Palm Springs is a bountiful oasis of stunning golf vistas during January. The RGV Tour was on the scene to capture some of the area’s finest locations. Please enjoy these 20 images presented in no particular order of greatness.
#20 - Bunker Benjamin at Bighorn
Often referred to as “The Most Interesting Man in the Desert,” Channing Benjamin is a golfer, photographer, and most importantly a good friend. Here we find the legend himself escaping from a classic Bighorn bunker en route to a ‘Classic Channing’ par save.
#19 - Shadows over Shadow Mountain
While you won’t find this course on many ‘Best of Palm Springs’ lists, it certainly made its way onto the RGV Tour’s radar. The course ’s short fun and radiates copious amounts Palm Springs vibes.
#18 - The Rise at Rams
Over many trips to Rams Hill, I have developed a particular fondness for the sunrises that happen out in Borrego Springs. Technically it is not a Palm Springs golf course, but the Rise at Rams does what it wants.
#17 - Turquoise at Tahquitz
The playing conditions in Palm Springs are almost always fantastic during the season and these long shadows do a great job of showing off the smooth surfaces at Tahquitz Creek. With as much play as this course receives, the purity is notable of the greens are notable.
#16 - Pete Party
Palm Springs is home to many spectacular Pete Dye designs and the Dye course at Mission Hills is often overlooked. Let it be known that the RGV Tour loves to party with Pete.
#15 - Under the Radar Reserve
The Reserve is one of those courses in Palm Springs that somehow manages to go unnoticed. The RGV Tour seeks out these destinations and attempts to lower the radar on the Palm Springs golf landscape.
#14 - Dunes for Breakfast
I am particularly fond of this photograph as it was my backyard for many nights in the RGV. PGA West kindly allowed the rig to put down some roots in the parking lot and I was greeted with this view every morning.
#13 & #12 - Two Part Pete Party
Pete Dye has given ample amounts of golf to the world and the Mountain Course at PGA West sports one of the most dramatic locations for a golf hole. Please enjoy this view from in front and behind the iconic par 5 15th hole.
#11 - Halfway Hangout
The 9th hole on PGA West’s Mountain course shows off during sunrise with a mixture of grass and sand bunkers. I have long stated that there needs to be more grass swales in place of excessive bunking. Here we find a good mixture of both.
#10 - Palm Party
Palm Party is very similar to the Pete Party but with gratuitous amounts of palm trees. Built on an old palm tree plantation, The Palms is one of the most striking clubs in Palm Springs. It also supports one of the lowest combined handicaps of any club in the nation, I birdied this hole and still lost half a shot to the field.
#9 - Undercover Canyons
I am not sure how the south course at Indian Canyons managed to elude my golf detective work for so many years but this resort has two 18 hole options with the south course providing some serious eye candy. I took advantage of the scenery and shot this beauty before the rain and an RGV Tour low score of 69.
#8 - Wonder at Thunder
Thunderbird Country Club gets lost with all of the shiny new golf courses in Palm Springs but I doubt the members mind much. I played with my friend Joe, who was a proud new member. His enthusiasm ran second only to this sunset.
#7 - Vantage point at Vintage
Vintage is one of the big boys of Palm Springs golf decadence. I perked up on one of my favorite short little par 4’s and found myself a perfect little picture. I particularly love a pin flag set in between creeping shadows.
#6 - Queen Quarry
While there certainly are no shortage of dramatic quarry shots from the Quarry at La Quinta, this simple snap struck my fancy. The contrast between the jagged quarry rocks and the silky smooth shadows against the perfectly manicured turf of The Quarry was too much for me to resist.
#5 - Stone Eagle Stunner
The very best golf course in Palm Springs is a golf and photography playground called Stone Eagle. The angles are wide and the views are breathtaking at every single turn. I would like to officially classify the view on 18 at sunset is “all world.”
#4 - Bridges over Madison Club
The round at Madison Club is lovingly referred to as the 5 pound round, due to the excessive amount of snacks and beverages provided to the golfer after every 3 holes. At this point during the day, I have consumed roughly 40,000 calories. My stomach is bursting at the seams with a hefty load of chocolate covered banana chips and I am happy as can be.
#3 - Desert Romance
The beautiful relationship with my Q Follow from Stewart Golf began a Desert Island Country Club. Together this year we will walk 500 of america’s greatest fairways. We will laugh, we will cry, and we will burn a billion calories. It all started here.
#2 - Nine Shades of Eldo
As the sun comes down over El Dorado Country Club , the spot to set up shop is on the right side of the fairway on 14th hole. The palms splash up against a mountainous backdrop and the sun spills over one of Fazio’s babbling brooks. Glorious… I couldn’t decided what option I liked best, so I posted my nine favorites.
#1 - El Dorado Eruption
We conclude this list with a blowout shot. A blowout of serious amounts of reclaimed water that is. The finishing hole on the front side of El Dorado sends us on our way to another sunny showdown with the nearby state of Arizona. We are just getting started here on The RGV Tour and I welcome you to settle in for what will be the world’s greatest display of golf in America.
