Taking your game to the next level often means stepping up to challenging courses, which is where the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley come into play. While sure to prompt debate, I arrived at my “best” or “favorites” list after sorting through notebooks and scorecards and seeing a few circles and far too many squares from my years of play in the region. With that in mind, here are 27 holes that – birdie, bogey or worse – have blown my mind and flipped my cap’s lid in the past decade.
No. 1, General Old Golf Course, 530 yards, par 5
This is a salute to the former military course in Riverside where Bob Hope once hosted events featuring Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. There are rumors that a housing project could replace these historic grounds, so hustle to the site and get your round started at the appropriately named “Bob Hope Hole.”
No. 4, Bear Mountain Golf Course, 463 yards, par 5
This short par-5 is made even shorter because of Big Bear’s 7,000 feet of elevation. Even if you don’t think you can get home in two, hit your driver off the tee, as a well-struck ball seems to hover forever in the clouds. And isn’t that the reason we play this silly game?
No. 5, Omni Rancho Las Palmas, West Course, 285 yards, par 4
One of the region’s most enjoyable rounds is highlighted by this short par-4 that winds through the heart of the active resort. With the green protected by a lake, the risk-reward options are there for both long hitters and those more adept with a hybrid off the tee and a wedge in their hands.
No. 5, Eagle Glen Golf Club, 555 yards, par 5
Named “Mounty Baldy,” this beautiful hole in the middle of the front nine has a split fairway that requires prudence from the box since big hitters can hit drivers through the fairway. Another thought process waits before the second shot, but laying up is the wise move since six bunkers surround the long green.
No. 5, Woodhaven Country Club, 260 yards, par 4
It’s always interesting to see how first-timers approach this short hole, with many taking an aggressive stance with a driver or hybrid in hopes of avoiding water to the right and overhanging tree limbs to the left. But the prudent play, for me, at least, is a 7-iron, wedge and hopefully a makeable birdie putt.
No. 6, Journey at Pechanga, 488 yards, par 4
This course has a host of memorable tests in the canyons and ravines of the Temecula Valley. But no hole makes a statement quite like this beauty that has a fairway about 200 feet below the tee box and a green at the end of a slippery slope another 100 feet below that. Fun!
No. 6, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Mountain View, 475 yards, par 5
This beautiful hole at the dual-course facility in Palm Desert presents an opportunity to embrace the surrounds with a shot at birdie. Water runs along the right side of the fairway before fronting the green and winding around to the left, with a couple of bunkers flanking the opposite side of the putting surface.
No. 8, Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Golf Club, 375 yards, par 4
Avoid the fairway bunker and this is an easy driving hole. But now the fun begins, as a false-fronted green often repels balls to a front collection area. Scoring aside, this is one of the Valley’s more picturesque plays because of tall, golden grasses before the tee box and a mountain backdrop that’s gorgeous when snow-capped.
No. 10, Indian Wells Golf Resort, Players Course, 400 yards, par 4
Awesome bunkering patterns define this stout, John Fought design, with accuracy more important than distance on the rugged layout. Mid-fairway bunkers nicely shape the hole’s challenge before greenside sand tests approach shots to a putting surface sporting ample undulation.
No. 11, Classic Club, 460 yards, par 4
Arnold Palmer has no shortage of great course designs in the desert, and this Palm Desert site is no exception. This hole, however, could be the most engaging because of its bunkering, use of water on the dogleg-right fairway and a gutsy second shot that’s needed to carry water in front of a green that is sloped from back to front.
No. 11, Champions Club at the Retreat, 450 yards, par 4
One of the toughest holes on what might be the most challenging track in the Inland Empire, this beast demands two great shots to have a chance at par. A blind, downhill tee shot to a fairway cambering right to left is followed by an uphill approach to a postage stamp green. Make a par? Tell all your friends.
No. 12, Redhawk Golf Club, 165 yards, par 3
On a course filled with tiered greens, this mid-distance short hole has one of the most fascinating island greens a person will ever play. That’s because the smallish target on the course in Temecula is landlocked by a sea of sand and a waste area. You really need to see it.
No. 13, Champions Club at the Retreat, 202 yards, par 3
This rugged par-3 comes at the end of a trio of challenges that will affect your mood – and scorecard – as you near the end of the round. This lengthy test concludes at a long and narrow green guarded by a hazard on the right and little bail out room for the timid.
