ALERT: (Projected Overseeding Alert)
Will be overseeding the FireCliff Course 9/25 – 11/1 and reopen 11/2. Will be overseeding the Mountain View Course 11/8 – 12/25 and reopen 12/26.
* Please note that although we put a great amount of effort into forecasting course maintenance, we still recommend you contact the golf course to confirm this information.
Desert Willow Golf Resort is a 36 hole facility owned by the the City of Palm Desert's featuring 2 championship layouts, Mountain View and Firecliff, both of which utilize the same clubhouse and facilities, and both of which present a stern challenge to the golfers lucky enough to treat themselves to a round or two.
Mountain View at Desert Willow is the shorter of the two courses, and though the website advertises it as their "resort" loop, I'll be the first to dispel the typical connotations of the term by noting that it is not an easy golf course. From the tips, it stretches just beyond 6900 yards, and on this day it was playing significantly longer than the scorecard due to the lack of roll in the soft fairways. The fairways are wide, but you aren't permitted to hit the ball all over the world like you would at your local municipal parkland layout.
Don't take your time getting your game hitting on all cylinders as Mountain View throws a set of 4 opening par 4s at you with the 1st and 3rd being two of the most difficult holes on the course. There's really little room to breathe until the 6th, and even that one is no bargain with the threat of double bogey or worse looming in the creek that runs the length of the fairway and crosses short of the green.
One of the strongest features of the Mountain View layout is the variety - you'll most likely hit a different club on each of the par 3s. Likewise, a moderate length player will have a good shot at reaching the par 5 6th in two while even the longest players can't necessarily count on making it to the 9th green in fewer than three swings. The only thing Mountain View lacks, and this is strange given its status as the shorter more player-friendly layout on the property, is a short /potentially reachable par 4. 7 of the holes (and 5 on the back nine) feature water hazards, and an occasional waste bunker can get in the way of your quest for par (with recovery a dicey proposition given the fact that these waste areas, even when closely guarding the green, are compacted and unraked). Don't be fooled when you hear that Mountain View is a resort-style golf course: it's not…and I mean that as a compliment. Sure, it's more benign than its adjacent big brother, but it's no pushover.
Like most other desert courses this time of year, the greens are finishing up their transitional phase into Bermuda grass. The result for now are putting surfaces that are receptive to all types of approach shots, both full and partial. The consistent downside across all 18 greens is that the grain and slight inconsistencies within the greens make putting a challenge. I've seen much worse in 110+ degree heat, though, so it's nothing to worry about too much. Everyone knows you can't expect pool table-like bentgrass in a Coachella summer, and these greens will probably result in you making a putt or two that you thought you missed, and scratching your head when that perfectly struck 4 footer doesn't scare the cup.
Desert Willow is a beautiful facility. The clubhouse is modern, clean, comfortable, and well run. My only suggestion for improvement would be to add a few more selections to the grill menu, as well as the halfway house. Assuming you're okay with either a deli sandwich or a hot dog, kick back and enjoy the place because Desert Willow is the kind of facility that feels like it's straight out of the high-dollar daily fee facility pedigree that Scottsdale and the greater Phoenix area practically birthed in the 90s. From the included and unlimited balls on the practice range to the large putting green and chipping area, to the personal attention the starter pays to each group, Desert Willow is doing a lot of things right. Don't worry too much about choosing one course over the other - chances are you'll be back to play the second at some point…and if you're daring, loop it and play both in the same day - it's well worth the time.
