Desert Falls CC
A view of a green and snowy mountains in background at Desert Falls Country Club.
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Rating Index Rating
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3.8
1480 Reviews (1480)
5 Stars
443
4 Stars
660
3 Stars
241
2 Stars
86
1 Stars
50
Conditions
3.7
Value
3.8
Layout
4.2
Friendliness
3.8
Pace
4.2
Amenities
3.2
78.1%
Recommend this course
1204 out of 1480 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.8
120 Reviews (120)
5 Stars
26
4 Stars
59
3 Stars
27
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
5
Conditions
3.8
Value
3.8
Layout
4.2
Pace
4.2
Amenities
2.9
StaffFriendliness
3.5
80.8%
Recommend this course
97 out of 120 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.7
150 Reviews (150)
5 Stars
33
4 Stars
65
3 Stars
36
2 Stars
7
1 Stars
9
Conditions
3.6
Value
3.8
Layout
4.2
Pace
4.2
Amenities
3.0
StaffFriendliness
3.5
76.0%
Recommend this course
114 out of 150 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
The course layout consistently earns high marks for its challenging yet fair design with uniquely fun greens that roll true. Rounds move along efficiently, and the overall value makes this Palm Desert track worth booking.

About

Holes 18
Type Semi-Private
Style Links
Par 72
Length 6686 yards
Slope 143
Rating 79.5

Can bunkers qualify as their own continent? Desert Falls Country Club in Palm Desert seems determined to find out.

This Ron Frehm design boasts bunkers so huge that they look like the inventor of the Big Gulp came up with them. And escape is anything but guaranteed. Sometimes getting out of one bunker, just means landing in another at Desert Falls.

That is just part of the reason this course totes a 128 slope rating - putting it among the five highest slope ratings in the entire Palms Springs area. Remember, this is the golf mecca with Pete Dye's Stadium Course, which was only designed to be "the toughest golf course in the world." Desert Falls is on that list.

There are five sets of tees to take away some of the bite. But the greens are still an obstacle of their own. These are undulating greens that are large enough to offer several varieties of challenges.

Just getting on the green is not enough at Desert Falls. It's important to land on the right part of the green. This is also a course with more hills than you expect to see in the desert.

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Desert Falls Country Club
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Course Details

Year Built 1984
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Tifdwarf Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Ron Fream (1984) Chris Pitman (1984)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
GPS Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Dress code Proper golf attire required.

Food & Beverage

Bar, Grill

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Meeting Facilities, Banquet Facilities
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Reviews

3.8
1480 Reviews (1480)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 20
19th Hole Scenic Views 15
Patio Dining 12
Course Challenges Include:
Water Hazards 42
Bunkers 39
Undulating Greens 31
This course/club is great for:
Locals 30
Advanced Golfers 29
Seniors 17
This Course's Location is:
Convenient to the City 37
Worth the Drive 14
At a Resort 9

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 42
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Six-somes? Come on, now!

I know there are guys who'd like to play together, especially frat boys or some type of seasonal gatherings. But, a group of 6 (and there were multiple groups of six players) should not be allowed, period. Now, one might ask, "Why not ask and play through?" Well, you can't when there are something like three six-somes ahead of you. Personally, the joy of playing this course on weekends is the pace of play -- come out here for a couple of hours and get a round in. But, with the six-somes, it took almost 3.5 hours to complete the round. I know there were other singles who were frustrated as well. So, I hope this was a rarity, not the norm.

Now, the course layout is challenging, and I like the so-called link style of play. The ownership change has led to paying for practice balls, and I think that's unusual for this area -- most courses offer the practice facility access for free. The course condition will worsen rather dramatically after the Memorial Day, so be aware.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing

Jefferey is racially motivated

One of the staff members named Jefferey at the pro shop was constantly harassing us and our group. We were keeping up the pace of play and told that we had split up our group. We had 10 people and he wanted us to split 3,3,3,1. Instead a twosome and two foursomes. So we argued ever since we checked in. He yelled at us for having a cooler yet it was camera bag. Seemed like he stereotyped us yet we just came to golf. Seemed like he is racially motivated.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

All I can say is that when it was club corp it was totally a private coarse feeling

Now that new owners it seems like that it’s not about the golf but the bottom by line

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Na

Different tee options made this a challenging fair and fun course. Conditions were good.

Definitely reccommend.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Poor

The coarse use to have a private club atmosphere

Now it’s worse than a public coarse

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/14/2024

Such coarse words Fratts...

Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 53
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Perfect weather

Player friendly

Most of the fairways and greens are above average in size, condition was above normal for a course this size, greens had a decent pace, watch out for water on 9 and 18, everything about this place is big including club house and practice area, will be back

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 82
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 365
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Arizona Advisor
Verified Purchaser
Top 25 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Didn"t know it existed

Found this Semi-private course on Golfnow. Turns out it was right around the corner from our timeshare at the Hilton. I enjoyed the layout and the condition and it was not very busy. Next time i"ll pay more attention to the placement and size of the water feature as you are coming uphill to numbers 9 and 18. I got wet on both.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Rude Pro Staff who dislike GN

I MADE RESERVATION VIA GN. I asked for a change to tee time..since there was an opening.. absolutely not you booked through GN. The price was the same.. he said the only reason I wouldn't adjust was cuz GN RESERVATION.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 56
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great Course

We've played this course every year for past 20+ years. Very nice course in good condition

We had 2 groups of young guys ahead of us who were pretty slow and not very considerate of others behind them. Spent a lot of time BS'ing on the t box and on the fairways

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 365
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Arizona Advisor
Verified Purchaser
Top 25 Contributor
First Time Playing

Found an internet special at this semi-private club

Course was pretty quiet at 10:15am, guessing that the members were somewhere in cooler temperatures although you couldn’t call 90* real hot. The course was in good shape, tees, fairways and greens and had plenty of contours and interesting holes. 9 and 18 both surprised us with the extent of unseen water hazard.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
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