With over 300 days of sun each year, Palm Springs is a perfect destination to consider for your next golf holiday. We've put together a list of our favourite courses to help you plan your next trip across the pond.
To play golf along the Coachella Valley is like stepping back in time when all the Hollywood greats and former Presidents would regularly escape to the area.
With near year-round sunshine, incredible mountain backdrops and plenty of courses by famous designers, it’s easy to see why Palm Springs is a top destination for golf. Here is a selection of the best golf courses in Palm Springs that we highly recommend for Golf holidays in California.
The Pete Dye designed TPC Stadium Course is the pick of the bunch at PGA West. Ranked in the 100 Greatest Courses in the U.S. by Golf Magazine, making it one of the best golf courses in Califronia. it offers a stern test for all players. The most iconic hole on Pete Dye's Stadium Course is the 17th, a par-3 island green nicknamed "Alcatraz" after the notorious prison. Large boulders surround the green, giving it a similar appearance to its namesake and creating a daunting obstacle for any tee shot that misses the target.
TPC Stadium Golf Course Facts
Length: Back tees 7,300 yards, front tees 5,092 yards
Par: 72
Architect: Pete Dye
Founded: 1986
Course type: Links
Stadium Course at PGA WEST
Another one of Palm Spring's top golf courses is the Jack Nicklaus' Tournament Course at PGA West. This layout is a great fit for longer hitters, with wide fairways that allow for powerful drives. However, the elevated greens demand accurate approaches, and a good short game is essential if you miss your target. Water hazards are in play on seven holes, with the signature par-5 15th featuring an island green protected by water and two large bunkers.
Nicklaus Tournament Course Facts
Length: Back tees 7,204 yards, front tees 5,023 yards
Par: 72
Architect: Jack Nicklaus
Founded: 1987
Course type: Championship
Nicklaus Tournament Course
The Arnold Palmer golf course at Classic Club is best known for hosting the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic from 2006 to 2008. It is different from your typical desert layout, with rolling terrain, 30-acres of water features and plenty of pine, California, pepper and olive trees. A beautiful on-course experience is complemented by the magnificent new Tuscan village inspired clubhouse and plethora of Bob Hope memorabilia inside.
Classic Club Golf Course Facts
Length: Back tees 7,322 yards, front tees 4,219 yards
Par: 72
Architect: Arnold Palmer
Founded: 2006
Course type: Desert
This Gary Player design at Mission Hills North Golf Club in the desert is both enjoyable and challenging, with open fairways, dangerous bunkers, and water hazards on 10 of the holes. Stunning mountain views and 20 acres of lakes and waterfalls add to the experience. The course has five sets of tees therefore, players of all skill levels can enjoy it.
Mission Hills North Golf Course Facts
Length: Back tees 7,062 yards, front tees 4,907 yards
Par: 72
Architect: Gary Player
Founded: 1991
Course type: Desert
Gary Player Course at Mission Hills
An Arnold Palmer Classic course set right up against the natural beauty and backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mountains, and former home to the PGA Tour’s Bob Hope Classic from 2008-2011. Opened in 2005 and once referred to as ‘the last great piece of golf property in the Coachella Valley’, SilverRock is the longest course in Palm Springs at 7,239 yards off the tips. A must-play, with postcard quality views.
SilverRock Course facts
The Players Course at Indian Wells Golf Resort, which is one of the best golf resorts in California, has a classic American design with carefully crafted bunkers and spacious fairways. The course blends seamlessly with the natural surroundings, providing golfers with an immersive experience. The standout feature is the par-4 6th hole, which requires precise club selection as it winds around a beautiful lake.
Players Golf Course Facts
Length: Back tees 7,376 yards, front tees 5,636 yards
Par: 72
Architect: John Fought
Founded: 2007
Course type: Parkland
There are two courses on-site at Indian Canyons, and while the South Course is the shorter of the two, it is certainly the most scenic. Both are well protected by the majestic San Jacinto mountains. Indian Canyons Resort offers a unique golf experience, redesigned in 2004 by Casey O'Callahan and LPGA legend Amy Alcott, the South Course is a favorite among female golfers, and its par 5s are particularly acclaimed. The course features stunning scenery, including four ponds, 850 palm trees.
South Course facts
Length: Back tees 6,582 yards, front tees 4,878 yards
Par: 72
Architect: Casey O'Callahan
Founded: 2004
South Course, Indian Canyons Golf Resort
A challenging test for all golfers, the Pete Dye Resort Course at the Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa is among Palm Springs best courses. Water hazards come into play on four holes, making approach shots to holes 7, 8, 14, and 18 particularly demanding. The signature par-3 8th hole features railway sleepers lining the water hazard, which extends from the tee to the green, creating a daunting challenge. This superb layout rewards a golfers tactical approach to the game.
Pete Dye Resort Course
Length: Back tees 6,706 yards, front tees 4,841 yards
Par: 70
Architect: Pete Dye
Founded: 1987
Pete Dye Resort Course
The Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort lays within the Tahquitz Canyon which provides the framework for incredible views when playing this challenging championship course. The Legend Course stretches over 6,800 yards where the bordering trees that line the fairways are over 50 years old. The raised greens create fast and challenging surfaces for golfers here.
Legend Course Facts
Length: Back tees 6,815 yards, front tees 5,551 yards
Par: 71
Architect: William Francis Bell
Founded: 1957
Course type: Desert links-style
Published
"When looking at a destination, think about exactly what you want from your experience"
As the Official Golf Tourism Operator of the PGA TOUR and with over 25 years’ experience, Golfbreaks is one of the world’s longest established and most trusted golf travel companies. We organise golf breaks, holidays and tournament experiences for more than 200,000 golfers annually at over 2,000 resorts and golf courses in the UK, Europe, and further afield.
