locations (front, middle or back). Yardages are also posted on each tee box. This course packs a punch - and in fact from the tips has been rated as the 5th most difficult track in the country, and the 10th toughest in the world! There are 5 sets of tees on each hole, which play to distances and slopes measuring 7300 yards/150 slope, 6739 yards/142 slope, 6166 yards/135 slope, 5700 yards/137 slope for women and 5092 with a slope of 124 for ladies hitting from the forward sets.
This is a challenging round of golf for any level of player, even from the white tees. Well-scultped tee boxes lead to meticulously groomed fairways that are often undulating and are usually framed by perimeter mounding with extensive bunkering. Approximately 87 sand bunkers are located near the landing zones or are situated greenside, and water comes into play on nine holes. These hazards are not merely window dressing - they require strategy and proper placement.
The initial 4 holes present a reasonable opportunity to get off to a good start, but beginning with the 535 yard par 5 fifth, which has ponds located short left and long right, golfers will find that the same features that make this course visually stunning also demand ultimate course management. Proper placement between and around the extensive hazards, as well as considerable distance, is necessary to score well here. Most players will utilize every club in their bag, but a great short game is most paramount. There are few bump and run opportunities, as the narrow and often long green complexes frequently demand high arcing lobs and pitches. Miss to either side and the challenge to get up and down from the greenside slopes, swales and collection areas is considerable. Land on the green in regulation and good scores are possible as the putting surfaces run true and quick, with mild undulations.
Deep bunkers often squeeze the landing zones off the tee as well. There are numerous short par fours from the white tees, so driver is not always the best option. On our review round - which we enjoyed thoroughly, we felt mentally drained by the end of the day. This is one course where you must keep it together off the tee and on the approach. The surrounding landscape, which includes incredible mountain scenery and plentiful palm trees, helps to provide a measure of calm during the tough stretches. This is a highly recommended golf experience...but be ready to perform! For more info on this course, visit our page for the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West by clicking here.
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