Palm Springs in September

[chasd]

Hi,

 

We are coming over to Palm Springs early next month from Scotland. I've already booked the Desert Willow (Firecliff), Escena and PGA West (TPC) so looking to book 2 more courses. I was looking at the Classic & Shadow Ridge but struggling to get 3 tee times next to each other in the morning (may still book them) but I can get the PGA West Jack Nicklaus, would anybody recommend it or any other course ?

[gunslinger2803]

Was just there in march. Classic Club was wonderful, it is a must on my list. Also played PGA West Nicklaus, very nice course, but it is difficult. Both great stops. Here are a couple of links to similar threads regarding Palm Springs.

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/956337-palm-desert-ca-where-to-stay-play/

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1003995-1-round-in-palm-springs-maybe-2/

[sr129]

You might like Indian Wells. They have several very nice tracks.
A little east is Eagle Falls in Indio. Not a well known track but very fun.

[Desert Golf]

I live in the Coachella Valley and September is my favorite month to play out here. It can still get hot, but rates are dirt cheap and you have the course to yourself. Just have to be careful because a few of the courses close for overseeding in September, but most wait until October.

Lots of good recommendations by others. My favorites are: Indian Wells (Player and Celebrity), Classic Club, Desert Willow, Eagle Falls, anything at PGA West, and Shadow Ridge Marriott. These are in the east end of the valley.

On the west end (ie Palm Springs), Indian Canyons South and Escena are fun tracks.

Welcome to our beautiful Coachella Valley, just don't forget to drink lots of water and lather up with sunscreen if you are fair skinned.

[chasd]

Thanks Guys, I've booked the PGA West Jack Nicklaus so just the Saturday to book. May play after 9am to get the tee times together, as the classic still has some times on it's site.

[pbfoot]

Be prepared for the heat! The last time I was there in September I played the Stadium Course at PGA West and it hit 115*

All three resort courses at the PGA West complex are very nice, the Stadium course obviously being EXTREMELY challenging. I also recommend the Mountain course at La Quinta Resort if you don't mind a few house-lined holes, and their other course (Dunes) is not bad but pretty easy-though I'm not 100% sure those are available unless you're staying at the resort.

[CalamityBorja]

Hello there, I am coming to La Quinta from the 17th until the 22nd of Sept. And have booked tee times to play on thursday and friday at The stadium course. Then on Saturday I'll be playing Nick. Tourney, and final but not least the Greg Norman course on Sunday. I would really appreciate if anyone could tell me any special recomendations regarding chosing the right tees. Any hints on what not to miss regarding the experience?

I play here in Spain a 3.3 handicap as a guide to who ever is kind to respond

P.s if anyone is around these dates there Maybe we could play together. I am goo there with my Girl but she is not playing

[Gauchograd99]

Make sure to post what you think of the courses down in Palm Springs/La Quinta. It has been 20 years since I was last out there and I'm hoping to make the 2 hour (1.5-2, traffic dependent) drive out to play before the summer pricing ends. I had a deal to play the Stadium today for $30 via golfnow but my left shoulder is a no-go for a few days. If I get a chance to run out there next week and the weather plays nice (projecting desert rainstorms and 95+ most of the week) I will post conditions.

[URStillAway]

[quote name='CalamityBorja' timestamp='1409839911' post='10062879']
Hello there, I am coming to La Quinta from the 17th until the 22nd of Sept. And have booked tee times to play on thursday and friday at The stadium course. Then on Saturday I'll be playing Nick. Tourney, and final but not least the Greg Norman course on Sunday. I would really appreciate if anyone could tell me any special recomendations regarding chosing the right tees. Any hints on what not to miss regarding the experience?

I play here in Spain a 3.3 handicap as a guide to who ever is kind to respond

P.s if anyone is around these dates there Maybe we could play together. I am goo there with my Girl but she is not playing
[/quote]

Great courses. I can't wait to get back in December.

You will have no problem finding the correct tees to play. I am a short but straight hitter and usually select the tees that measure 6000-6400 yards. If you hit your drives 270 yards or more you might want to move up to the tees longer than 6500 yards. The starters at each course may help out.

Remember you will be at sea level so the ball may not carry as much as you expect but given it is September you may get a lot of roll.

