PGA West: Norman Course

Greg Norman's 1999 PGA West design, 7,200 yards on only 68 acres of maintained turf, with 102 distinctive white crushed-marble bunkers and shark-blue water on nine holes. The routing sits in a prehistoric ocean bed 40 feet below sea level, surrounded by a crescent of terra-cotta-colored mountains that dominate every skyline view. The par-4 10th is the short test: tempting long hitters to go for the green despite surrounding bunker traps. The 216-yard par-3 13th features a fairway curving toward a man-made lake and tilted down sharply, giving golfers the sensation of hitting along a ledge. Sandy waste areas replace traditional rough, allowing clean recovery shots rather than punishing misses. Water appears on half the holes, almost always right-side, Norman's way of demanding a shaped fade. Third of three PGA West courses open to resort/public play, alongside the Stadium (Pete Dye) and Jack Nicklaus Tournament.