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I’d heard all the stories about Desert Dunes Golf Club and the powerful winds that whipped through that part of the Coachella Valley. But this is golf we’re talking about, and I was sure some of those stories were exaggerated, so I wasn’t worried. I was actually looking forward to some gusty conditions, since nothing challenges a golfer more than Mother Nature. But when I arrived for my afternoon tee time, there wasn’t enough breeze for Charlie Brown to fly a kite. That’s when I learned from both players, and employees, that while it can blow pretty hard at Desert Dunes there are “far, far more beautiful days than windy days,” said Mark Tansey, the president of the course’s management company, Sunrise Golf Management. “We are a great course with great conditions that has stood the test of time in an area with 117 18-hole equivalent golf courses.” THE COURSE Desert Dunes, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., opened in 1989. It’s hosted qualifying events for the U.S. Open, PGA Tour School and the Champions Tour. The par-72 layout plays 6,876 yards from the tips, but our group, where handicaps ranged from nine to 19, played the more manageable white tees, at 6,025 yards. It was still plenty of course for me. And, contrary to what I’d heard, the course was in flawless condition. Apparently, that hasn’t always been the case. A group of investors from Newport Beach bought the course in 2004 and quickly set out to improve both its condition and reputation. “The minute they took over we had new equipment and a new agronomic system,” Tansey said. “They worked hard to improve the course and the turf quality in order to complement one of the best layouts with one of the best-conditioned courses.” Desert Dunes is unlike any other course you’ll play in the Coachella Valley — or all of Southern California for that matter. Surrounded on all sides by native sand dunes — with not a house in site — the course has a Scottish links feel. To master, or at least hold this course at bay, you need to be accurate off the tee and your short game needs to be on. Nowhere is accuracy more important than on the back nine’s opening holes, where thick-bristled tamarisk trees line the narrow fairways. Like most Jones courses, many of the holes dogleg left, so being able to draw the ball is a plus. Unlike a typical Jones course, however, there are grassy swales and mounds that line the fairways and surround the greens. This makes a deft short game mandatory. MOST MEMORABLE Perhaps the prettiest hole is the 176-yard, par-3 fifth, which plays over vegetation-filled sand dunes and features the snow-capped San Jacinto mountains as a stunning backdrop. One of the more interesting holes is the 398-yard seventh. One of the few that doglegs right, this is a great and challenging hole. It’s followed by the toughest par 3 on the course, a 181-yard gem, with the putting surface guarded by a lake that surrounds the front and right side of the green. The signature hole is the 530-yard, par-5 16th, with its lake and cascading waterfall that guards the green. The hole also features an array of cactus and native desert plants as a backdrop. Wildlife is abundant in and around Desert Dunes. I’ve heard that a family of bobcats calls the course home and I spotted a cub coming up the ninth hole. “You’re almost interacting with nature as opposed to being in the back of someone’s condo,” Tansey said. “We kind of like that about our course.” LOCATION AND RATES Desert Dunes is located in Desert Hot Springs. Rates range from $85 to $95. For more information, call (760) 251-5370, or visit www.desertdunesgolf.com. SG |
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