Playing the Three Exquisite Pete Dye Golf Courses at La Quinta Resort

Golf Travel Ideas, Golf Course Reviews, Palm Springs, California, La Quinta Resort & Club

La Quinta Resort is undoubtedly a golf haven, as it's home to five championship courses designed by some of the most renowned architects, including Pete Dye. Every year, hundreds of thousands of golf enthusiasts visit Palm Springs just to enjoy a few rounds on the spectacular courses at the resort. Because of the uniqueness of the courses and the challenges they pose, playing golf at La Quinta Resort is on the bucket list of nearly all golfers in the country. Three of the five golf courses at the resort were designed by the acclaimed Pete Dye. Let's discover what each has to offer golfers who visit Palm Springs!

The Legendary Stadium Course

Home of the Desert Classic Golf Tournament, this golf course is Pete Dye at his rambunctious best, with a finish mimicking his later design at TPC Sawgrass. Of all the courses in the greater Palm Springs golf mecca, the Stadium is the most famous. The layout is one of the world's most challenging and arguably the most Dye-abolical course the architect has ever designed. Dye himself said love and hate can be found there. While this layout isn't for beginners or the faint of heart, many golf course trophy hunters seek it out exactly because it's so famously difficult.

The 5th hole, known as "Double Trouble," requires both a drive and a second shot over lakes. The 6th, a long par 3, is all carry over water, while the 7th plays back over the same lake. On the back nine, the challenge becomes even more dramatic. The 16th hole, known as "San Andreas Fault," features one of the world's iconic bunkers. "Alcatraz," the par-3 17th, features an island green set amidst a moonscape of rocks and boulders. The golf round concludes with a relentlessly challenging par 4 that begins with an intimidating tee shot over water.

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The Playable Mountain Course

Nestled at the base of the breathtaking Santa Rosa Mountains, this golf course has a significantly more enjoyable and playable layout for the average golfer than many Dye layouts. The Mountain Course is the oldest at the resort. By today's standards, the golf course is rather short. Pot bunkers, rocks, tall grass, and tough greens are what make it difficult. While some holes are closely lined by houses, once you get right up by the mountainside, you'll be mesmerized by the beauty of the Mountain Course.

All of the par fives are reachable but don't mistake that as the Mountain Course being a pushover, as Pete Dye would never allow it. The early holes are taken over mostly by flat terrain before the closing stretch, which is highlighted by the 16th playing to a desert island green and stands as the signature hole of the course. Offering ample elevation changes and stunning visuals, the Mountain Course will entice novices and veteran golfers alike.

The Scottish and Irish Flair of the Dunes Course

This course offers traditional rolling-links style golf characterized by rolling mounds, thick rough, and manicured fairways. Length, strength, and finesse are the key to scoring well on the Dunes Course. It's as player-friendly a layout as Pete Dye could ever bring himself to design. Actually, the course, which opened for play just after the PGA West Mountain Course in 1981, is one of the easiest layouts for all levels of players in the whole Coachella Valley. The playing field is quite flat.

Dye used a number of small lakes, sand and grass bunkers, and slightly elevated greens to defend par. While the Dunes Course isn't nearly as scenic as other PGA West courses, the layout finishes strongly with holes on more intriguing ground facing the mountains. The course provides a challenging yet non-intimidating golf experience that can be enjoyed by novice and veteran players alike. It's a softer, more manageable Pete Dye design that's very fair from the forward tees.

The Takeaway

La Quinta is also known as the golf capital of the world and boasts a great variety of exquisite courses open to the public. Regardless of where you live, planning a golf trip to Palm Springs and playing the famous courses designed by the legendary Pete Dye is worth it and will undoubtedly be a memorable experience for you and your family or friends. Furthermore, you will also get to enjoy the many luxurious amenities La Quinta Resort has to offer.