I know this review comes a day late and a dollar short but just wanted to give my thoughts on the course. I've played both and I do like this one over the Players courses, just personal preference no ... Continue »

I know this review comes a day late and a dollar short but just wanted to give my thoughts on the course. I've played both and I do like this one over the Players courses, just personal preference no particular reasons.

As mentioned in other posts there are plenty of tee options here and the whites were a little too short for me. I didn't mind the range, I do like it being close to the pro shop too. The putting green is pretty cool too, not too many places have a putting course. But it did get me in the mind set of one hole on a green so I did like that.

I agree there were some greens that had some ball marks on them and really people need to get better about repairing them. The speed was medium if you ask me but it really depends on where you were putting from. There's a few elephants buried under those greens and it seemed like I found myself negotiating them.

Fairways and teed boxes were great from what I remember. It was really lush hitting off of them, they were probably the highlight to me. The rough isn't super thick but there was some bite to them. Of course like any desert course the real trouble is when you venture into the native areas but there is a local rule that if you're in the flower bed that its a free drop.

I do like this course so I would definitely play again and probably in my top 5 of courses in the area.

Not having played at this facility in 25 years, I was anxious to see the end result of the highly-acclaimed John Fought/Clive Clark transformations to the original Ted Robinson-designed East and West ... Continue »

Not having played at this facility in 25 years, I was anxious to see the end result of the highly-acclaimed John Fought/Clive Clark transformations to the original Ted Robinson-designed East and West Courses. The East, which is the one I had played, since redone by Fought in 2007, is now the Players Course. The West, a Clive Clark project that was completed in 2006, was the one I approached with great anticipation. From a design perspective, I was very impressed with the Celebrity Course layout; it requires a strategic, target-oriented approach although there are plenty of "high risk-high reward" opportunities for the longer hitter to consider. Yardage ranges from 5200 all the way up to 7000 so there are plenty of tee box options to suit a wide range of players. With a great variety of holes that require you to work the ball off the tee in order to afford the best angle into that day's pin position, it's an entertaining layout that held my interest throughout the round. One aspect of the course worth noting is it's one anomaly: just a single Par 3 and Par 5 on either side. I can't recall having played a Par 72 course that presented a total of fourteen Par 4 holes but I commend Mr. Clark for not succumbing to the status-quo and insisting there had to be four Par 3s and four Par 5s built. He made good use of the available land without destroying the character of the course, which is what would have occurred had he tossed in a couple of short "throwaway" holes just to satisfy the traditional course-makeup criteria. The golf course is very picturesque with many flower beds and split streams running along the fairways. Mostly tree-lined with some open holes strewn about the course, I was surprised at how undulating and rolling some of the fairways were; it provided a nice change of scenery when compared to some of the pancake-flat layouts you may encounter in the Palm Springs area (Cimarron Golf Resort to name one). And with an abundance of pine trees vs. palm trees, I often had the feeling of playing in an Alpine forest rather than the desert. Tee boxes, fairways, and greens were in very good to excellent condition although I was a bit taken aback at the ball mark damage I encountered on some of the putting surfaces. It certainly wasn't something I'd tab as out of control but after playing Shadow Ridge the previous day, I expected better. I would attribute it more to neglectful repair work by the golfing public rather than a staff maintenance issue since it is obvious this facility takes a lot of pride in the visual presentation of its' product. Greens were on the slow side and, in some instances, putts were influenced by the occasional "compromised" putting surface. Putts also had a tendency to break a bit more than what I read so I would definitely keep this in mind if I have the opportunity to play here again. As a result, speed and line had to be spot on in order to have a chance at holing anything. Was only in a couple of bunkers (one fairway, one greenside) and the quality of the sand was good. Not as hard packed as anticipated so escaping was pretty routine but previous players did not always do a proper job of raking the trap once exiting. Luckily it didn't influence any of my shots. Rough was a modest length but didn't present any issues either. As noted by previous reviewers who participated in the 12/8 GK Event, the driving range was criticized as not being in-step and on the same level with the rest of the facility. Although we were hitting off artificial turf that day, it was a non-issue as far as I'm concerned. The mats were functional, the golf balls of decent quality, yardage markings to the target flags were accurate...it had no adverse affect on my swing. I'm sure the comments may have been kinder had the grass tee been open but I appreciated having the range right there by the clubhouse/check-in area, eliminating a long cart ride to another part of the course. The clubhouse is a very stunning, modern building with a tastefully appointed interior. A Pro Shop that makes you feel you're at Nordstrom's (in atmosphere rather than price point, although there are some high ticket items available for purchase), it's a good place to find a simple souvenir or special gift. And the staff was very friendly and helpful, offering to order any items that weren't available in a desired size. We were able to play for a special rate that included an excellent Southwestern Buffet Dinner at the conclusion of play. Rack rates are on the high side since it's Winter Season but I feel it would be worth one's while to play here if you haven't already done so; in my opinion, the total overall experience certainly justifies that fact. And that leads to my closing comment, which is aimed at Troon Golf Management. It's obvious to me Troon focuses on providing a high level of service in order for its' guests to truly enjoy and appreciate the product they offer. I found their service level to be among the best I've encountered: friendly, courteous, and professional people who were sincere and never pretentious in their efforts. In talking to one of the employees, I was told they are well compensated within the boundaries of the Hospitality Industry and it shows. If you want to hire and retain good people then they should be compensated and treated as a valuable asset: Troon definitely recognizes this and I commend them for it.

