Whether you’re escaping the rain and snow to enjoy winter’s high-season or you’re seeking for value, looking for deals in the summer heat, there’s an area of Southern California called the Coachella Valley (better known as the Greater Palm Springs Oasis) that is not only surrounded by golden mountains, bathed in constant sunshine, and lined with iconic palm trees, it also offers perhaps the best public desert golf in the United States.
What makes the area special is that some of the leading resort companies saw the opportunity and took advantage of servicing vacationing players who come to play the nearly 125 public and private golf courses.
As a distinct place to experience a golf vacation where convenience meets world-class play, and where year-round opportunity and relaxation awaits, here are some insights to its best resorts and public courses.
One of the pillar hotels of the area, the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Villas opened in December 1986 as the Grand Champions Resort hosting major tennis events. Guests have immediate access to the premier 36-hole Indian Wells Golf Resort, located adjacent to the property.
The resort features two championship courses—the Celebrity Course ("Beauty") and the Players Course ("Beast")—both have consistently ranked among the top municipal courses in the country.
Nick Leitner, who serves as the Director of Agronomy at Indian Wells Golf Resort, and oversees more than 300 acres of turfgrass, landscape, and natural desert terrain across the Celebrity and Players Courses, talks about some of the design elements.
“Working with John Fought was an incredible experience. His design philosophy emphasizes strategy, playability, and integrating natural landscape features. By using native blowsand areas and the existing barranca, he created a layout that -feels both intentional and seamlessly connected to the Coachella Valley environment.”
And there’s plenty to experience tied into the resort itself.
One fun way to unwind after a day of golf in this family-friendly resort is to experience together their epic water park featuring a lazy river, splash pad and dueling water slides.
Location is certainly one of the advantages offered by the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort as it is located just off Palm Canyon Drive right on an oasis in Indian Wells at the heart of Greater Palm Springs.
“The property was thoughtfully designed as a collection of intimate villas set within lush olive groves, citrus trees, and garden pathways, creating a sense of discovery and privacy throughout the resort, grounded in a deep connection to the landscape,” explains Jim Caul, Director of Sales & Marketing,.
And that natural beauty is reflected in the nearby golf courses you can access.
There’s a Gary Player Signature Course - Mission Hills North about a 10-minute drive down Palm Canyon Drive (aka Highway 111) in Rancho Mirage. The par-72 layout that spans 6,706 yards offers plenty of challenges with its rock formations and water hazards, at the same time it features wide fairways, sizable Bermuda greens and a few doglegs which allow players to shape the ball whichever way they prefer.
Another popular place to play and only a few miles from Tommy Bahama are the Palm and Valley courses at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa (speaking of Marriott, another golf outlet to consider is Shadow Ridge).
Both the Palm and Valley golf courses are a pair of championship links designed by acclaimed architect Ted Robinson, “King of Waterscapes.” Each golf course is a par-72 and offers multiple tee locations from 5,200 to 6,700 yards to suit your challenge level.
“The Palm Course is more forgiving off the tee, with wider fairways that accommodate a variety of playing styles and favor players who prioritize distance,” explained Michael Cripe, Director of Golf for JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa. In contrast, the Valley Course is tighter and more strategic, requiring precision and thoughtful shot placement. Together, they offer a balanced test that appeals to both power players and those who rely on finesse.”
Using all that power and finesse creates tired muscles.
And Tommy Bahama Miramonte’s Spa Director Meghan Leon has developed a reputation for knowing just how to get players back on the tee refreshed and rejuvenated.
“There’s a strong and often overlooked connection between golf and spa wellness. To help golfers recover and perform at their best, we typically recommend a few targeted massage options. Our Revive and Restore massage is one of the most effective, as it works into the muscle layers to release tension and address soreness from repetitive swinging.”
Now if business or family obligations cause you to miss some golf during the day, Palm Springs offers you an escape.
Night golf. Yes, it is called The Lights at Indio. Built over 50 years ago by the city of Indio, it offers one of the longest Par 3 fairway-lit golf courses in the country, with holes ranging from 78 yards to 240 yards.
