Courses, Travel & Tee Times

Toscana Country Club centers one of the hottest second home golf communities in the Palm Springs region

Jack Nicklaus made his return to the golf-rich Palm Springs region with two designs that anchor the Toscana Country Club community, which is quickly positioning itself as the hottest second-home golf community in the area. If you can afford it, Toscana is certainly worth a look, Larry Olmsted writes.

The Golf Club at La Quinta: Skins Game is gone, but the soul remains

The pros have left The Golf Club at La Quinta, the former host of the LG Skins Game, but the course remains an engaging desert golf experience for the average player. With one of the Coachella Valley's most entertaining collections of par 3s, this Gary Panks design features solid course conditions and engaging holes with inspired backdrops.

Big Break big drives and big presentation The Players Course at Indian Wells Golf Resort near Palm Desert

The result of a total overhaul by designer John Fought in 2007, the Players Course at Indian Wells rolls at nearly 7,400 yards from the tips (3,917 on the front alone) and features 60 impeccably sculpted bunkers. Without question, the Players is among the most well sculpted golf courses in the desert. Aptly lauded among the nation's finest muni venues, few public plays in the Coachella Valley that can boast such manicured grounds.

Indian Canyons Golf Resort s South Course A perfect first for a Palm Springs area golf vacation

The South Course at Indian Canyons Golf Resort in Palm Springs, Calif., is among the most enjoyable and player-friendly experiences in the region. If you're prepping for a Palm Springs golf getaway, play this course first. It offers a plethora of inspired desert terrain and will instill scoring confidence for the rest of your trip, Judd Spicer writes.

Marriott s Shadow Ridge Golf Club in Palm Desert is the Nick Faldo fan s cup of tea

Shadow Ridge Golf Club, an amenity of the Marriott Shadow Ridge resort in Palm Desert, represents the first American design for six-time major winner Nick Faldo, and it's clear that he wanted to make a statement with the creation. And he did, making Shadow Ridge one of the Coachella Valley's most challenging golf resort destinations, Judd Spicer writes.

Short irons or Dye La Quinta Resort Club s Dunes golf course offers tough choices

When packing your bag for the Dunes Course at La Quinta Resort & Club, ensure that you've got all 14 clubs -- you'll need each of them. The Dunes wasn't designed for distance. Instead, Pete Dye's design is expertly crafted for the intermediate player who wants to (or should) be playing from the whites at 6,324. So, jar the adrenaline and be ready to hit some golf shots.

Greg Norman Course at PGA West in La Quinta California A tranquil shark of desert golf

PGA West is known as "The Western Home of Golf in America," and the Greg Norman Course is the underestimated gem of the several layouts here. Situated away from the main clubhouse, the Norman Course is a tranquil marriage of quiet beauty and desert challenge, Judd Spicer writes.