Golf Nomad Regional Course Rankings: Coachella Valley, CA

Ranking the courses in and around the Palm Springs area is no easy task. In some ways, many courses blend together with similar designs and scenery. And generally speaking, the conditioning out here is exceptional. Perhaps the trickiest factor is determining relative “value.” In the peak winter months, most courses are quite expensive while in the summer months, amazing deals can be found.

Below you will find my personal rankings for the Coachella Valley. These are based on my impressions of the overall design, scenery and relative value combined with more measurable elements such as conditioning, facilities and customer service (taking into account my personal experience(s) at the course and general word-of-mouth from Greenskeeper.org reviews/ratings).

Keep in mind when clicking on any active review links below that often I review multiple courses in the same article, so sometimes you have to scroll down in the story to find the course listed here.

PUBLIC REGULATION COURSES:

1. Classic Club • Palm Desert, CA
2. Indian Wells Golf Resort (Celebrity) • Indian Wells, CA
3. SilverRock Resort • La Quinta, CA
4. Desert Willow Golf Resort (Firecliff) • Palm Desert, CA
5. Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Resort • Palm Desert, CA
6. PGA West (Nicklaus Tournament Course) • La Quinta, CA
7. Indian Wells Golf Resort (Players) • Indian Wells, CA
8. La Quinta Resort & Club (Mountain) • La Quinta, CA
9. Eagle Falls Golf Course • Indio, CA
10. PGA West (TPC Stadium Course) • La Quinta, CA
11. Desert Willow Golf Resort (Mountain View) • Palm Desert, CA
12. The Golf Club at Terra Lago (North) • Indio, CA
13. The Golf Club at Terra Lago (South) • Indio, CA
14. Desert Dunes Golf Club • Desert Hot Springs, CA
15. Indian Canyons Golf Resort (South) • Palm Springs, CA
16. JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort (Valley) • Palm Desert, CA
17. JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort (Palm) • Palm Desert, CA
18. The Westin Mission Hills (Gary Player Signature) • Rancho Mirage, CA
19. La Quinta Resort & Club (Dunes) • La Quinta, CA
20. Mission Lakes Country Club • Desert Hot Springs, CA
21. Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort (Resort Course) • Palm Springs, CA
22. Escena Golf Club • Palm Springs, CA
23. PGA West (Greg Norman Course) • La Quinta, CA
24. Shadow Hills Golf Club (South) • Indio, CA
25. Mountain Vista Golf Club (Santa Rosa) • Palm Desert, CA
26. The Westin Mission Hills (Pete Dye Resort) • Rancho Mirage, CA
27. Desert Falls Country Club • Palm Desert, CA
28. Cimarron Golf Resort (Boulder) • Cathedral City, CA
29. Heritage Palms Golf Club • Indio, CA
30. Desert Princess Country Club • Cathedral City, CA
31. Coral Mountain Golf Club (formerly GC at La Quinta) • La Quinta, CA
32. Mountain Vista Golf Club (San Gorgonio) • Palm Desert, CA
33. Palm Desert Country Club (Championship) • Palm Desert, CA
34. Big Rock Golf Course at Indian Springs • Indio, CA
35. Rancho Las Palmas Country Club • Rancho Mirage, CA
36. Indian Canyons Golf Resort (North) • Palm Springs, CA
37. Cathedral Canyon Golf Club • Cathedral City, CA
38. Shadow Mountain Golf Club • Palm Desert, CA
39. Palm Desert Resort Country Club • Palm Desert, CA
40. Indian Palms Country Club • Indio, CA
41. Woodhaven Country Club • Palm Desert, CA
42. Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort (Legend Course) • Palm Springs, CA
43. Blythe Municipal Golf Course • Blythe, CA
44. Mesquite Golf & Country Club • Palm Springs, CA
45. *Rancho Mirage Country Club • Rancho Mirage, CA (*CLOSED)

PRIVATE COURSES:

(Note: The lines can blur a little out here with what’s considered “private” versus “public” as some courses will offer limited tee time availability, but the ones below I would still consider private clubs.)

