PGA West - Nicklaus or Pete Dye?

[Gnucastle]

Hi - 

Heading to PGA West area in a couple weeks and have time for one round. Pete Dye Stadium doesn't have any tee times, so I need to choose from the others. Which ones of the remaining 3 options (not playing the Norman course)?

 

Nicklaus Tournament?

Pete Dye Dunes?

Pete Dye Mountain?

[tw422]

IMO Tourney > Dunes > Mountain

[Gnucastle]

Thanks, @tw422. The Classic Club just got thrown into the mix as a possible venue. It is almost half the cost of PGA West Tourney. Although, that is not really a deciding factor though, just saying. Where would you slot CC to PGA West Tourney?

Edited December 13, 2022 by Gnucastle

[tw422]

Much different course but in my opinion if it's half the cost play there vs PGA West.  PGA West are good courses but are unnecessarily inflated due to association with PGA Tour.  CC is a solid and fun track that has always been in great condition when I played.

Edited December 13, 2022 by tw422

[golfnorth]

played the nicklaus tournament in november. The layout, tees and fairways were the best we could play. But the greens were, by far, the worst of the trip.

One of the best conditionned course we played was indian well- celebrity.

Classic Club, ram hills, silverrock were also in great shape.

[tw422]

22 hours ago, golfnorth said:

played the nicklaus tournament in november. The layout, tees and fairways were the best we could play. But the greens were, by far, the worst of the trip.

One of the best conditionned course we played was indian well- celebrity.

Classic Club, ram hills, silverrock were also in great shape.

Agreed on checking out Indian Wells courses - both Celebrity and Players are always in good shape.  I heard the Nicklaus course was in poor shape.  Was in terrible shape when I was in PS in early Sept.

[Gnucastle]

Well this is disappointing news about Nicklaus Tourney. I booked my tee-time there for the 28th. Figured since it is my first time to PS to play golf, I'd better check a PGA West course off the list. This a mistake? I have time to make a change. Would hate to pay what I am paying a get crappy greens. 

[tw422]

11 hours ago, Gnucastle said:

Well this is disappointing news about Nicklaus Tourney. I booked my tee-time there for the 28th. Figured since it is my first time to PS to play golf, I'd better check a PGA West course off the list. This a mistake? I have time to make a change. Would hate to pay what I am paying a get crappy greens. 

Definitely would check with them especially considering what you are paying to play it. greenskeeper.org may have some info on the course too. 

[st1800e]

Nicklaus tournament, played there maybe 10 times?  we’d call it the Nicklaus “torment” course.  Not particularly memorable. the Stadium is a course you have to play at least once, but expensive.   
the classic club is very good, always in good shape, not tricked up.  The Dunes and mountain are fine, but wouldn’t call them Top Tier. Shadow ridge is worth the effort to get a time.  Desert Willow Firecliff is good as well. 

[Gnucastle]

This is good feedback from you guys. Thank you! I think I am going to change my tee time from Nicklaus tourney to Indian Wells or Classic Club. From a walkability standpoint they all look pretty good from the flyover tours and maps. 

[vernon]

Pretty sure Nicklaus rebuilt their greens somewhat recently.

 

Regardless I'd take Classic Club over any of them and wouldn't play Dunes again unless it was free.

 

Mountain has a few pretty good holes but for the most part you're just trying to keep it in between all the houses.

 

Indian Wells is OK but overpriced I think.

 

I'd take Desert Willow Firecliff over all but Classic if that's an option.

 

Eagle Falls is really good and the best value in the valley in my opinion.

[jkody]

Played Stadium, Mountain, and Nicklaus last week. The greens on all of them were....not great. Especially Stadium, actual dirt patches everywhere. Otherwise, I'd rank them Stadium > Mountain > Nicklaus.

 

I also played Shadow Ridge and thought it was pretty good, even if it often felt like I was playing somewhere more like Montana, but that's probably just because it was designed by Schmidt/Curley, who did the Wilderness Club in MT. Both call themselves "Faldo Signatures" but I'm not sure how much Sir Nick actually contributes.

