Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS MILLER / IMAGINE IMAGERY
Palm Springs
Indian Canyons Golf Resort
Once a private club, this 36-hole facility set on 550 acres was a favorite haunt of Hollywood celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope and presidents including Ronald Reagan and Lyndon B. Johnson. indiancanyonsgolf.com
Cathedral City
Cimarrón Golf Resort
Two courses at this centrally located golf resort feature unobstructed views of Mount San Jacinto. At 6,782 yards, the Boulder Course provides a challenging yet approachable layout, while the 3,020-yard Pebble Course will get you in and out in under three hours. cimarrongolf.com
Rancho Mirage
The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa
Opened in 1987, the Westin’s Pete Dye Resort Course is billed by the club as “potentially diabolical yet indescribably playable.” westinranchomiragegolf.com
Palm Desert
Desert Willow Golf Resort
Natural hazards and water features will test your game on the challenging Firecliff Course. The scenic Mountain View Course lends itself to a more relaxing round. desertwillow.com
Indian Wells
Indian Wells Golf Resort
Clive Clark’s Celebrity Course stretches across an undulating landscape with streams and split-level lakes with waterfall features, while the
John Fought–designed Players Course challenges even the most well-seasoned golfers with sculpted bunkers and thickets of trees. indianwellsgolfresort.com
La Quinta
SilverRock Resort
Nestled at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains, the Arnold Palmer Classic Course plays at a lofty level befitting its surrounds. Now in the process of a $420 million enhancement project — including a back-nine rework allotting space for incoming hotels and residences — the course remains open through development. silverrock.org
Read next: In 1995, three presidents made PGA Tour history with 18 holes in Indian Wells.