Golf in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley
More than a hundred courses under the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa mountains, where winter sun, a Pete Dye stadium and decades of tour history have made the desert a byword for American resort golf. The courses that matter, the regions, the seasons and how to plan it.
Photograph: Classic Club, Classic Club, via Google
Why golf in Palm Springs
For a winter golf escape in the United States, nowhere is easier than the Coachella Valley. A two hour drive east of Los Angeles, the string of desert towns from Palm Springs through Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert and Indian Wells to La Quinta holds well over a hundred courses in a single valley, framed by mountains that turn pink at dusk. When the rest of the country is frozen, the desert is in the seventies, the skies are blue and the fairways are emerald green against the sand.
The valley earned its reputation on the PGA Tour. The old Bob Hope Classic, now The American Express, has been played here for more than sixty years, the Skins Game lit up the desert through the nineties, and Mission Hills hosted the first women's major of the year for half a century. The result is a deep bench of courses, from brutal Pete Dye championship tests to friendly, well kept public layouts, plus the lodging, dining and easy flying that make it a simple group trip to organise. It is sunshine golf at scale, with a tour pedigree few destinations can match.
The regions
La Quinta and the south valley
The tour end of the desert, home to PGA West, the La Quinta Resort courses and SilverRock, where The American Express is played and the Pete Dye Stadium Course sets the standard.
Palm Desert and Indian Wells
The central valley, with the excellent public golf of Desert Willow and Indian Wells Golf Resort alongside private gems like Bighorn, a strong base for a group that wants quality without club membership.
Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs
The historic heart of the valley around the old resort towns, anchored by Mission Hills and its Chevron Championship course, with classic mid century clubs and the city of Palm Springs itself.
The courses that matter
PGA West, Stadium Course
The valley's headline test, a par 72 built to be one of the hardest courses in the world, with the island green 17th known as Alcatraz and the water lined 18th. The long running host of The American Express on the PGA Tour.
La Quinta Resort, Mountain Course
An early Pete Dye desert classic set hard against the Santa Rosa mountains, with holes running right to the rock, regularly rated among the best resort courses in California and open to resort guests.
Mission Hills, Dinah Shore Tournament Course
The course that hosted the year's first women's major for over fifty years, latterly the Chevron Championship through 2022, with the famous leap into Poppie's Pond beside the 18th green.
PGA West, Nicklaus Tournament Course
The second American Express rotation course at PGA West, a more playable but still demanding Jack Nicklaus layout with water in play across the closing holes, open to resort and stay and play guests.
Indian Wells Golf Resort
Two modern, beautifully kept public courses by Clive Clark and John Fought beside a grand clubhouse, among the best value premium golf in the valley and a favourite for visiting groups.
Desert Willow, Firecliff Course
A high quality municipal course with desert landscaping and big, bold bunkering, the pick of the city run golf in Palm Desert and a regular on lists of America's best public courses.
La Quinta Resort, Dunes Course
The Mountain course's sister at La Quinta Resort, a links inspired Pete Dye layout of pot bunkers and water, more forgiving than the Stadium but full of character, open to resort guests.
SilverRock Resort
An Arnold Palmer signature course at the foot of the Santa Rosa mountains that served as a former Bob Hope Classic venue, a generous, scenic municipal round and an easy addition to a La Quinta week.
Designers, opening years and host history verified June 2026. The Chevron Championship moved away from Mission Hills after 2022. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| January to April | Warm, sunny and dry, the lowest humidity | Peak season, the prime window, book tee times and lodging well ahead |
| November, December and May | Pleasant and warm, the odd cool morning | The value sweet spot, fine weather and softer rates |
| June to September | Extreme desert heat, often above 100 degrees | Off season, dawn rounds only, green fees fall to a fraction of winter |
The desert is a winter destination. Aim for January to April for the best weather, or shoulder months for the same sun at a lower price, and play early if you travel in the heat of summer.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marquee resort round | Around 200 to 300 dollars or more | The PGA West Stadium Course in high season |
| Quality public round | Around 100 to 175 dollars | Indian Wells, Desert Willow and SilverRock in winter |
| A week, all in | Around 2,500 to 5,000 dollars per person | A hotel or rental, a car and daily golf, excluding flights, far cheaper in summer |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 high season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Palm Springs International Airport sits right in the valley, with direct flights from cities across the United States and Canada in the winter, and it is an easy walk to a hire car. Many groups fly instead into Los Angeles or San Diego and make the scenic two hour drive east through the mountains. Once you are in the valley a car is essential, since the courses, hotels and restaurants are spread along a fifteen mile run of desert towns, though the distances are short and the roads are wide and quick.
Where to stay
The valley suits every style. La Quinta Resort and the PGA West villas keep you on the tour courses, the grand hotels of Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage offer full resort comfort with golf on the doorstep, and Palm Springs itself is full of stylish mid century hotels for a group that wants the town as much as the golf. Many travellers rent a large desert home with a pool and a view of the mountains, an easy and good value base for a buddies trip. Book the high season far ahead, and let one planner line up the homes, the cars and the tee times together.
Plan your Palm Springs golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Palm Springs golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in Palm Springs?
The prime season runs from January to April, with warm, sunny days and the lowest humidity, which is also the busiest and dearest stretch. November, December and May are pleasant shoulder months with softer rates. The summer from June to September is extreme desert heat, often well above 100 degrees, so rounds are played at dawn and green fees fall to a fraction of the winter price.
What is the best golf course in the Coachella Valley?
The Pete Dye designed Stadium Course at PGA West is the headline, a brutal par 72 with the island green 17th and the long running host of The American Express on the PGA Tour. The La Quinta Resort Mountain Course, the Chevron Championship host at Mission Hills and the public golf at Indian Wells and Desert Willow round out a deep and varied valley.
How much does a golf trip to Palm Springs cost in 2026?
The Coachella Valley spans a wide range. Indicative 2026 high season green fees run from around 100 dollars at the better public courses to 250 dollars or more on the marquee resort layouts such as the PGA West Stadium Course. A week with a hotel or vacation rental, a car and daily golf typically lands between 2,500 and 5,000 dollars per head, with summer far cheaper. Always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Desert course openings, winter sun value and the trips worth taking. One considered email every other week.