Page 46 - The Golf Guide, Fall 2016

Golf Destination

Palm Desert, California ~ Sun-sational
Golf Mecca

Nick Ciattei

Watching that delightfully cheesy 1963 film “Palm
Springs Weekend” that starred Troy Donahue and Connie
Stevens first introduced me to the Palm Springs area of
the Coachella Valley of California. In the early 1970s, I
witnessed a more proper presentation of the area each
year when I would watch the annual Bob Hope Desert
Classic. This golf event was one of the originators of
mixing pros of the PGA with Hollywood stars and even
political figures. Nothing compares to seeing the Rat
Pack camp it up or a former president hack it up on the
golf course. On a recent visit to the left coast, I decided
to take in a week of red-hot sunshine in Palm Desert.

Palm Desert, a city in Riverside County,
is located approximately 14 miles east
of Palm Springs. It takes about two
hours to drive there from San Diego or
the Los Angeles suburbs. Palm Desert
has been a major center of growth
in the Palm Springs area and seen a
tremendous population increase over
the past thirty years considering that it
has expanded from only 1,500 residents
Desert Springs when the community was incorporated

back in 1973 to more than 48,000 today. As you would expect, Palm Desert has
become a very popular retreat for “snowbirds” from colder climates (the Eastern
and Northern United States and Canada), who swell its population by an estimated
31,000 each winter. Lodging and hospitality consumes a major portion of the local
tourist-based economy with more than 30 motels consisting of 5,000 rooms. Room
rates raise dramatically higher during those “escape from winter” times from
December through March, the chief tourist season. Tariffs for both golf and lodging
fall to much more modest prices during the valued off season.

The incredible climate here provides a "Dreamer"
12-month golfing season because the
surrounding geography influences the
Coachella Valleyʼs climate. High mountain
ranges on three sides and a south-sloping
valley floor all contribute to its unique
year-round warm conditions and the
balmiest winters in the western United
States with daytime highs mostly in the
low 80s. It really heats up in the summer
months with routine highs approaching

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