The Quarry at La Quinta
Tom Fazio built The Quarry at La Quinta in 1994 around an old rock quarry at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains, a par 72 of about 7,083 yards. A private members club rather than a resort course, it is consistently ranked among the very best desert golf in the country, and a quietly coveted invitation.
Photo via Google, contributed by WGobert.
The verdict
The Quarry is the connoisseur's desert course in La Quinta, a private club that trades the resort buzz for hushed exclusivity and a routing many regard as Tom Fazio's finest in the Coachella Valley. Built around a working rock quarry, the back stretch in particular uses the stone walls and elevation as a natural amphitheater, and the conditioning is held to a private member standard that resort tee sheets rarely match.
Our verdict: this is one of the great private desert courses in the United States, a serious yet thrilling design that rewards bold, well struck golf. Access is the catch, since it is members and guests only, but for a group able to secure a member host it is the standout round of any desert week. For the courses you can book around it, see our best golf courses in California.
The Quarry at La Quinta at a glance
- Opened
- 1994
- Designer
- Tom Fazio
- Type
- Private desert
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,083 yds
- Access
- Members and guests
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from leading course databases and the club: Tom Fazio, 1994, par 72, about 7,083 yards. The Quarry is a private members club with no public green fee; play is by membership or accompanied guest invitation. Access rules can change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit.
The holes worth the trip
The quarry holes are the climax of the round. As the course works toward the old excavation, the rock walls rise around the fairways and the elevation changes sharpen every shot, with greens framed against the stone and the mountains beyond. It is a genuinely dramatic stretch, the kind of golf that justifies the course's standing among the country's best private layouts.
Through the rest of the property Fazio used the desert floor and gentle movement to set up a fair, strategic test, with generous lines for the bold player and clear penalties for the careless one. The bunkering is bold and natural, the greens firm and true under private maintenance, and the whole course flows with the unhurried polish that membership golf allows.
It is a course of building drama, peaking in the quarry and lingering long after, and it sits comfortably above the desert's excellent resort options. Pair the ambition of a visit here with the courses you can readily book, profiled at our PGA West Nicklaus Tournament Course page.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; play is restricted to members and their accompanied guests, with no public tee times |
| Green fee | No published public green fee; a guest plays as the guest of a member under club policy (always confirm before planning a visit) |
| Booking | Through a member host only; a well connected planner can sometimes arrange access as part of a wider desert itinerary |
| On the day | Caddies and carts to private club standard; the dress code and etiquette expectations are those of a high end members club |
| Getting there | In La Quinta at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains, about 30 minutes from Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley |
| Best months | November to April for warm, dry desert golf; the club is quietest and the conditions finest in winter and spring |
Access verified June 2026 as private, members and guests only. Private club policies change without notice, so confirm current access directly before making any plans around a visit.
Where to stay nearby
Visitors to the Coachella Valley typically base at one of the desert resorts in or around La Quinta, with La Quinta Resort and Club a historic and central option a short drive from The Quarry. Palm Springs and the wider valley offer a deep choice of resorts and private villas for a group taking over a base for the week.
Because The Quarry is private, build the bookable golf around it and treat a member round here as the prize of the trip. Anchor the week on the resort courses nearby and add the Pete Dye mountain golf, profiled at our La Quinta Resort Mountain Course page.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near La Quinta.
Build a Palm Springs golf trip
We plan desert golf weeks around the bookable championship courses, arrange the lodging, and explore access to private gems where a member host allows. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
The Quarry at La Quinta questions
Who designed The Quarry at La Quinta?
Tom Fazio designed The Quarry at La Quinta, which opened in 1994, routing the course around a former rock quarry at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains.
What is the par and length of The Quarry at La Quinta?
The Quarry is a par 72 of about 7,083 yards from the championship tees, set across desert and old quarry ground in La Quinta, California.
Can the public play The Quarry at La Quinta?
No. The Quarry is a private members club. Play is restricted to members and their accompanied guests, so access is by invitation rather than a public tee time.
Is The Quarry at La Quinta worth the trip?
For those with member access it is one of the finest desert courses in the country, ranked highly among private clubs. A connected planner can sometimes arrange a member host as part of a wider desert itinerary.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; private access verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.