In short
For a Palm Springs golf trip, stay mid valley: La Quinta Resort and Club gives you the PGA West Stadium Course and four other resort courses, with tee times up to 365 days ahead for guests, and the hotels next to Indian Wells Golf Resort put two public courses within a short walk. Every course on this page takes visitors, but prices are dynamic, so book your anchor rounds as soon as your dates are set. November to April is the season; avoid January 18 to 24, 2027 if you want the Stadium Course, since The American Express is played there that week.
Where to stay in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley
Pick an area to see hotels and rentals there at live prices.
Live map · La Quinta Resort and ClubHotels and rentals at live prices, Mon, Feb 8 to Fri, Feb 12
Open the live map for La Quinta Resort and Club ↗
Prices and availability come from booking sites through Stay22. Change the dates on the map to match your trip.
ACourse to play
Courses you can play in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley
-
Resort guests first
PGA West Stadium Course
Pete Dye's famous course at PGA West, one of the courses of The American Express. Open to the public, with La Quinta Resort guests able to book up to a year ahead.
Open to the public, with priority for La Quinta Resort and Club guests, who can book tee times up to 365 days ahead on the resort guest booking site. The public booking window is not published. Cancel at least 48 hours before the round to avoid a charge. Group bookings: 760-564-7610. The course is one of the PGA Tour's American Express courses, with tournament week from January 18 to 24, 2027 (rounds January 21 to 24); closure dates around the event are not published.
-
Resort guests first
PGA West Nicklaus Tournament Course
Jack Nicklaus' resort course at PGA West, the second American Express course. Booked the same way as the Stadium Course.
Booked the same way as the Stadium Course: resort guests up to 365 days ahead, public window not published, 48 hour cancellation. It is the second PGA West course used for The American Express (January 18 to 24, 2027).
-
Resort guests first
La Quinta Resort Mountain Course
A Pete Dye course set against the Santa Rosa Mountains, right by La Quinta Resort. Public, with the same resort guest priority.
A Pete Dye course at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains, next to the resort itself. Same booking rules as the PGA West courses: resort guests up to 365 days ahead, a separate public booking site, 48 hour cancellation. Not to be confused with Desert Willow's Mountain View Course.
-
Open to the public
Indian Wells Golf Resort
Two city owned public courses, the Celebrity and the Players, the Players reopened in December 2025 after a John Fought renovation. Book up to 90 days ahead, prepaid.
Two public courses owned by the City of Indian Wells. Book up to 90 days ahead online or on 760-346-4653. All tee times are paid in advance, with a 24 hour cancellation period. The Players Course reopened on December 2, 2025 after a John Fought renovation and now plays as a par 71.
-
Open to the public
Desert Willow Golf Resort
Palm Desert's two city owned public courses, Firecliff and Mountain View. Visitors book up to 60 days ahead at dynamic prices.
Two public courses owned by the City of Palm Desert. Visitors book up to 60 days ahead online or on 760-346-7060; residents only 3 days ahead. Firecliff is closed for overseeding from November 9 to December 25, 2026 and reopens December 26, 2026.
-
Open to the public
Escena Golf Club
A public Nicklaus Design course next to Palm Springs International Airport, with mountain views. Tee times open 30 days ahead.
Public. Book online or in the club's app up to 30 days ahead, or call 760-778-2737.
How tee times work
Every course on this page takes visitors, and you book them yourself online or by phone. La Quinta Resort guests can book the Stadium, Nicklaus Tournament and resort courses up to 365 days ahead, while the public window there is not published. Indian Wells Golf Resort opens tee times 90 days ahead and charges when you book, Desert Willow opens 60 days ahead for visitors and Escena 30 days. All of them price tee times by date and time rather than from a fixed rate card, so the price you see depends on the day and the hour. Cancel at least 48 hours ahead at La Quinta and PGA West and 24 hours ahead at Indian Wells.
Closures to know about
Courses close in turn each autumn for overseeding, usually for three to seven weeks between late September and late December, then run cart path only for a few weeks. In 2026 (first closed day, then reopening day): PGA West Dunes closed September 28 and reopened October 26; Nicklaus Tournament closed October 5 and reopened November 2 (cart path only to November 22); Stadium closed October 12 and reopens November 9 (cart path only to November 29); La Quinta Mountain closed October 19 and reopens November 16 (cart path only to December 6); Greg Norman closes November 9 and reopens December 7. Desert Willow Mountain View closed September 21 and reopened October 23; Desert Willow Firecliff closes November 9 and reopens December 26, 2026. A golf travel agency's 2026 list (not the clubs) gives Indian Wells Celebrity September 28 to October 22, Indian Wells Players October 25 to November 12 and Escena September 28 to October 30; Indian Wells' own calendar shows the Players Course cart path only until December 3, 2026. The 2027 dates are not published yet. The PGA West Stadium and Nicklaus Tournament courses host The American Express from January 18 to 24, 2027; closure dates around the event are not published.