No. 14, Oak Quarry Golf Club, 215 yards, par 3
The most picturesque hole in the Inland Empire might also be its most formidable par-3. Known as “Spinal Slide,” the hole starts from an elevated tee to a peninsula-style green cut into the frame of a mammoth quarry cliff. With water and a monster bunker left, bailing out right might be the most realistic path to an up-and-down par.
No. 15, Terra Lago, North Course, 183 yards, par 3
Former host to the Skins Game, Terra Lago’s two courses are a pleasant mesh of rustic scenery and resort-style fun, including this short hole with an island green. Increasing the challenge and club selection is a three-tiered putting surface protected by bunkers on both sides. Win a skin with a birdie and be thrilled.
No. 15, Jack Nicklaus Tournament Resort Course, PGA West, 572 yards, par 5
The pros at the CareerBuilder Challenge think eagle here, but mere mortals play it as a three-shot hole. For all players, however, the test comes from an island green that leaves little room for error on approaches. Bunkers in front of and behind the green also affect iron shots, not to mention scores, on this lengthy hole.
No. 16, Indian Canyons Golf Resort, South Course, 325 yards, par 4
A terrific and short par-4 on this layout, recently redesigned by Casey O’Callaghan and Amy Alcott, guides players to wedge range from the tee. Once in position, the approach to an elevated, half-island green demands precision because of water and traps surrounding the stick.
No. 16, The Stadium Course at PGA West, 600 yards, par 5
Akin to Jason Dufner’s feat on the Stadium’s 17th hole at this year’s CareerBuilder Challenge, the hole preceding it earned its own national spotlight with Phil Mickelson’s inability to conquer the “San Andreas Fault,” named for the leviathan wall of bunkering that culminates greenside on this lengthy beast.
No. 16, La Quinta Resort, Mountain Course, 167 yards, par 3
Ready the camera for this well-perched beauty and its terrific view of the Valley on a clear day. But after the pic is snapped, start doing the math to figure the elevation drop along the mountain surrounds, which sees a daily array of balls pinging 50 feet in the air before being lost. Somewhere, Pete Dye is smiling when that happens.
No. 17, The Stadium Course at PGA West, 168 yards, par 3
The pressure here is augmented by the island green. Hence the name: “Alcatraz.” Akin to designer Pete Dye’s 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass, the La Quinta version enjoyed new legend this year when Jason Dufner nearly holed out from the green’s rocky surrounds en route to victory in the CareerBuilder Challenge.
No. 17, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Firecliff, 202 yards, par 3
The Firecliff course at this terrific Palm Desert site had a few bunkers removed and others renovated during a summer project, but it still has some bite. That nipping action includes this lengthy par-3 and its intimidating combination of water and dune bunkering along the right side.
No. 17, JW Marriott Desert Springs, Palm Course, 160 yards, par 3
Prolific desert course designer Ted Robinson was known for his waterscapes, and no hole shows that better than this one. The island green has stimuli everywhere, from waterfalls and rocks to well-bunkered protection. Club selection from the elevated box is paramount to success, as this shorty cards many 4s and 5s.
No. 17, The Golf Club at La Quinta, 210 yards, par 3
Another former Skins Game host skins plenty of players on this big and burly par-3. That’s because it starts with a tee shot over water, with bail out room to the right. Others often take more club because of the water and seek an up-and-down par from the back bunkers.
No. 18, Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Golf Club, 445 yards, par 4
Among the Coachella Valley’s toughest finishing holes, this tester needs a lengthy and precise tee shot before requiring the demands of a strong mid-iron approach to carry the creek in front of the green. Gulp.
No. 18, SilverRock Resort, 570 yards, par 5
This Arnold Palmer design has scoring chances from the forward tees and distance from the tips, with the finishing hole presenting a wide landing area and creek flowing through the deep fairway. An “out” is offered to the right of the green, but players are kept honest with bunkering and a lake to the left of the putting surface.
No. 18, Journey at Pechanga, 420 yards, par 4
A finisher that once left players heading to the casino in a huff was softened in 2015 when Journey brass reworked the former (and, well, crazy) Biarritz-style green into a flatter putting surface. It was a wise move, considering that it takes two good shots to hit the green from the elevated tee box that provides spectacular views of the course and region.
No. 18, Desert Dunes Golf Club, 443 yards, par 4
Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s lone desert public play concludes with a hole that makes a par feel like a birdie on windy days. A ditch to the right off the tee starts the test, followed by an approach to an elevated and protected green. Most high numbers occur when balls come to rest in the green’s middle swale. Good luck with that.
