The Greg Norman layout at La Quinta is the newest course at PGA WEST. The following is quoted from from pgawest.com: The course "lies in a seabed 40-feet below sea level surrounded by an immense crescent of terra-cotta mountains. The course teems with purple, white and yellow wildflowers, while the mix of tall and short native grasses produce different shades of green running almost to silver. The grass covers just 60 acres of tight fairways that taper toward the greens with nine ponds covering 18 acres. The demands of this course are a challenge for players of all levels."
The Greg Norman course at La Quinta is a semi-private affair, open to guests of the resort, that plays 7,156 yards from the back tees for a par of 72, a course rating of 75.1 and a slope of 139. Folks. there's not a lot of short grass on this golf course; as the the official word says, only 60 acres in all. That means very tight landing areas and a real need for you to pick your tee box with care; accuracy off the tee is an absolute must. Five sets of tee boxes are provided to give golfers of all levels of skill a chance at a low score.
To my mind, Greg has always been under-rated as a designer. In fact, I can't think of a Norman design I don't like and, in fact, his layout at Red Sky is one of my favorites, but I digress. This Greg Norman design is an exercise in one man's creativity and imagination. For sure it vies with the PGA WEST Stadium course as one of the two most challenging layouts at PGA West and has already co-hosted the PGA Tour Pre-Qualifying Tournament in 2006 and 2007. The PGA West Norman course is also the venue for The Prestige at PGA West, "one of college golf's most acclaimed Intercollegiate Invitational events, drawing only top-ranked universities."
Green Fees:
The rate varies with the season but expect to pay fron $59 - $195, includes cart. For current rates, please call the number listed below. Tee times are accepted three days prior to play for outside play.
Contact:
Greg Norman Course, 81405 Kingston Heath, La Quinta, CA 92253-7678; (760) 564-3900; Fax: (760) 777-1246
Read my full review of La Quinta Resort & Club
Where to Stay:
Compare Prices for nights at La Quinta Resort & Club
How to Get There: Fly into Palm Springs International Airport (PSP). The airport is served by 10 major airlines that connect to cities worldwide. Transport to the resort: taxi, car rental of shuttle (Desert Valley Shuttle - 800 413 3999 - 760 251 4020 - Fax 760 251 7550)
Look for the best airline and car rental deals with these two aggregators, which provide travelers with an up-to-date search tool to compare prices on airfares and car rentals of all ratings:
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