A sensible plan
Four nights at La Quinta Resort or next to Indian Wells works well: land at PSP and play Escena in the afternoon, then the Stadium Course early on day two, the Indian Wells Players Course on day three and Desert Willow's Firecliff on day four, with the Nicklaus Tournament or the Mountain Course as a spare round. Book the Stadium Course first and fit the others around it.
Getting there
Fly into Palm Springs International (PSP). Escena is about 10 minutes from the terminal, Desert Willow about 25, Indian Wells about 30 and PGA West about 40. Drive times on this page are outside peak season traffic, rounded up to the next 5 minutes; allow more on Highway 111 and Interstate 10 in winter. You will want a car for the trip, since the courses are spread along the valley.
Practical notes
- Carts
- Expect cart path only for two to three weeks after each course reopens from overseeding (PGA West publishes the dates). La Quinta Resort and PGA West green fees include a shared cart.
- Dress code
- La Quinta Resort and PGA West: collared shirts with long pants or walking shorts; no denim, T-shirts, tank tops, athletic shorts or cargo shorts; no metal spikes and no personal coolers. Check each club for its own rules.
- Cancelling
- Cancel at least 48 hours ahead at La Quinta Resort and PGA West, and 24 hours ahead at Indian Wells, where every tee time is prepaid.
- Shuttle
- La Quinta Resort and Club runs a shuttle for its guests to all five of its courses, including the three PGA West resort courses.
- Stay rules
- In Palm Springs, any home rented for 28 days or less needs a city registration certificate (a vacation rental or homeshare certificate). Other valley cities have their own permit rules, so ask the owner or agency for the permit number.
- Weather
- Winter highs average in the low to mid 70s F and nights can fall into the 40s. From June to September highs often pass 100 F, which is why green fees drop in summer.
When to book
- NowBook a room with free cancellation as close to the course as you can.
- Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
- February 8 to 12, 2027Your trip.
Free guide
The Unofficial Palm Springs Golf Trip Guide
Every area, every course, how tee times work and the booking dates in one place, updated every year.
Palm Springs golf trip questions
Can I play the PGA West Stadium Course if I am not staying at La Quinta Resort?
Yes. The Stadium Course is open to the public through La Quinta Resort's public booking site. Resort guests get priority and can book up to 365 days ahead, so staying at the resort is the surest way to get the time you want.
Where should I stay for a Palm Springs golf trip?
Mid valley puts you closest to most of the courses: La Quinta Resort for PGA West, the hotels next to Indian Wells Golf Resort, or Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage for Desert Willow. Downtown Palm Springs is livelier at night but about 40 minutes from PGA West.
How far ahead can I book tee times in Palm Springs?
La Quinta Resort guests can book PGA West and the resort courses up to 365 days ahead. Indian Wells Golf Resort opens tee times 90 days ahead, Desert Willow 60 days for visitors and Escena 30 days.
How much does a round of golf cost in Palm Springs?
The courses on this page set prices by date and time, with no published rate cards, so check each booking site for your dates. Winter is the most expensive season and summer rates drop sharply. On La Quinta Resort's Stay and Play package the Stadium Course costs 50 USD more per round than the other courses.
When is the best time for a golf trip to Palm Springs?
November to April, when highs are mostly in the 70s and 80s F. From June to September highs often pass 100 F, so summer golf is cheaper but best at dawn. Courses close in turn for overseeding in autumn.
When are Palm Springs golf courses closed for overseeding?
Each course closes for three to seven weeks between late September and late December while winter grass is planted, then runs cart path only for a while. In 2026 Desert Willow's Firecliff is closed from November 9 and reopens December 26, and the PGA West courses reopen between late October and December 7.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
Photo credits
- Desert Willow "Firecliff" - panoramio by David Balmer, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- La Quinta Resort Early Morning (cropped) by Digimint, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- El Paseo (Palm Desert) 01 by Visitor7, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rancho mirage overlook by Ranchomirageca, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Palm Springs Palm Canyon Dr by Renhau (R. Haupt), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- The Mountain View Course at Desert Willow Golf Resort, Palm Desert, California by Christopher Hurdzan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
.JPG){kind=link}
_01.jpg){kind=link}
