Days Two and Four of my extended Palm Springs weekend saw action at the always fun Shadow Ridge course in Palm Desert. This Faldo design is always a winner, especially when the conditions are pretty c... Continue »

Days Two and Four of my extended Palm Springs weekend saw action at the always fun Shadow Ridge course in Palm Desert. This Faldo design is always a winner, especially when the conditions are pretty close to perfect. Exceptional layout and a challenging, yet enjoyable 18 holes make this place always one of the must-play courses in the area.

We played both rounds from the green tees and rode for $125 - very much in line for the experience you will get, with a few tiny exceptions. The course is currently a generous Cart Path Only but there doesn't appear to be any enforcement whatsoever. Cart service was exceptional with beverages showing up almost every 3-4 holes. There are no water stations anywhere so bring what you need for that.

Fairways are in great shape after the re-seeding and should only get better over the new few weeks. The rough is also exceptional and the place simply exudes quality from the visuals right now. Bunker sand was very nice but I only found myself in one the entire weekend, while the tee boxes were all in fine condition. The greens? Well, like many places out here, they're currently on the slow side so you'll really have to get a feel for them early, but they're in perfect condition in terms of true lines and holding shots well. Just need a few weeks.

I will never think twice about playing this course over and over again and this weekend's trip only solidified that view. Can't wait to get back out there again.