La Quinta: Nicklaus Tournament Course
Many golfers regard this as the hardest of the golf courses at PGA West. I find that to be simply untrue when you compare it to the Stadium Course. The thing that you are struck by playing this golf course is exactly that you are not struck by it at all. The course is certainly hard, and lots of undulations and characteristics in the fairway are bound to give you an unlucky bounce or two during the round. However, other than that this course feels very much like a run of the mill resort golf course. Surrounded by homes with many long green to tee drives through the homes, you could be playing a throwaway golf course in Scottsdale. It just doesn’t feel like Palm Springs, and it certainly does not feel or play like a desert golf course either. The most memorable moment on the course is the 18th hole, which is a long par 5 with water on your right the whole way and a waste bunker that runs almost the length of the hole. My advice is don’t go in the water and don’t go in the waste bunker. This green and the green on 9 are both protected by water. Stick with the Norman and Stadium courses if you are only playing two rounds and honestly if your playing 3 play the Norman course twice.
Ranking
- Bucket list rank (from 1 to 5 buckets): 1 bucket
- Location: 7
- Spectacle/ visual: 5
- History: 3
- New/ancient: New
- Playability : 4
- Memorability : 2
- Buddy-a-bility : 6
- Service/etc: 3
- Value: 4 — it’s over priced. Only play it if you are playing three rounds and already have Stadium and Norman booked, even then, play Norman twice.
- Shopping: 6 The pro shop is large and comprehensive. If you feel you need a PGA west shirt you can likely find it in the brand and cut of your favorite designer. I opted for a ball marker.
- Warm up facilities/Range: 8 Very good shared facility with the Nicklaus course. Grass Range, many greens for putting and one for chipping
- Food & Drink: 5 Cart girls are few and far between, so grab them when you see them. The restaurant is shared with the Nicklaus course. The food is good, but the service is really not very good, and the hostess is slow and will tell you everything outside is reserved. So make a reservation, and STRESS what your tee time is, or they will be running your food out to you on the course.
