PGA WEST - Stadium, Nicklaus, Norman - Review

[GolfSpy Tim]

PGA West - Three Course Review:

TPC Stadium

Nicklaus Tournament

Greg Norman

 

 

An Official MyGolfSpy.com Course Review

 

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Introduction:

 

Searching for Golf Mecca? (that's redundant right? Aren't we all????)

 

PGA WEST claims to be golf Mecca, and again and again you'll hear the Palm Springs region described as golf mecca - so is it true? Is this collection of 6 tracks the creme-de-la-creme??

 

 

As usual - our course review criteria can be found here.

 

We visited PGA WEST's 3 public courses for this review and scores will be given according to all three courses.

 

Amenities:

 

Both the Nicklaus Tournament course and TPC Stadium course share the same club house and many amenities, while the Greg Norman course has its own smaller club house and amenities.

 

 

PGA WEST is consistent in the quality and level of amenities amongst their public courses with fully stocked pro shops, club house with eats and drinks. The GPS on the carts is bar none - distance to the actual flag placement (though possibly slightly offer, is much better than distance to center of the green)

 

The disappointing piece of this equation was the frequency of the cart girl/beer cart - On my first round at the Stadium course over 5 hours of 18 holes and we only saw the cart girl twice. And sadly both times were probably an hour after I wanted a cigar and a drink - who really wants to commit with only 2 holes remaining?

 

A track of this caliber I would like to see a cart girl twice per 9.

 

Score: 8/10

 

Course Conditions:

 

PGA WEST leaves nothing lacking in their course conditions and upkeep. Traps are all perfect waiting to eat your balls, the grass is setup perfectly and the greens roll consistently.

 

 

These are definitely the best public conditions I have experienced. Not a perfect 10, but we save those for gymnastics.

 

Score: 9/10

 

Beauty/Scenery:

 

Sometimes walking around in nature, you just want to take your clothes off because everything is so beautiful - I'm not sure if these tracks quite pulled that longing out of me, but for being surrounded by homes, every one of these tracks consistently surprised me with just how beautiful they were. I never felt like I was golfing in the middle of a housing community even though I was. The homes were just enough there to remind me to keep my clothes on, but just far enough away to allow me to breath and enjoy my round.

 

 

I would score higher if I could, but that would discount the work done on our course review rubric that Matt created.

 

Score: 8.1/10

 

Customer Service/Guest Experience:

 

No fuss here - I was treated as I would expect to be treated. Did I get a shoe shine? no... but everyone was incredibly helpful, friendly, and non-pretentious.

 

 

And seriously, the starters - talk about making me look forward to retiring and working as a starter 1 day a week for free rounds - yes please.

 

Score: 9/10

 

Practice Facilities:

 

 

Everything was perfect. A driving range with plenty of space, full length, perfectly kept grass, chipping and putting areas that matched the actual course - and all close by and readily available. I should have stuck around and worked on my game after my round.

 

Score: 10/10

 

Accessibility to all levels:

 

The mixture of courses available at PGA WEST will please and frustrate any level of golfer equally. The Nicklaus Tournament track was my favorite, and was also the most kind to my game. When punished, you were not pounded into the ground, whereas at the Stadium course I was welcomed by 20 foot deep sand traps, narrow fairways and long forced carries.

 

 

In 2007 Golf Digest rated TPC Stadium as one of the 50 toughest courses in America. The good news, they have a selection of tee boxes making this course playable for most any ability level (though I believe even the "women's" tees would still destroy me on this course!)

 

Score: 10/10

 

Value:

 

Such a fickle bastard this value figure... value is one of those pieces that truly holds a different meaning to everyone.I think the value for what you get at PGA WEST is solid. If you were to ask my wife, she would say she would only allow me to play there once a year, and might question even that (but she doesn't play golf...)

 

 

Rack tee times from $195 to $235, the value here isn't in being cheap, the Value is in great courses to play - and green fees available through other sources for as low as $105. (these are peak season prices)

 

Score: 9/10

 

Difficulty:This is one spot it might be more fair to break down by course:

 

Stadium - simply put, this is a tough and punishing course. Definitely not "fair" - there are not nearly as many rewards as there are punishments. But, going into this course expecting all of that, it's an absolute blast to play. How often do you get to get up and down from a 20 foot deep bunker!? - 6.8/10

 

 

Nicklaus - Not to downplay this course, but playing it the day after Stadium, it almost felt easy. This is a very fair course. Even missed shots are not penalized terribly. I would probably play this course two times a week, and then play the other two courses every other week if I lived in the area. - 10/10

 

Norman - Well, the guy is from Australia, so what do you expect for him to do in the desert except make the crap come into play. SAND TRAPS!!! Target style golf that rewards carefully placed shots and truly punishes the rest. I don't play well in this type of golf, so for my play, this was nearly as difficult as Stadium - but at the same time, I made this course more tough on myself by trying to play the gaps vs. laying up. - 8/10

 

 

All together, I want to say 9/10, but more realistically I'd say as a whole, the facility probably goes closer to 8 or 8.5.

 

Score: 8.5/10

 

Variety:

 

As a whole, the PGA WEST facilities provide a ton of GREAT variety, almost like 31 Flavors, but a heck of a lot more expensive. Each course in it's own right provides a great deal of differing holes and shots. No joke, there's a LOT of good fun to be had. Probably even more if you saw the cart girl once or twice more...... (seriously, I REALLY just wanted a cigar a couple of times!!!!!)

 

Score: 10/10

 

Memorability:

 

Probably one of the most beautiful sunset experiences I've ever had happened on the Stadium course:

 

I've mentioned it before, and I'll mentioned it again, I got up and down from a 20' deep bunker - that sticks with a guy's memory. Then I put 6 balls in the water on Alcatrez... not a proud moment in my life - but I really can't wait to go back and show that hole who's it's daddy, cause getting bent over like that really messes with a guy's brain!

 

 

Not to mention the two other courses, I remember trying to count the bunkers on more than one hole that Normal felt the need to put in my way, and doing it ever so strategically on each hole.

 

Stadium is a true 10/10 here for me, while the other two are both solid at 9.

 

Score: 9.3/10

 

Conclusion:

 

Do I think you should run to La Quinta/Palm Springs and play these courses?? YES!!!! Do I want you to invite me when you do? Please, by all means!

 

These were some of my most memorable rounds of golf I've played. I'm BUMMED that I didn't get a cigar for each of those rounds. I WILL NOT forget my cigars next time!!!

 

Not only is PGA WEST the PERFECT place for you and your buddies to plan your ultimate guys trip, but if you're just passing through on business, you can't go wrong with a round here.

 

 

The prices are right both during peak season and during the off-season. One member was telling me that I need to start visiting my in-laws (they live in the desert) and teach myself to get up early mid-summer because the conditions are perfect, and the prices are crazy cheap for what you're getting, not to mention the place is empty. - I DETEST getting up early, but I kid you not, I do believe I'll be making this happen when the summer hits and I'm visiting the in-laws.

 

 

There are some true gems in the Palm Springs golf region, and PGA WEST just happens to have 3 of them!

 

Score: 90.9/100

 

 

 

 

 

[Matt Saternus]

Nice review, Tim. That sunset pic is AMAZING. Your photography alone sells these courses.

[GolfSpy WD]

You have a rough job Tim. Not every man has the courage to go down in the trenches to do a review like this. A true hero.

 

Seriously though, very well done. Love the sunset picture. I just made it my computer's wallpaper.