[deadsolid...shank]

[quote name='CalamityBorja' timestamp='1409839911' post='10062879']
Hello there, I am coming to La Quinta from the 17th until the 22nd of Sept. And have booked tee times to play on thursday and friday at The stadium course. Then on Saturday I'll be playing Nick. Tourney, and final but not least the Greg Norman course on Sunday. I would really appreciate if anyone could tell me any special recomendations regarding chosing the right tees. Any hints on what not to miss regarding the experience?

I play here in Spain a 3.3 handicap as a guide to who ever is kind to respond

P.s if anyone is around these dates there Maybe we could play together. I am goo there with my Girl but she is not playing
[/quote]

I don't have near the experience as some with the courses here, but did play the ones you mentioned last summer. I'm a similar handicap to you.

At the PGA West courses (Nicklaus and Norman) I was paired up and played the same tees as the people I joined. Both played from the whites. I don't remember the exact yardages but they seemed to play a touch on the short side from there (but put up good numbers both times, hmm, maybe I should learn something there).

At both the LaQuinta courses I played by myself and played the tips. They were both very playable from there. If you hit the ball a fair distance, I would say play them back if you can.

[CalamityBorja]

Thanks to everyone for your replies and giving me a few more hints on what to expect!

I have been viewing videos of how these courses can be played, and I will definitely like to play at least once the TPC Stadium from the back tees just to know what the pros face, and how many country miles behind my game is from theirs!

I have watched the 1991 skins game with Strange, the late Payne S., J. Daly, and Nicklaus...it really seems like a true monster. I know that it is another age, for they were playing with balata as well as perssimon woods. I was surprised of how tough can that track play when the wind is blowing at 20 mph!!

I will definitely try to post some comments, pictures and so forth...

[Gauchograd99]

If you keep it in the short grass you can play the Stadium well. Coming out of high school (1999) I played out there in the summer with a friend and shot 79 from the furthest tees that were out (this is when there were 5 or 6 sets, so I think we were 1 up from the tips). Even the absurd 255 par 3 over water has a 40 or 50 yard deep green so it isn't as bad as it seems. No, I didn't get there with a 6 iron like John Daly (hit the 1 iron) but it is something you have to do once.

Tip: If nobody else is on the course I would suggest giving the "San Andreas Bunker" on the 16th a shot... if you didn't already end up in it. Once you make it to the bottom and look up it is a whole different world of bunker shot.

[CalamityBorja]

[quote name='Gauchograd99' timestamp='1410422217' post='10099811']
If you keep it in the short grass you can play the Stadium well. Coming out of high school (1999) I played out there in the summer with a friend and shot 79 from the furthest tees that were out (this is when there were 5 or 6 sets, so I think we were 1 up from the tips). Even the absurd 255 par 3 over water has a 40 or 50 yard deep green so it isn't as bad as it seems. No, I didn't get there with a 6 iron like John Daly (hit the 1 iron) but it is something you have to do once.

Tip: If nobody else is on the course I would suggest giving the "San Andreas Bunker" on the 16th a shot... if you didn't already end up in it. Once you make it to the bottom and look up it is a whole different world of bunker shot.
[/quote]

Thank you for your information regarding your experiene back in 1999!

For sure that the course has a fearsome look, and I know that from the tees one will suffer with the lines (all credits here to P.Dye...). Yet, at the same time it seems quite wide...I guess knowing where to miss is a crucial tool in order not to be devastated by the course. The course that I play in Spain does not have fairways wider than 30-40 yds without much flat terrain. As you said, I believe that as long as you do not fall into bunkers there is still a shot onto the greens!

anyways, I really cannot wait to play it!! 240 yds par 3? How can someone not want to try that at least once?!?!

[Gauchograd99]

Mr. Dye loves to give you semi-blind shots at times but I remember the greens being pretty large. If I remember it, there were 2 or 3 holes where you don't bother with driver as there is no need to hit through the landing areas into the tightened fairways. Granted, it has been quite a while so they might have made some changes to the layout (I think they are down to 3 or 4 tee sets now?) to make things a bit less insane.

Have fun, don't worry about balls lost (or found), the bunkers were a fun challenge to me when I played it so treat it that way, and I hope the weather gives you a nice weather window and is not 115F (46C) and humid!

The Nicklaus course, while still challenging, is a more playable course for resort guests. Jack built HUGE greens as I remember so you can be a club off and still find the putting surface. I cannot remember if it was 9 or 17, but I remember one fairway being absurdly wide to a green so over-protected as to make you wonder why not average it out and throw a bunker in the fairway instead.

