Page 47 - The Golf Guide, Fall 2016

Golf Destination

Photograph by Scott Avra 110°. Yes, that’s quite hot, but I
found early morning tee times
combined with the “dry-heat” that
the desert region is known for made
for comfortable days on the links.
Just bring plenty of sunscreen. An
average of 348 days of sunshine per
year also assist to make Palm Desert
one of the warmest year-round

Desert Willow – Firecliff

places in the United States and a
must visit for any golf enthusiast.

The city’s first golf course, Shadow
Mountain opened in 1952. That grew
to four courses by 1962 when Palm
Desert Country Club opened. Today
there are more than 30 golf courses
located within 10 miles of the city, Desert Willow – Mountain View

and nearly every course in the valley provides picture perfect backdrops of the
surrounding mountains and Desert Springs. In the late 1970s and 1980s, a wave of
private golf clubs and destination resorts and hotels were established.

The four-star JW Marriott Desert Springs Golf Resort and Spa offers two Ted
Robinson designed championship golf courses. The resort features a wide range of
top-quality amenities, including five separate pools and a world-class signature spa.

A premium public facility in Palm Desert, the Desert Willow Golf Resort, also
provides two championship Southern California golf courses designed by Dr.
Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry. The Firecliff Course and the Mountain View Course
have emerged as favorite places to play in the Palm Springs area for many. Golf
Digest and Golf World have both recognized the courses as two of the best California
has to offer. Firecliff has more than 100 bunkers and numerous water hazards and
is quite challenging in comparison to the Mountain View Course with its resort-
type wider fairways. The Westin Desert Willow Villas provides wonderful
accommodations for stay and plays. This all-villa resort furnishes accommodations
suffused with soothing amenities and personal services designed to help you feel at
home, even when you may be thousands of miles away. Just steps from your villa

you find an array of resort amenities
including several swimming pools and
lighted tennis courts. My party found
the food and service way above average.
I highly recommend it!

Desert Willow Villas Another course that needs to be
mentioned in Palm Desert is Bighorn
Golf Club. You may remember the
“Battle at Bighorn,” a prime-time, under
the lights golf shoot-out that featured

FALL 2016 45