[st1800e]

Sorry to hear of the crappy greens.  Always a bit of a crapshoot later in the year after overseeing - gotta keep those fairways wet for the overseed to take root. Surprised about the dirt at Stadium.  Yah, Dunes is pretty average, spent a winter in the area in 2019, 85 games in 80 days….we could get dunes for about $35, was just fine in the days between better courses. I’d call the Mountain quirky, not an everyday course. Finished the last 2 holes there, in the dark, twice.  We’d get Rams Hill for $135 per day, 36 holes.  Did that 3 times. But a long day with the drive from the valley.  Outstanding course.  I really liked Shadow Ridge, strategic, and not surrounded by desert, a nice change.  Indian wells, pretty good for municipal courses!  Had 2 holes in one there over a span of 5 years, so I’m biased! Price is over the top now, like everything.  

Edited December 23, 2022 by st1800e

[Gnucastle]

Update on my trip. Wife and I actually got down the the area a few days early (tried to avoid the nasty rain in the SF Bay Area that week), and I was able to move things around to get two rounds in. Played Classic Club first and Indian Wells Players second. Both are in really good shape. I had a great time at both - scored better at CC but actually enjoyed the shot choices at IWP more and the greens were perfect! Running at an 11 on the stimp (they actually post that at the starters area). 

 

I will be back to the again in a few months and will fit in places like Shadow Ridge and/or the Celeb course at IWGR. The wife loved staying at the Renassaince Esmerelda on the IWGR grounds! Granted we were there for New Years Eve so it was awesome. There are sooo many choices in this area I feel overwhelmed just driving around. We actually are tossing around the idea of buying a "winter" condo down there to enjoy the nicer weather - especially when we get back to the Bay Area and its cold and flooding. 

 

Thanks for all the feedback and recommendations. I think I may have dodged a few bullets and really enjoyed the stay. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[So_Cal]

On 12/20/2022 at 9:58 AM, vernon said:

Pretty sure Nicklaus rebuilt their greens somewhat recently.

 

Regardless I'd take Classic Club over any of them and wouldn't play Dunes again unless it was free.

 

Mountain has a few pretty good holes but for the most part you're just trying to keep it in between all the houses.

 

Indian Wells is OK but overpriced I think.

 

I'd take Desert Willow Firecliff over all but Classic if that's an option.

 

Eagle Falls is really good and the best value in the valley in my opinion.

I feel like the whole desert is overpriced these days.  They’re squeezing out the average Joe. 

[tw422]

1 hour ago, So_Cal said:

I feel like the whole desert is overpriced these days.  They’re squeezing out the average Joe. 

Same thing is going on in Arizona/Scottsdale.  Tee times are in short supply and are astronomical. 

[vernon]

It sucks but supply and demand I guess.

 

If tee sheets remain full the prices must not be too high.

[manku]

On 12/20/2022 at 9:58 AM, vernon said:

Pretty sure Nicklaus rebuilt their greens somewhat recently.

 

Regardless I'd take Classic Club over any of them and wouldn't play Dunes again unless it was free.

 

Mountain has a few pretty good holes but for the most part you're just trying to keep it in between all the houses.

 

Indian Wells is OK but overpriced I think.

 

I'd take Desert Willow Firecliff over all but Classic if that's an option.

 

Eagle Falls is really good and the best value in the valley in my opinion.

 

You must have a played a different Mountain Course than me...which I've played at least a dozen times.

 

The front nine has ZERO homes adjacent to the fairways/holes.   

 

10-12 are very meh, and between homes.  13 is a really cool par 3, between homes but really wide, and the tee shot against mountain is really cool.  14-17 are fantastic...no homes.  18 is squeezed in, homes on left, course on right.  Awkward, disappointing finish.   But so are 18 at Cypress and Olympic!

[98muted]

I guess it depends what kind of course you are looking for in the desert, but I prefer to play one of either Mountain Course, or Silverrock, then either Stadium or Nicklaus (I'm starting to prefer Nicklaus) and then Classic Club or Firecliff.  I feel like those all give you a good mix of what the desert has to offer.