California · Golf trip guide
Palm Springs: desert golf with the pool, the patio, and the mid-century cool.
The complete guide to planning a buddies golf trip to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, California — the best courses, where to stay, when to go, and what it costs.
- 100+
- Courses in the valley
- Nov–Apr
- Prime golf season
- 350+
- Days of sun a year
- 4 days
- The sweet-spot trip length
Your Palm Springs planning kit
Everything you need to plan it yourself — or hand it to us.
The Perfect 4-Day Palm Springs Buddies Golf Trip (Sample Itinerary)
A sample 4-day, 3-night Palm Springs buddies golf trip itinerary for a group of eight — four rounds across the Coachella Valley, a pool-house base, and nights out downtown.
Read the guide →The Best Golf Courses in Palm Springs for a Buddies Trip (Ranked)
The best public and resort golf courses in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley for a buddies golf trip, ranked — from the famous PGA West Stadium Course to great-value desert tracks.
Read the guide →Where to Stay for a Golf Trip in Palm Springs
Where a buddies group should stay in Palm Springs for a golf trip — the best areas of the Coachella Valley compared, from downtown nightlife to La Quinta’s top courses.
Read the guide →Palm Springs is the original winter golf getaway — the Coachella Valley packs more than 100 courses into a sun-soaked, easy-to-drive desert valley, then wraps them in pools, palm trees, mid-century style, and a downtown built for a night out. It’s relaxed, reliable, and made for a group that wants great golf without a grind.
This guide covers the courses worth your rounds, where to base the group, when to go, and how to think about cost. Or we’ll plan the whole thing for you.
Why Palm Springs works for a group
- Density and ease. A hundred-plus courses in one compact valley means short drives and endless choice, from the famous PGA West Stadium Course to excellent value tracks.
- The weather. 350-plus days of sun a year and dry, warm winters — exactly when the rest of the country is frozen.
- The hang. Pool houses, patio dinners, and a genuinely fun downtown make the off-course hours as good as the rounds.
- Mid-century cool. It just feels good here — relaxed, stylish, unhurried.
How to use this guide
Start with the three spokes below — the courses, where to stay, and a sample itinerary. Then use the quick answers for the questions every organizer ends up Googling.
The Palm Springs move: rent a house with a pool, pace your rounds to mornings (especially shoulder season), and leave the afternoons for the patio. This is a savor-it trip, not a survive-it one.
Quick answers
- When is the best time for a Palm Springs golf trip?
- November through April is prime — warm, dry, sunny days in the 70s–80s°F and courses in top shape. January through March is the peak (and priciest), overlapping the PGA Tour’s American Express at PGA West. Summer is brutally hot (often 110°F+) but green fees plummet for groups who tee off at dawn.
- How many days do you need for a Palm Springs golf trip?
- Four days and three nights is the sweet spot — three or four rounds across different courses, plus pool time and a night out in downtown Palm Springs. The valley is compact, so drives between lodging and courses are short.
- Where should a golf group stay in Palm Springs?
- Downtown Palm Springs is best for nightlife, mid-century style, and walkable bars and restaurants; La Quinta and Palm Desert put you closest to the top courses (PGA West, Desert Willow) with a resort feel. For a group, a vacation rental with a pool is hugely popular and great value across the valley.
- How much does a Palm Springs golf trip cost?
- It swings hugely by season — the same course can cost several times more in March than in July. Peak-winter marquee rounds run high; shoulder-season and summer rates are a fraction of that. Because of that range, we build each trip backwards from your group’s budget rather than quoting a package.
- How is Palm Springs different from Scottsdale for a golf trip?
- They’re cousins — both winter desert-golf hubs with 100+ courses and reliable sun. Palm Springs leans a bit more toward mid-century cool, pool culture, and Pete Dye’s famous PGA West Stadium Course; Scottsdale has more marquee tournament venues and a bigger nightlife scene. Many groups alternate between the two.
Let us plan your Palm Springs trip.
Tell us your dates, group size, and budget. We’ll build the whole thing — quoted to your number, no obligation.