Great GK outing on the 8th, I won't get crazy here since it's all already been said. Thank you to Johnny and all that help for putting on such a well run, professional and fun event. Thank you to the ... Continue »

Great GK outing on the 8th, I won't get crazy here since it's all already been said. Thank you to Johnny and all that help for putting on such a well run, professional and fun event. Thank you to the sponsors who contribute as well. Maybe one of these outings I'll play the golf I'm capable of and actually have a chance to win something!! :-) More important than anything, I'm so happy to hear Dave is okay. Leaving these events you feel like you just left from a day out with your family, at least the family you like! Good soft, but quick greens, some divots (not from us GKers, I'm sure! Decent tee boxes, so e divots and crowning. Very good fairways, again, some divots. Good rough. Great sand! Very nice facility and awesome staff. The putting course is super fun, and hard! Look forward to seeing everyone again! Oh yeah... Lots of water (7 pretty yellow srixons were donated from my clubs to the bottom of the lakes, streams, ponds.....

What a fun and picturesque course. Great looking holes and overall backdrop scenery. I enjoyed the layout, although surprised to only 2 par 5's and 2 par 3's on this course. I'd think they'd take a... Continue »

What a fun and picturesque course. Great looking holes and overall backdrop scenery. I enjoyed the layout, although surprised to only 2 par 5's and 2 par 3's on this course. I'd think they'd take advantage of their scenery and make some more 3's.
Fairway are a decent size and many holes run parallel to each other, so errant shots may still find grass and will just have a shot over trees and such. I remember no concerns with teeing up my ball anywhere on the tee boxes, all were great. The fairways and rough that I was in all were great, never had any complaints. I landed in a few bunkers, some with harder sand than others, only only slight grip is their inconsistency, but that is minor to me.
I warmed up on their putting green course and got used to the fast speeds, which hurt me a bit as the full course greens tended to not be as fast and I left quite a few short in the beginning. Greens were soft and held approaches, not bumpy, just slower than what I practiced on.
Loved the GPS system on the carts, very handy. Great facilities there with the clubhouse and had a blast at the GK after party with hot fajitas and cold churros.
Course is great and the GK Outing made it an even better experience.

