La Quinta Resort- Dunes Course

La Quinta Resort- Dunes & Mountain Courses 

 La Quinta Resort dates from 1926, but it took until 1981 before Pete Dye completed the Mountain & Dunes courses that really put La Quinta on the golfing map

The background of mountains and blue sky, with gorgeous Palm Springs weather is a great head start for any course- particularly one as well conditioned as the Dunes course. 

Like The Mountain Course, the Dunes Course displays many of the characteristics of other Pete Dye designs, with railroad sleepers, elevated greens, drama filled water holes:- resulting in a course that challenges all players.

 

 

While there are some quality golf holes, the course is compromised somewhat by a stretch of holes between the second and thirteenth holes which are routed in narrow playing corridors through the housing estate.

There are some nice holes here, but the backdrop does detract from the overall ambience

The course emerges out of the housing on the 14th tee, and there are some lovely holes to finish.

It is these holes that you will remember after playing the Dunes course- they are picturesque and challenging

 

Notable Holes include:

 

hole 1- a par 4 with water in play down the right from tee to green- with the green tucked behind the water to finish

hole 13- a par 3 that is all carry over water- and a green with boarded retaining wall

hole 14- a strong dogleg par 4 with an elevated green

 

 

hole 17- a par 5 around the water to a boarded green (see pic mid page)

hole 18- a par 4 with lake in playwright from tee to green, and protecting the final approach

 

 

La Quinta Resort is an outstanding place to stay, with an enviable array of top line courses to play. 

All players will want to play the famous Stadium course at least once during their stay, but if you have time for 5 courses I recommend you treat The Dunes Course as a warm up to the big show. The two courses do share that Pete Dye DNA, after all