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
1469 Reviews (1469)
5 Stars
442
4 Stars
653
3 Stars
239
2 Stars
85
1 Stars
50
Conditions
3.8
Value
3.8
Layout
4.2
Friendliness
3.9
Pace
4.2
Amenities
3.2
78.5%
Recommend this course
1195 out of 1469 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.8
109 Reviews (109)
5 Stars
25
4 Stars
52
3 Stars
25
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
5
Conditions
3.8
Value
3.8
Layout
4.2
Pace
4.2
Amenities
2.9
StaffFriendliness
3.4
80.7%
Recommend this course
88 out of 109 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.8
152 Reviews (152)
5 Stars
38
4 Stars
63
3 Stars
36
2 Stars
6
1 Stars
9
Conditions
3.7
Value
3.8
Layout
4.2
Pace
4.2
Amenities
3.0
StaffFriendliness
3.6
77.0%
Recommend this course
117 out of 152 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
1469 Reviews (1469)

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 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 18
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing

Don’t waste your money

Course was in very poor condition. Fairways were especially bad and overall poorly manicured. No beverage cart was a bummer.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Beautiful Course Great Design

Every hole is a different setup requiring every type of shot and club, makes return play just as challenging as the first

Course rough is severe my partner lost two balls although we saw where they landed. Some fairways need attention. Greens are great roll true and fast

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Cut the grass!!

Right off the fairway, you get 4-6 inch grass. Spent way too much time looking for balls. Course has a lot of blind shots but no gps in the cart. Very hilly course, can’t laser the green, no gps in the cart just guessing distances all day.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played

Don’t waste your money this year wait until the fall 2022

The course is in such bad shape this year it’s not worth playing. The fairways are bare with no grass in at least 35% of the fairways and the other grass is too thin to hold a ball up. The rough is in terrible shape (too long and dead spots). The bunkers are very muddy.

The greens are in good shape still on the slower side but ok.

Staff are great.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Nice course

This is a bigger course than most in the valley. Lots of wide forgiving fairways. Plenty of bunkers. Greens were odd-shaped and medium speed. Fairways in good shape, but the rough is a bit clumpy.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Very Disappointed

Staff was nice, but course was in terrible condition. Rye fairways and rough was spotted. Greens we’re slow as molasses.

Use to be in better shape, heard new owner has it and over half its members left.

I’m a Golf Digest Panelist and I rate golf courses, so I’m not just saying something that I don’t know.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Fairways and rough need work

The greens were in good shape. Not so for the fairways and rough. Lots of bare spots in the fairways and high dense grass/weeds in the rough. For much of the round we played behind a sevensome.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 243
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 33
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Course is beautiful BUT

If you just want to take lots of pictures and enjoy the scenery this is your course. However, don’t play this course if you’re not with a local or have never played here before. The normal rough is at least 4 inches long and slows down play extremely. There are tons of blind shots and if you aim at the flag the are large hidden rough/hazard areas of thick 18” long grassy, weedy mess. If you hit there don’t bother looking. I am sure this is a course I will leave of my list when I return to the valley.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Fair
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

This course is easily the worst course in the Palm Desert area.

Everything about this course is terrible.

I will never play this course again

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
2.0
Verified Purchaser

The fairways were without grass., cut to nubs, rough very high, needed to be cut. Greens were ok

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
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