Played at the GK outing 12-8-13. This course is a stiff challenge for the average golfer. Many tight fairways and a few blind tee shots make accurate tee shots a must. An unusual layout with only 2 pa... Continue »

Played at the GK outing 12-8-13. This course is a stiff challenge for the average golfer. Many tight fairways and a few blind tee shots make accurate tee shots a must. An unusual layout with only 2 par 3's and 2 par 5's. Every hole presents a unique challenge. Be prepared to use every club in your bag. Tee shots ranged from driver,3 wood, 3 hybrid, 5 hybrid and even 7ir on a short par 4. Bunkers were soft and fluffy. I was surprised at the number of ball marks on the greens. I would think on such a nice course people would take better care.
This course provides many stunning vistas and is a pleasure for the eyes. I would have to say this is not a course for a beginning golfer but I would play here again without a doubt.

12/8 -- Another year end Fantastic GKer Event at a Top of the Line Golf Resort. Was great to meet up with familiar GKer faces, and get acquainted with members we hadn't had the pleasure of meeting ye... Continue »

12/8 -- Another year end Fantastic GKer Event at a Top of the Line Golf Resort. Was great to meet up with familiar GKer faces, and get acquainted with members we hadn't had the pleasure of meeting yet. Upon arrival I recommend driving in/around to the bag drop off area, and then go park in the self parking lot, as it is quite a little jaunt trekking in with a heavy bag. (Note: They do have a valet bag drop-off/vehicle parking option as well). Facilities were simply gorgeous, and views from the Pro Shop/Restaurant and throughout the course, were breath taking. Staff were all very personable, welcoming, and professional all day. The putting challenge area was fun, but didn't lend to obtaining a true idea of what to expect out on the course, and I don't believe that's the idea of it any way...was fun to play with fellow GKers while awaiting our start time. There is however a very large putting area up adjacent to the 1st Hole and Starter. The Starter was very welcoming and informative, letting us know of the Indian burial grounds to be considerate of (marked by green/white stakes), and various other need to know/good to know info. I was a little surprised to see the driving range/practice area for this type of resort. You hit off of dual layered worn mats laden with leaves and dirt?! You had to be careful if you were hitting off the mats at the far end as there is only a slight bank to catch your errant hits from going out into the adjacent main road and industrial buildings close by (no golf net, so again, use caution). Guess they serve the purpose though for a quick warm-up. This was probably really the only slight disappointment I had with this beautifully appointed facility. GKer wedge contest was Fun. Neat to actually try out the new Hopkins Wedges (I actually hit it up pretty straight to the target; just not close enough to win one. They had a very nice feel to them and I look forward to possibly investing in one or two in the future.) Carts were comfortably equipped with GPS, ice chest (w/o water), & ball/club washer. The GPS unit showed where the group ahead of you were situated only on the holes with "blind shots", and I don't understand why not throughout the entire course?? It would've been a nice ability to read location of where & how far up the group was ahead of you as on one or two occasions we didn't see the group at all ahead of us, and unintentionally hit up on them :( - again our sincerest apologies to Group #1 - Sorry. Tee boxes were nice/lush and level, but showed signs (as did the fairways), that this course is certainly a Very popular one and receives a lot of play (and understandably so). Fairways were lush, and rolled out nicely; especially when you found that magic slot down the middle. Lies were predominantly unlevel (above/below angles) which added to the challenge of this track. Hubby (rstang06) eluded to this as a "target type lay-out" from the white tees (which I don't profess to totally understand), I guess mainly due to the majority of the divot damage localized within the same areas of each fairway; which were predominantly Par 4s. Only 1 Par 5 and 1 Par 3 on each 9. Bunkers were plentiful and really contributed to how you shaped your shots to/in and around the greens. Lovely, fluffy, smoothly raked, sand. A few were thick/heavy due to the prior day's rains, but overall, the ones I landed into, were very nice and easier to chip out of. Greens were large and pretty receptive. I was surprised to see so many ball marks (repaired and unrepaired/or repaired poorly), resulting in slightly bumpy, difficult rolls on virtually every green. With so many subtleties they too (the Greens) added to the challenge of the course. I had so many putts rolling what I thought true to the hole just to divert left/right within the last 3-6 inches!! Sigh. Rough was very nice/lush/and easy to hit out of. Water hazards were plentiful and claimed my fair share of golf balls throughout the day. Water features were visually stunning. I was a bit concerned by the close proximity of how the tee boxes/greens/fairways were to each other in some instances. Even had an unclaimed golf ball come whizzing by us, hit a tree, and land in front of our green from an adjacent tee box. Cart Lady was wonderful, and made her rounds quite frequently. Very friendly and a joy to talk with. Our round concluded with our equipment carefully handled and placed in a watched area in front of the Lobby, while we indulged in the scrumptious Mexican Fiesta style buffet, in our own private room. Overall the entire day's events, from start to finish, were simply wonderful. This is a gorgeous facility, breath taking course, and impeccable staff!! Certainly a MUST PLAY while in the Indio/Palm Springs area.