Have a blast out there!!

[CalamityBorja]

[quote name='Gauchograd99' timestamp='1410462628' post='10102739']
Mr. Dye loves to give you semi-blind shots at times but I remember the greens being pretty large. If I remember it, there were 2 or 3 holes where you don't bother with driver as there is no need to hit through the landing areas into the tightened fairways. Granted, it has been quite a while so they might have made some changes to the layout (I think they are down to 3 or 4 tee sets now?) to make things a bit less insane.

Have fun, don't worry about balls lost (or found), the bunkers were a fun challenge to me when I played it so treat it that way, and I hope the weather gives you a nice weather window and is not 115F (46C) and humid!

The Nicklaus course, while still challenging, is a more playable course for resort guests. Jack built HUGE greens as I remember so you can be a club off and still find the putting surface. I cannot remember if it was 9 or 17, but I remember one fairway being absurdly wide to a green so over-protected as to make you wonder why not average it out and throw a bunker in the fairway instead.

Have a blast out there!!
[/quote]

Hey GauchoGrad99, Thank you so much!

I am also playing the Nicklaus Tournament course, so I will be aware of those characteristics that you are calling out...

The Greg Norman layout will be interesting as well...the acres of grass Norman´s course has is half of what the Nicklaus Tournament course does!

Apparently, last week there were flash floods which hit La Quinta quite hard, and the mountain and dunes courses will be more than likely closed. I did not book any of those two, for I found out those are the more average courses the resort has.

As I am not specially interested on how pure the fairways may be, or how fast and true the greens are i decided to book the courses that seemed more demanding (at least that is the conclusion I got from reading review after review). There is no doubt that the mountain course has great views, but I like golf courses with great golf shots, not camera shots!!

As for the conditions, I bet I will find them ok...The greenkeeper budgets of the golf courses the majority of Spaniards play are not even close to those from the U.S.

There are obvious exceptions...Valderrama, etc...

[Gauchograd99]

CalamityBorja, Don't be surprised to find the greens a bit fast in the summer... just saying! As for demanding, the one thing I remember about the Norman Course is there was something like 100 bunkers as the selling point. I still need to make the 2 hour drive out there and play it before the summer rates are over and the course is back in the $150 to nearly $200 range.

I heard a little bit about the rains out there but nothing much showed up in my news feeds. I did get to see the cars floating in Las Vegas and in Phoenix, but no videos of that sort from the Palm Desert area.

I find it funny that I live so close to a desert golf destination and have only been out to play twice in my life. When I spent last summer working in Phoenix I played more golf in that area (Scottsdale/Phoenix) than I have played in La Quinta/Palm Desert/Palm Springs.

[CalamityBorja]

Posted Yesterday, 06:40 PM
I ended up being ablo to play on the 18th and 19th on the stadium course and its playability was just fine...Nicklaus conditions were worse, but I still enjoyed it very much on the 20th. The shots to the green are all very fun...I think it helps to cut the ball or being able to fade it when you play Nicklaus courses...

The staff at PGA West were in my humble opinion very good! Eventhou the temperatures can get high as everybody knows( I was coming from San Diego and from playing Torrey Pines which felt hotter due to the high humidity they had that week...) You are poured with ice, water cooler and water stations pretty much everywhere...you play riding a golf cart, plus there´s always the cart-girl...

I wish that we had this type of service in Spain, and all at a relatively low price. Of course, I wish I could have play there when its 75 degrees and the rye grass looks so amazing. But just enjoying the course design is enough for me! A big part of golf is being able to adjust, and the ability to do so fast enough says a lot about the quality of a player. I took the challenge but I guess the challenge took me harder...

I played on the 21st on Greg Norman´s course, which is very attractive to the eye but to me it was far less complicated than the other courses. I know it must be a course that anybody can enjoy, but as a test of golf is nothing compared to what I saw at the stadium course or the quality of shots required in Nick Tourney...

I had never played a Pete Dye course and it was great to witness what he is all about..some of the lies and some of the fairway bunkering made me laugh in a wicked kind of way...I only went into one fairway bunker during the two days I played. Nonetheless, to me the most difficult part was getting used to the bermuda rough and to those lies you face sometimes...that is most likely to face even when you are in the fairways

Very fun experience overall!