What is the most desert style golf course in Palm Springs?

Desert Dunes is one of the purest desert style designs due to its native sand corridors and minimalistic shaping.

Which desert style course is best for mixed skill groups?

Escena and Terra Lago South offer forgiving landing zones while still maintaining strong desert visuals.

What desert course has the best scenery?

SilverRock offers some of the best scenery in Palm Springs with its towering Santa Rosa Mountain backdrop.

Which desert courses are budget friendly?

Terra Lago North and South often provide strong value compared to premium resort courses.

Palm Springs

Best Desert-Style Golf Courses in Palm Springs

Discover the top desert-style golf courses in Palm Springs with bold visuals and scenic routing.

December 1, 2025 · 9 min read

Palm Springs might be famous for palm-lined fairways and resort-style courses, but the Coachella Valley’s true identity shows up in its pure desert-style layouts. These are courses shaped around native arroyos, jagged sandscapes, natural washes, and open desert corridors where the mountains feel closer, and the air feels a little quieter.

Early morning light hits the native sand areas in soft pink tones, and afternoon rounds glow gold against rocky ridgelines. Desert golf in Palm Springs is dramatic but surprisingly playable, especially if your group chooses the right courses.

This guide highlights the best public access desert-style golf courses in Palm Springs, with course architecture, trip strategy, and group-friendly insights baked in.

Quick Answer: Best Desert Style Golf Courses in Palm Springs

The best desert-style golf courses in Palm Springs are Desert Dunes, Terra Lago North, Terra Lago South, Classic Club, Escena, and SilverRock. Each blends desert contours, native waste areas, and mountain-oriented visual framing. Desert Dunes is pure Robert Trent Jones Jr desert minimalism.

Terra Lago North and South offer bold shot-making, elevation changes, and some of the region’s best desert views. Classic Club presents sculpted desert bunkering with tour-level conditions. Escena blends modern desert architecture with clean visuals ideal for groups. SilverRock offers wide desert corridors set below the Santa Rosa Mountains.

Golf Digest and Golf Advisor reviews consistently rate these courses as some of the valley’s most scenic and memorable layouts. For more scenic choices, see our Most Scenic Golf Courses in Palm Springs.

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Desert Dunes Golf Club

A Robert Trent Jones Jr desert masterpiece that feels untouched and natural compared to more manicured resort tracks.

The routing plays through native sand corridors, creosote bushes, and rugged desert textures that amplify the pure desert style aesthetic.
At 6,876 yards, Desert Dunes offers a windy challenge at times but remains extremely playable from the forward and middle tees.
Morning rounds here are especially beautiful as shadows stretch across natural dunes and mountain ridges. Golf Digest has praised its minimalist desert character.
Connects naturally with our early morning pace insights in Best Palm Springs Golf Courses for Fast Rounds.

Best if your group wants pure desert golf with wind, scenery, and character.

Pros: authentic desert setting, strong architecture, great morning views
Cons: windy afternoons, remote feel compared to central Palm Springs

Terra Lago North Course

One of the most dramatic public desert-style courses in the Coachella Valley.

Designed by Schmidt Curley, Terra Lago North features rolling desert hills, elevated tee shots, and rugged native areas that frame bold shot shapes.
At 7,060 yards, North feels larger than life but plays very fair from the white and gold tees for mid and high handicappers.
The back nine includes some of the most photographable desert holes in the region, frequently highlighted in national rankings.
Pairs well with our trip planning guidance in the Ultimate Guide to Golf in Palm Springs.

Best if your group wants dramatic desert elevation changes and views.

Pros: bold shaping, great elevation, dramatic visuals
Cons: can be tough for beginners, exposed to the wind

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Classic Club

The Arnold Palmer-designed Classic Club blends desert-style bunkering with elevated fairways, dramatic shaping, and lush transitions that feel like hybrid desert golf.

At 7,322 yards, Classic Club was originally built to host the Bob Hope Classic and still delivers tour-level aesthetics.
Desert waste areas, deep bunkers, and elevated greens create strategic desert visuals without extreme penalties.
Mountain views and wide fairway corridors make it a group favorite. The conditioning is among the best in the valley.
TripAdvisor users frequently rank Classic Club in the top tier of Palm Springs public golf experiences.

Best if your group wants luxury desert architecture with tour-level polish.

Pros: immaculate conditions, big visuals, playable from forward tees
Cons: higher pricing, not as purely natural as Desert Dunes

Escena Golf Club

A Jack Nicklaus Design Company course that blends modern desert shaping with clean, wide fairway corridors.

At 7,173 yards, Escena uses elevated bunkers, angled fairways, and desert waste areas to create a contemporary desert feel.
The course is visually striking yet forgiving enough for mixed skill groups.
Escena’s clubhouse and palm-lined practice area offer some of the best mid-round scenery in central Palm Springs.
Pairs well with the weekend planning guidance in Best Palm Springs Golf Courses for Weekend Trips.

Best if your group wants modern desert visuals and clean strategic lines.

Pros: wide fairways, modern architecture, excellent early morning light
Cons: midday rounds slow in peak season, higher green fees

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SilverRock Resort

One of the most scenic desert corridor courses in the region, carved by Arnold Palmer against the backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mountains.

At 7,578 yards from the back tees, SilverRock can be long but plays much friendlier from the middle sets.
The desert corridors and native sand areas create a rugged feeling that still remains playable.
Its mountain backdrop is one of the most cinematic in all of Palm Springs public golf.
SilverRock is frequently referenced in scenic rankings and pairs naturally with our Best Golf Courses Near Downtown Palm Springs for location strategy.

Best if your group wants dramatic desert corridors with mountain views.

Pros: stunning scenery, playable routing, strong conditioning
Cons: long from the back tees, can get windy

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Nothing captures Palm Springs golf like desert corridors, native areas, and mountain-framed tee shots, and the courses above deliver the region’s boldest desert-style experiences.

Author

Ryan from 18Away Golf trip designer and editor

I help groups plan unforgettable itineraries across the top golf destinations in the U.S., blending real-golfer feedback with first-hand course research.

About the author · [email protected]

About This Palm Springs Guide

Every 18Away guide is independently written and updated by real golfers. We evaluate public access, group-friendly value, and proximity to top courses, referencing thousands of verified reviews, rate data, and on-site experience. Guides are refreshed regularly as conditions & pricing change over time.

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