The Stadium Course at PGA WEST
With nine championship courses designed by five of golf’s legendary architects — names like Dye, Nicklaus, Norman, Palmer and Weiskopf — PGA WEST in Southern California’s scenic Coachella Valley isn’t just a premier West Coast destination.
The iconic 2,000-acre property, long known as the “Western Home of Golf in America,” offers one of the richest and most diverse golf experiences anywhere in the country. And now, on the heels of an ambitious multi-year, multimillion-dollar restoration project of all three of its Pete Dye-designed courses, PGA WEST is better than ever.
Some golf fans got a peek at the finished product during the early-season broadcast of the 2025 American Express, the PGA Tour stop played in January at PGA WEST’s Pete Dye Stadium Course. One of five resort courses open to public play, the Stadium is the crown jewel of PGA WEST’s restoration efforts, from its memorable Alcatraz island-green ringed by jagged rocks to the monstrous 18-foot-deep greenside bunker on the 16th hole.
Stadium Course restoration
The meticulous restoration process at the Stadium Course was overseen by Tim Liddy, a longtime Dye disciple who spent nearly three decades working alongside the master architect. Liddy likened the painstaking process to an “architectural” excavation, with hand-digging around bunkers and greens to unearth original sand lines, the removal of up to five inches of built-up organic material, and the reclamation of Dye’s original design intent.
The Stadium Course is unquestionably bucket-list round, ranked among Golf Digest’s 100 Greatest Public Courses and sits 80th on Golfweek’s lineup of Best Resort Courses.
There are eight other courses at PGA WEST in addition to the Stadium, among them four private layouts: Palmer, Nicklaus, Weiskopf and Citrus, the latter being a Dye design. The rest of the golf offerings are public.
The Stadium Course at PGA WEST
Nicklaus Tournament Course
The Golden Bear’s PGA West design features two island greens, cavernous bunkers, tiered fairways, and plenty of slope on the greens. The course tips out at just over 7,200 yards, with a healthy slope (143) and rating (75.3. Requiring length and demanding precision, the Tournament Course is just outside the top 100 among Golfweek’s Best Resort Courses. Both the Stadium and Nicklaus courses have been a part of the PGA Tour stop since 2016.
Pete Dye Mountain Course
Another of the reworked Dye courses at PGA WEST, the Mountain Course is an entirely different experience than the Stadium as it weaves along the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains. It’s a fun design, tipping out at 6,666 yards, and features elevated tee boxes, extensive rock outcroppings and views aplenty.
Pete Dye Dunes Course
You know you’re in for a rollicking ride when the starter likens the movement in the greens to a manta ray waving its wings. Another of the reworked Dye courses at PGA WEST, the Dunes features well-guarded greens and railroad tie-wrapped water hazards that require constant focus. There’s also a variety to the routing, which transitions from target-style to more of a links-style throughout the round.
Greg Norman Course
Inspired by Australia’s Outback environment, this layout is situated on a prehistoric ocean bed 40 feet below sea level and is surrounded by dramatic terra cotta mountains. The course is the newest at PGA WEST and underwent its own restoration project in 2022. It’s a tighter target-style course, with just 68 acres of manicured turf.
PGA WEST
Beyond the courses: Enhanced amenities
The recent restoration efforts – and commitment from its owners, Hankuk Industry and Century Golf Partners — hasn’t been limited to golf courses.
PGA WEST has added several notable amenities across the property, including an extensive update to the Pete Dye Clubhouse.
Open to the public, the clubhouse now features new event spaces and a revamped golf shop, a contemporary casual restaurant called The Bunker Bar that boasts soaring ceilings and impressive views of the Santa Rosa Mountains, and two state-of-the-art Trackman 4 golf simulators for a fully immersive virtual golf experience.
The Tournament Clubhouse, which overlooks the Stadium and Nicklaus Tournament courses and is also public access, offers panoramic views and is a prime spot during The American Express tournament each January. Ernie’s Bar & Grill makes for a lively gastropub setting for post-round revelry and recap.
At the Greg Norman Clubhouse set within a residential development of the same name, the Australian-inspired, low-slung ranch style clubhouse is also open to tourists and visitors, as is its Wallaby’s West lounge and restaurant, and spectacular sunken patio.
PGA WEST
The PGA WEST experience
With 163 holes of golf, five clubhouses and multiple restaurants spread across more than 2,000 acres, along with a lineage that includes hosting more than 50 PGA Tour events, PGA WEST has established itself as an incredibly popular guest and member destination, not to mention a breathtaking setting for weddings and events.
There are two distinct private clubs associated with the property – The Club at PGA West and The Citrus Club – both of which offer year-round recreational opportunities, starting with exceptional golf. There’s also tennis and pickleball, extensive dining options, family events, and social and cultural activities that bring people together.
Golf members enjoy privileges such as advanced tee times, caddie service, custom club fittings, and access to the PGA WEST Player Development Program.
PGA WEST
Where to stay
There are plenty of accommodation options in the area, including private homes but conveniently located adjacent to two of the courses (Mountain and Dunes) is a historic retreat and one of PGA WEST’s partners: the La Quinta Resort & Club.
With its Spanish-style architecture set against a mountain backdrop, La Quinta has been welcoming guests since 1926 — among them presidents, celebrities and golf legends – and offers an oasis for relaxation and renewal. La Quinta has accommodations that range from charming casitas to luxury suites and villas, 41 pools across more than 45 acres of lush landscape and manicured gardens, a world-class spa with a range of treatments, and multiple dining options from casual to fine cuisine.
The Coachella Valley, meanwhile, offers plenty of additional activities for visitors beyond golf, chief among them the annual Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals.
There’s an 11,000-seat live entertainment venue, Acrisure Arena, that presents more than 120 special events and major headliners in concerts throughout the year, while BMW Performance Center West offers driving experiences on three different track layouts. There’s also hiking and biking trails in the nearby Santa Rosa Mountains, and a wealth of shopping and dining options in Palm Desert and Palm Springs.
Situated approximately 40 minutes from Palm Springs and just over two hours from Los Angeles, PGA WEST is easily accessible for either weekend getaways or extended golf trips. The year-round climate, luxurious accommodations and bountiful golf has cemented the property as one of the nation’s premiere golf destinations. And the extensive recent work ensures this iconic location will captivate and challenge golfers for years to come.