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PGA West’s Stadium Course

When golfers hear the name the Stadium Course, often our minds will go to TPC Sawgrass or TPC Scottsdale, and rightfully so as these courses are epic and have earned their elite reputations.

But we are blown away at how often golfers forget about the West Coast design that bears this name: The Stadium Course at PGA West.  And if their new ownership has anything to say about it, that trend is going to be ending very soon. 

Located in the Coachella Valley in Palm Springs, California, PGA West’s Stadium Course was designed by the one and only Pete Dye in 1986.  The course gives golfers a links-style design in the California desert to create an experience like no other.  Like other Pete Dye masterpieces such as the Straits Course at Whistling Straits, the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, or the previously mentioned PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, this golf course was designed to challenge you from start to finish.

In fact, PGA Tour players found the original design to be so difficult when the Tour first came here that they refused to play it after the first year until it was recently reinstated in 2016 as the host course during The American Express tournament.  Since its inception, the team has softened up the course to take a little of the bite out of it.  It still packs quite a punch though, but you won’t mind because the setting is outstanding, the conditions are flawless and the service levels here are impeccable. 

If you’re anything like us, you are itching to take on this challenge.  This beauty may be a beast, but it’s one that you’ll be raving about to your friends after your trip for many years to come.  This course has always been a favorite of ours, and things onsite are continuing to improve under the watchful eye of the new ownership group Century Golf Partners who purchased the property in 2020.  Century Golf is dedicated to investing in the property and your experience to create a first-class environment that mirrors that of top-end private clubs throughout the country. 

PGA West’s Stadium Course

The Course  

This course is draped in drama.  In a design style that has defined Pete Dye golf courses, you’ll find yourself visually intimidated on almost every hole.  But one thing you’ll find if you look back from the green back towards the tee on many of the holes on this course is that there is more landing room than you think.  Are we saying the course is easy?  Not by any means!  But knowing this before your round could help you save a few strokes on this elite layout. 

Dye and his team ease you into your round with the first four holes are relatively straightforward as you’ll need to maneuver your way around ample bunkering and undulating, small greens.  From there on in, dig in as you are in for quite a ride. 

The 5th and 6th holes start to bring the water into play, as the 5th is a double dogleg par-5 that is reachable in two for longer hitters, but water is lurking on every shot so accuracy is key here.  The 6th on the other hand is as difficult of a par-3 as you will find anywhere.  Tipping out at 255 yards, this beast of a hole requires a full carry over water to a peninsula green surrounded by bulkhead that provides a small bail-out area to the left should the water seem too scary for you on the tee. 

As you finish up the front side, you’ll face the short par-4 7th hole with water up the right where most golfers can hit a long iron off the tee and still have a wedge left in.  The 8th hole is a long par-5 where you can choose your own adventure by challenging the fairway bunkers for a smaller landing area or tactfully navigating your way around them as you work your way towards a small and challenging green.  The front nine ends with the 9th hole, a long par-4 with water and a long fairway bunker up the right side of the hole as you’ll be tempted to cut off as much of this hole as you can off the tee, and your approach is typically a mid to long iron left into a green that is surrounded by bunkers and water. 

PGA West’s Stadium Course

Now the course really starts to show its teeth as you make the trek over to the back nine.  The 10th hole is a treacherous par-4 that requires a well-placed tee shot between fairway bunkers and the water only to be left with a forced carry over water to a small green. Nos. 11 and 12 provide a long par-5 and a shorter par-4 that lead you to the difficult par-3 13th hole that features a skinny green along the water with no bail out areas to be found. 

The 14th and 15th holes provide two difficult par-4s, especially 15 which requires a long approach to an elevated small green.  As you exit this green, you’ll make your way to 3 of the best finishing holes in golf. 

The 16th hole is in a word, tremendous.  If you hit three good shots, you may look back on this hole and say, “I don’t see what the big deal was there.”  But be just a little off on your approach here, and you’ll see why this hole has the reputation that it does. 

The tee shot offers a decent sized fairway with plenty of room up the right and features a skinny yet deep fairway bunker up the left side.  Now the real fun begins as you have a choice to make of going for this green in two or a lay-up to leave you a short iron into this green.  This small putting surface is surrounded by arguably the deepest bunker you will ever find at nearly 20 feet below the putting surface.  20 feet!  We’ve seen golfers get lost down there before, so do yourself a favor and keep it on the green or right here. 

Your reward for surviving the 16th is a little par-3 known as Alcatraz.  This downhill shot isn’t overly long tipping out at 168 yards, but this island green typically features a lot of wind and a landing area that isn’t overly wide giving you the challenge of a longer shot and a smaller green than the famous 17th hole at The PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.  Get your cameras ready here as you’ll want to show all your friends that you can hit this green…or you can quickly delete it if your ball finds the drink.  The picturesque green is surrounded by rocks and is the type of view you’ll want to make your screensaver to bring you back to the feeling on this tee well after your round. 

You might think you’ve made it after surviving these two holes, but not so fast my friend!  The 18th hole is a long par-4 with water all the way up the left side of this hole where most tee shots that are blocked right to stay safe from the water often find themselves in a deep fairway bunker leaving you with a difficult decision to lay up or take on a nearly impossible shot over water from a long way out in the sand. 

We are obsessed with this golf course, and when you combine it with the other golf courses available at PGA West it fits in as the perfect day to test your mettle during your California golf getaway. 

PGA West’s Stadium Course

Recommendation

Playing the Stadium Course at PGA West is an absolute must for any visit to this area, but this golf resort is so much more than this phenomenal track.  PGA West has five public access courses available for golfers to enjoy during your vacation here, and each of them should be included in your itinerary. 

The Mountain Course, The Greg Norman Course, The Jack Nicklaus Course, and The Dunes Course are all special, and we’ll circle back in the coming months to give you some further insight into the full experience available here a little later this year.