Palm Springs Anyone? Recommendations Please

Hey guys - I'm vacationing in PSP Dec 26th through 31st. Anyone care to grab a game?

Also, I have a few ideas on where to play - does anyone have suggestions for me??

I hear Classic Club is tasty, as is Silverrock...

Yes to classic club (as long as wind is manageable). Yes to silver rock (tough but fun and a beautiful setting). Firecliff and shadow ridge are also really good courses. The Pete dye course at the Westin mission is a nice course as well if you like Swales and bumps around the greens. The laquinta courses (both mountain view and dunes) are good courses as well. Lastly the Indian wells resort courses (are in my option) just ok. For the right deal I'd play them but if you're paying full price I'd go with the other courses listed above. How many rounds are you going to play?

I played the Classic Club and Desert Willow Mountain in October. CC was amazing. I really enjoyed Willow as well but was told Firecliff is even better. If you haven't played TPC Stadium it's a fun test.

Hey i am in the desert. Played CC today was in great shape. I will pm you with my plans and i am sure you will want to join me with what is on the books. Josh

Depending on what you are looking for, hard to go wrong with TPC Stadium. While it is costly, it is really challenging and forces you to hit shots.

As a layout I like SilverRock better than all of the public access PGA West courses. I think you can usually get good deals for SilverRock on GolfNow. The Norman course at PGA West is nice. Not a fan of TPC Stadium. Pete Dye is probably my fave course designer but Stadium is kind of ugly and surrounded by a bunch of ugly houses. It's certainly a tough test of golf and probably worth playing once but given the additional cost - I'd rather play the adjacent Nicklaus course.

i'm heading down to PS in a month and planning on playing CC and Desert Mountain - Firecliff. As this trip is going to kick off my season is there anyplace that anyone recommends to spend an afternoon on a range/practice facility?

COD college of the desert has a pretty nice range, but if you don't want to hit off of mats go to Silverrock. I think its 10 or 15 bucks for full range access and its a great practice facility

[quote name='jgisland' timestamp='1424268773' post='10977321']
i'm heading down to PS in a month and planning on playing CC and Desert Mountain - Firecliff. As this trip is going to kick off my season is there anyplace that anyone recommends to spend an afternoon on a range/practice facility?
[/quote]The practice facility at Marriott Shadow Ridge is the best I've ever encountered. I've shown up there several times and pounded balls, hit wedges to their excellent short-game pins, and hit sand shots for hours without a ranger ever questioning my presence. Full disclosure: I've played the course the following day in each case.

I just got back from PSP a few days ago and played Eagle Falls, Indian Wells Celebrity and Silver Rock.

Eagle Falls was a great course with lots of attention placed on customer service and pace of play, great track but not as scenic as the courses tucked into the hills to the west. Played 18 in just under 4 hrs

Indian Wells Celebrity was beautiful and perfectly manicured. Pace was so-so

Silver Rock is the only one i would list as a must play, absolutely gorgeous setting and extremely fair test. Pace was terrible on the day we played and no one around seemed to be doing anything about it, 5 hrs to play 18 at those prices was upsetting but the course itself was spectacular.

I just played 4 rounds in Palm Springs. My number one criteria picking courses was early morning tee times. I'd rank the courses in this order: Dessert Willow Firecliff, PGA West Nicklaus, Indian Wells Celebrity and Escena.

The Firecliff greens are a little spotty, but playable. You should also be aware of the guy on 14 who hustles his charity. The layout and the views are excellent. It's a perfect mix of challenging and fair holes. I have to add the staff took care of me. I showed up on the wrong day, and they still gout me out right away.

PGA Nicklaus is also great, I generally like Nicklaus courses. There's many options off the tee, and some holes have tight flags and others you can go after. My only criticisms would be every hole is surrounded by homes, and the approach shot on 9 is brutal. but that's nit picking.

The conditions, views and service at Indian Wells Celebrity are exceptional. But, it's a resort course with too many short par 4's.

Escena is nice. It's wide open and pretty easy. If your looking for a place that an good player can take an inexperienced one, and still enjoy the round, Escena's perfect.

My first trip to Palm Springs, I would definitely come back. Next time I would probably stay in Palm Dessert.

My favorite in that area is The Classic Club. With either of the Desert Willow courses right in there. The Stadium course is great too.

Too many houses on most of the courses down there but it's fun to play a variety for the experience.

I know the OP has already gone, but for archive purposes - Silverrock is extremely enjoyable, at PGA West I've always preferred the Nicklaus and Norman to the Stadium, Indian Wells is usually in great shape too. Classic Club and Desert Willow both have plenty to offer as well!