1. Stone Eagle Golf Club • Palm Desert, CA
2. Bighorn Golf Club (The Canyons) • Palm Desert, CA
3. Bighorn Golf Club (The Mountains) • Palm Desert, CA
4. Toscana Country Club (South) • Indian Wells, CA
5. Toscana Country Club (North) • Indian Wells, CA
6. Rancho La Quinta Country Club (Jones Course) • La Quinta, CA
7. Rancho La Quinta Country Club (Pate Course) • La Quinta, CA
8. Mission Hills Country Club (Dinah Shore Tournament Course) • Rancho Mirage, CA
9. Mission Hills Country Club (Pete Dye Challenge Course) • Rancho Mirage, CA
10. Ironwood Country Club (South Course) • Palm Desert, CA
11. Eldorado Country Club • Indian Wells, CA
12. Mountain View Country Club at La Quinta • La Quinta, CA
13. Andalusia Country Club • La Quinta, CA
14. Indian Wells Country Club (Classic) • Indian Wells, CA
15. Indian Wells Country Club (Cove) • Indian Wells, CA
16. The Springs Club • Rancho Mirage, CA
17. Thunderbird Country Club • Rancho Mirage, CA
18. The S at Rancho Mirage (formerly Desert Island/The Sinatra) • Rancho Mirage, CA
19. The Palms Golf Club • La Quinta, CA
20. Monterey Country Club • Palm Desert, CA
21. Mission Hills Country Club (Arnold Palmer Course) • Rancho Mirage, CA
22. Bermuda Dunes Country Club • Bermuda Dunes, CA
23. Ironwood Country Club (North Course) • Palm Desert, CA
24. Desert Horizons Country Club • Indian Wells, CA
25. Tamarisk Country Club • Rancho Mirage, CA
26. La Quinta Country Club • La Quinta, CA
27. Palm Valley Country Club (Championship) • Palm Desert, CA
28. Avondale Golf Club • Palm Desert, CA
29. Marrakesh Country Club • Palm Desert, CA
30. O’Donnell Golf Club • Palm Springs, CA
31. Chaparral Country Club • Palm Desert, CA
32. Palm Desert Greens Country Club • Palm Desert, CA
33. Sunrise Country Club • Rancho Mirage, CA
34. Outdoor Resort Palm Springs (18-hole) • Cathedral City, CA
35. Motorcoach Country Club • Indio, CA
36. Seven Lakes Golf & Country Club • Palm Springs, CA
37. Tri Palm Estates & Country Club (Millennium) • Thousand Palms, CA
38. Outdoor Resort Indio • Indio, CA
39. Caliente Springs Resort Golf Course • Desert Hot Springs, CA
40. Tri Palm Estates & Country Club (Century) • Thousand Palms, CA
41. Canyon Estates Golf Course • Palm Springs, CA
42. La Rocca 3-Par Golf Course • Indian Wells, CA
43. Outdoor Resort Palm Springs (9-hole) • Cathedral City, CA
44. Casa Dorado Golf Course • Indian Wells, CA
45. *Santa Rosa Golf Club • Palm Desert, CA (*CLOSED)

PUBLIC SHORT COURSES:

1. Shadow Hills Golf Club (North) • Indio, CA
2. The Oasis Country Club • Palm Desert, CA
3. The “New” Vineyards RV Resort & Golf Course • Coachella, CA
4. Date Palm Country Club • Cathedral City, CA
5. Palm Royale Country Club • La Quinta, CA
6. Ivey Ranch Country Club • Thousand Palms, CA
7. The Lights at Indio Golf Course • Indio, CA
8. The Golf Center of Palm Desert (First Tee of Coachella Valley) (9/3) • Palm Desert, CA
9. Cimarron Golf Resort (Pebble) • Cathedral City, CA
10. Sands RV & Golf Resort • Desert Hot Springs, CA
11. Hidden Springs Country Club • Desert Hot Springs, CA
12. Suncrest Country Club • Palm Desert, CA
13. Desert Crest Country Club • Desert Hot Springs, CA
14. Lake Tamarisk Golf Course • Desert Center, CA
15. *Palm Desert Country Club (Executive) • Palm Desert, CA (*CLOSED)
16. *Bel Air Greens • Palm Springs, CA (*CLOSED)