via GooglePalm Springs
Palm Springs is California's bucket-list desert golf destination, anchored by Pete Dye's legendary PGA West Stadium Course, 12 courses in our catalog, $$$ pricing, fly into PSP, best played January through May and October through December.
Winter escape capital. Pete Dye's PGA West Stadium Course (Alcatraz 17th) anchors a 20-year-running 'Battle in the Desert' buddies trip format. La Quinta Resort stay-and-play unlocks 5 PGA West courses plus the Mountain/Dunes, with Desert Willow and Indian Wells as public-access standouts.
What are the top golf courses in Palm Springs?
12 courses
Palm Springs has 12 courses in Scramble's catalog, anchored by PGA West: Stadium Course, PGA West: Nicklaus Tournament Course, and La Quinta Resort: Mountain Course. Multiple of these are nationally ranked. Each plays as a destination-quality round on its own. All three play within a normal trip itinerary out of the same lodging base.
$$$$PGA West: Stadium Course
Pete Dye (1986)
$$$PGA West: Nicklaus Tournament Course
Jack Nicklaus (1987)
$$$La Quinta Resort: Mountain Course
Pete Dye (1980)
$$$Desert Willow Golf Resort: Firecliff Course
Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry, John Cook (1997)
$$$Indian Wells Golf Resort: Celebrity Course
Clive Clark (2006)
$$$Indian Wells Golf Resort: Players Course
John Fought (2007, recent renovation)
$$$Desert Willow Golf Resort: Mountain View Course
Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry (1998)
$$$PGA West: Norman Course
Greg Norman (1999)
$$$La Quinta Resort: Dunes Course
Pete Dye (1981)
$$$SilverRock Resort
Arnold Palmer (2005)
$$Escena Golf Club
Jack Nicklaus (2005)
$$Westin Mission Hills: Pete Dye Course
Pete Dye (1988)
Photos by Google
How much does a 3-round Palm Springs golf trip cost?
A 3-round, 4-golfer trip to Palm Springs runs about $1,369 per person with mid-range ($$) lodging. That covers 3 peak-season green fees, lodging at roughly two golfers per room, and a daily food + ground-transit allowance. Flights are excluded since they depend on your home airport. Adjust the round count, group size, or tier on the trip calculator to see how the number moves. See the full breakdown →
Where is Palm Springs and how do I get there?
Palm Springs sits in California. The closest major airport is Palm Springs (PSP), which serves as the primary hub for most visitors. Most groups fly into PSP, rent one or two SUVs, and base out of a single resort or hotel for the entire trip.
What's the best month for golf in Palm Springs?
The strongest months for golf in Palm Springs are Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec, based on 20-year playability scores combining temperature and precipitation. Palm Springs averages a 66°F high in January and a 105°F high in July, so playable conditions cluster in the shoulder months. Book early in those windows. Rates and tee-time inventory tighten as the season firms up.
Best months: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec
Palm Springs data is part of Scramble's catalog of 128 destinations and 971 independently researched courses. Weather data from 20 years of Open-Meteo; awards compiled from Golf Digest, Golfweek, and state-level rankings.
Published June 2026. Updated when the data or Scramble’s recommendations change.