“Our facility is perfect for all levels of golfers,” says Jeff Walser, PGA General Manager/Director of Golf. “The course looks very simple and easy, but the course record is 49 which is only 5 under the Par of 54.”
Through the years some of the celebrities that have played here include Bob Hope and pro stars Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Jason Day. It also hosts an annual event for the caddies on the PGA Tour.
But when you’re ready to return to day golf, another duffer-friendly place to stay is the storied 560-room Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa.
Just about a 4-iron away from the Players and Celebrity clubhouse of the Indian Wells Golf Resort, it recently completed a multimillion-dollar update including a redesigned front desk and lobby, and the debut of Seven Olive, a modern gastropub (popular entrees include Braised Lamb Shank and Pasta Sirocco).
There is also a new Topgolf Swing Suites featuring indoor, immersive simulation bays featuring large screens powered by Full Swing simulators.
And the resort is just a few miles from one of the highest rated public courses in Southern California - Firecliff at Desert Willow (which also features another fine layout - Mountain View).
“They complement each other very well,’ says Jason Wilkinson, Head Golf Professional at Desert Willow Golf Resort. “Firecliff is generally considered the more challenging and strategic course. It demands precise ball striking, thoughtful course management, and confidence around the greens. Keeping the ball out of many bunkers is key. Mountain View is slightly more forgiving and playable for a wider range of golfers, but still offers plenty of strategic elements. So overall, they sit somewhere between bomber and finesse, rewarding both distance and accuracy.”
And one reward for not being very distant from the resort, is that by getting a morning tee time, one can easily get in two rounds in a day.
Alternatively, if 18-holes is enough, there’s plenty of time to join the kids poolside at The Renaissance and after helping them build sand castles on the east end of the pool, treat yourself to a distinctive experience at the Spa Esmeralda.
And of course, any golf outing to Palm Springs would be incomplete without playing one of the five public courses at PGA West (and a luxury treat is staying at the adjacent resort- La Quinta).
Often referred to as "The Western Home of Golf in America”, PGA West, which has hosted more than 50 PGA Tour events, offers some of the most challenging and picturesque golf in the nation.
Ben Dobbs, Executive Director for PGA West, provides a capsule for each of the five public courses.
*Pete Dye Mountain Course – “While it features distinctive rock formations, pot bunkers, elevated tee boxes and well bunkered, undulating greens. pay attention to the golf, because it is so easy to get sidetracked by the beauty surrounding you. It is not really long, but again more of a matter of staying focused.”
*Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course – “With a pair of island greens, deep bunkers, tiered fairways and plenty of sloping greens, this a shot maker’s golf course. However, length will help you more here. With the tough shots into the greens, an 8-iron makes a big difference over a 6-iron.”
*Pete Dye Dunes Course – “A feature that can be unsettling to some, there’s a distinct course routing that transitions from targets to link style throughout play. Because of the well-guarded greens and railroad tie wrapped water hazards that call for constant focus and concentration, there’s a strong emphasis on shots into greens. Additionally, one will need an ability to consistently get up and down because believe me, you’re gonna miss some greens here.”
*Greg Norman Course – “You want to drive the ball well. So, you want to play the proper tee that matches your ability. You set up your round by where you land you tee shot in the fairway. Avoiding the desert and bunkers is a must for scoring well.”
*Pete Dye Stadium Course - “When it was built in 1985-86, Mr. Dye was hired to make the hardest golf course in America. And he succeeded. Golf course architect Tim Liddy who worked with Mr. Dye for nearly 30 years, completed a multi-million-dollar restoration project of the course in late 2024 which rewards accuracy, strategy, and ball manipulation over sheer distance. Pete Dye’s gift was to sculpt spectator seating into the natural terrain. You’ve never experienced anything quite like this.”
And while golf is the major appeal, with all its entertainment options, there’s nothing quite like the experience of desert play in the Palm Springs Greater Oasis.