Played in GK event on Sun. Dec. 8th. Overall condition of the course is very good. The tee boxes, fairways and sand traps are in very good shape. The greens were soft but the speed was semi quick. The... Continue »

Played in GK event on Sun. Dec. 8th. Overall condition of the course is very good. The tee boxes, fairways and sand traps are in very good shape. The greens were soft but the speed was semi quick. The greens are very tricky with little breaks that were hard to figure out. I think the soft greens are the reason there were a lot of divot marks.
The clubhouse is very impressive and the staff very professional. The only downside is the practice facility. The mats seemed so close together. I felt like I was going to get hit by a club or hit someone with my club when I was using my driver. The putting course was fun but I wanted a normal putting green to warm up.

Played the GK event on 12/8/13, with Hollis, jjrauen, and sixpez. What a great group to play with. Just to reiterate what has been posted before, the course visually is stunning. Customer service w... Continue »

Played the GK event on 12/8/13, with Hollis, jjrauen, and sixpez. What a great group to play with. Just to reiterate what has been posted before, the course visually is stunning. Customer service was top notch. The starter was very helpful, but when he said that the putts break as you see them, no Indio effect, well he may be right, but something had an effect on the breaks as no one in our group could make a putt of any significant length.

Tee boxes were OK, some divot damage in the fairways (i ended up in a horrendous unfilled divot on one of my best drives of the day, kinda disappointing, and not the only one who ended up in a divot on their drive). There was some ball mark damage on the greens, but unfortunately can't blame that on a very horrendous putting exhibition by me.

Everything else at the facility was top notch, from valet to the awards ceremony afterwards. As far as the driving range, the one used is not the main one (which is located in the wash under the bridge), don't know why the alternative one was used.

Another great experience at a GK event, hope I can make most of them next year.

Played Sunday December 8th as part of the GK Event. It's always a good group and today was no exception. Course was beautiful! Very stunning and varied layout. However I believe it to be a difficult c... Continue »

Played Sunday December 8th as part of the GK Event. It's always a good group and today was no exception. Course was beautiful! Very stunning and varied layout. However I believe it to be a difficult course for women with little thought given to the forward tee placement -except forward more, and includes some long reaches to carry sand, water, and other terrain challenges.

Fairways are lush and pretty! The greens were tough and had some diabolical breaks that really made sure each and every stroke counted. Surprisingly some of the greens had quite a bit of ball mark damage. Not sure why as the rest of the course is very nicely kept. Sand was soft and deep and EVERYWHERE!!! If you aren't a sand player beware!! :-) Cart was well stocked and by all the time! We were never left wondering how long until we saw it. We appreciated that a LOT! Very nice clubhouse too!

What is puzzling about this course is the driving range. There's a putting challenge course that is fun and well maintained. And then there's this sad little hitting area with overused mats, all very close to each other, and a few flags thrown onto a poorly maintained hilly area for a driving range. It's not just a space thing- the area COULD be made to look as nice as the rest of the course. Like I said- puzzling. Not that it wasn't perfectly sufficient for warm-up, it was, but it certainly doesn't get you ready to appreciate the beauty ahead of you!

All in all a great day of golf with good weather on a beautiful course with good people! A very nice day!