The Best Golf Courses in Palm Springs for a Buddies Trip (Ranked)

1. 1

   PGA West — TPC Stadium Course

   La Quinta · Bucket-list

   Pete Dye’s brutal, beautiful test and host of the PGA Tour’s American Express. The island-green par-3 17th ("Alcatraz") and deep, sculpted bunkering make it the valley’s marquee round. Play the right tees and enjoy the theater.

2. 2

   La Quinta Resort — Mountain Course

   La Quinta · Scenic Dye classic

   Another Pete Dye gem, carved against the Santa Rosa Mountains with holes running right up to the rock. One of the most photogenic rounds in the desert and a perennial favorite.

3. 3

   Desert Willow — Firecliff Course

   Palm Desert · Top public

   A beautifully conditioned, environmentally thoughtful municipal-resort course that consistently rates among the best public golf in the valley. Big desert scenery and genuine shot value at a fair price.

4. 4

   PGA West — Nicklaus Tournament Course

   La Quinta · Resort-accessible

   A more playable, equally polished alternative to the Stadium Course at the same complex — a Jack Nicklaus design that lets a mixed group have fun without the Stadium’s punishment.

5. 5

   Indian Wells Golf Resort — Celebrity Course

   Indian Wells · Lush & playable

   Lakes, waterfalls, and flowers framing a fun, resort-style layout right in the heart of the valley. Great conditioning and a crowd-pleaser for groups of all levels.

6. 6

   SilverRock Resort

   La Quinta · Value

   An Arnold Palmer design at the foot of the mountains, often the best bang-for-buck marquee round in the valley. A smart play for a budget round that still feels special.

7. 7

   Escena Golf Club

   Palm Springs · Close to downtown

   A Nicklaus design minutes from downtown Palm Springs with wide-open mountain views — convenient, fun, and an easy add when you’re basing in town.

The Coachella Valley has more than 100 courses, so the goal isn’t finding golf — it’s choosing well and pacing it right. The ranking below weighs the experience, the conditioning, the scenery, and how much fun a mixed-handicap group will actually have, balancing the marquee Pete Dye rounds with great-value options.

How to sequence them

1. Open easy and scenic. Start on something lush and playable — Indian Wells or SilverRock — to shake off travel.
2. Build. Move to a Dye classic like the La Quinta Mountain Course or Desert Willow Firecliff.
3. Peak. Make the PGA West Stadium Course your centerpiece, mid-trip, when everyone’s dialed in.
4. Relax. Finish on a fun, convenient round near your base so the trip ends on a high.

A word on cost

Green fees here swing more by season than by course — a winter marquee round can cost several times its summer rate. That’s exactly why we don’t publish package prices: we build each trip backwards from your budget, choosing the courses and dates that get your group the most golf for the money.

Want this sequenced, booked, and confirmed without the spreadsheet? Tell us about your group.

Frequently asked

What is the most famous golf course in Palm Springs?

The PGA West TPC Stadium Course in La Quinta — a Pete Dye design that hosts the PGA Tour’s American Express and features the island-green 17th known as "Alcatraz." It’s the valley’s signature bucket-list round.

Which Palm Springs course is best if we only play one?

For a marquee experience, the PGA West Stadium Course. If you’d rather have fun than be punished, the La Quinta Resort Mountain Course or Desert Willow’s Firecliff deliver big scenery with friendlier golf.

Are Palm Springs tee times hard to get?

Peak winter (January–March) books up well in advance and at premium rates, especially around the American Express tournament. Shoulder season and summer are far easier and cheaper. Securing the right courses in the right order is the planning we handle.