PGA West- Stadium Course

PGA West- Stadium Course- hole 7 

PGA WEST is a remarkable golf resort & housing estate in Palm Springs, California.

The resort is home to 6 golf courses designed by some of the great names in golf:

PGA WEST- Arnold Palmer Private

PGA WEST- Greg Norman Resort

PGA WEST- Jack Nicklaus Private

PGA WEST- NIcklaus Tournament

PGA WEST- Stadium

PGA WEST- Tom Weiskopf Private

Members of the PGA WEST club get daily access to all 6 courses, while the public can access the Stadium, Nicklaus Tournament & Greg Norman Resort courses

 PGA West- Stadium Course

 Designed by Pete Dye, The Stadium Course at PGA West is seen by many as Dye’s follow up to the TPC course at Sawgrass.

Certainly there are many similarities that the courses share, including the famous island 17th greens…

 Many would know the Stadium Course from the television coverage of the Desert Classic- but when the event originally began the pros objected that the course was too hard and hadthe tournament moved elsewhere!- the ban ran out recently and the Classic returned to The Stadium Course in 2016.

PGA West Stadium Course hole 5

It is an amazing course. There is no strategy involved other than hit the right line and length at all times.

It is penal golf architecture, and it is high octane golf.

Dye seemingly has water everywhere and a combination of deep pot bunkers and intimidating sleeper faced bunkers.

Many greens are elevated, and a number run at angle to the fairway demanding an approach that has the right length AND line to hit the target.

The course does not let up.

Two hours west Disneyland boasts a number of roller coaster rides that continue to buffet you with twists and turns until the end.

The Stadium Course has a similar objective- but it is a game you will never forget

Notable holes include:

- hole 5 (Double Trouble), a par 5 with water on the left for most of the hole, and then another lake on the right as you near the green (see pic mid page)

- hole 6 (Amen), a long par 3 with a daunting water carry to a green with water in play every which way

- hole 7 (Black Hole), a short par 4 with a heavily protected green (see pic top of page)

- hole 9 (Reflection), a par 5 arcing around the water to another fortress like green

PGA West- Stadium Course- hole 9

- hole 10 (Quarry), an attractive par bending around the water to a green tucked neatly between bunkers and water

- hole 13 (Second Thoughts), a teasing, taunting par 3 with water and boarded retaining walls sweeping in and out of the line of play

- hole 15 (Turning Home), a longer par 4 with very attractive (and penal) bunkering

- hole 16 (San Andreas Fault), an interesting variation on a theme with enormous bunkers replacing the water hazards for the length of the hole. The depth of the bunker behind the elevated green is overwhelming!

- hole 17 (Alcatraz), a near island green, a mirror image of the famous 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass

PGA West- Stadium Course- hole 17

A game of golf at the Stadium Course is a life experience

Highly recommended!