PGA West Stadium Course: #17
PGA West Stadium Course #17: Welcome to “Alcatraz.” Home to Lee Trevino’s “Hole in One” – one of the most famous shots in golf history – which gave him the “Skins Game” victory over Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Raymond Floyd.
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Rating Index Rating
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4.5
1192 Reviews (1192)
5 Stars
756
4 Stars
273
3 Stars
96
2 Stars
41
1 Stars
26
Conditions
4.5
Value
4.2
Layout
4.8
Friendliness
4.6
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.6
91.0%
Recommend this course
1053 out of 1192 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.7
36 Reviews (36)
5 Stars
28
4 Stars
6
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.8
Value
4.2
Layout
4.9
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.5
StaffFriendliness
4.9
94.4%
Recommend this course
34 out of 36 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.5
94 Reviews (94)
5 Stars
62
4 Stars
22
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.5
Value
4.2
Layout
4.8
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.6
StaffFriendliness
4.7
90.4%
Recommend this course
85 out of 94 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
This iconic stadium course delivers a bucket-list layout with stunning mountain views, challenging water hazards, and conditions that consistently impress recent golfers. Welcoming staff from bag drop to pro shop make every visitor feel genuinely excited to play.

About

Holes 18
Type Public/Resort
Par 72
Length 7300 yards
Slope 148
Rating 75.8

This is the monster of all monsters, the one that carries so many folktales of golfer terror with it that it should qualify as its own myth. The developers asked Pete Dye to make this "the toughest golf course in the world" and many argue he succeeded. Too well.

The Stadium Course at PGA WEST in La Quinta is one of those tracks that any self-respecting golf nut has to play once. Just to experience it. Just to say you did. Just to have stories of golf cruelty to tell at the office water cooler. There's a 19-foot deep bunker on the 16th hole. That's right. A 19-foot deep bunker. Your ball won't get out. Heck, you might not get out. From the back tees it measures 7,300 yards with an incredible 148-slope rating.

Every hole is a story waiting to be told. Either in success to be bragged about or failure to be even more bragged about. The PGA players moaned about this course so loud that it's no longer a regular stop on tour. Yet for average hackers, it's often a joy of punishment. Go in with the right attitude and it's liable to be one of your most unforgettable days of golf.

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PGA WEST - Pete Dye Stadium Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1987
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Pete Dye (1987) Alice Dye (1986)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
GPS No
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes - "PGA WEST Golf Academy"
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes
Practice Hole Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Dress code No denim, collared shirt and bermuda shorts required

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities

Available Sports

Fitness, Tennis

Accolades

The Best Way To Book Is With GolfPass+
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10 rounds of waived fees
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$120 in tee time credits
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Tee Time Protection
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Reviews

4.5
1192 Reviews (1192)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 42
Patio Dining 28
19th Hole Scenic Views 26
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 70
Water Hazards 67
Forced Carries 49
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 61
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 52
A Weekend Splurge 31
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 42
At a Resort 34
Convenient to the City 18

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 12/08/2021

We love hearing about our golfers' experiences, u314162359515. Please tell us more about what you enjoyed during your round. Thanks for choosing The Stadium Course at PGA West!

Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 12/07/2021

Hi, Carl4783753. We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us. Thank you for the 4 stars! We aim for a 5-star experience, so we always welcome feedback for improvement. Thank you for playing The Stadium Course at PGA West.

Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 12/08/2021

Hi, Bobheller. We would love to hear more about your 4-star experience on our course. Please tell us what we can do to earn that last star, and thanks for golfing at The Stadium Course at PGA West!

Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Legit!!!

It's been a really long time since I played here. I remember it ate me up the first time, but I got my revenge the 2nd time.

Conditions were perfect! 78 degrees, slight breeze to make you think about club selection. Staff was super friendly. The course is fun! The shorter holes are well guarded with trouble so typical Pete Dye risk reward. The big holes give you plenty of room to miss. Couple of the par 3's are very demanding from the back tees. It's not too long with all the different tee boxes. Greens were perfect. Loved it! If you are off a little bit the place can punish you! Quality shots will be rewarded. Just want you want on a big time track!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 12/07/2021

Wow! We are so happy you enjoyed your round, u000002301345! We look forward to seeing you again soon at The Stadium Course at PGA West.

Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/22/2021

Hi, u1904568976. We would love to hear more about your positive experience on our course. Please contact us to share with us your favorite part of your experience. Thanks for golfing at The Stadium Course at PGA West!

Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/15/2021

Hi, u213503172. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your time at The Stadium Course at PGA West. We look forward to seeing you on the course soon for another 5-star experience!

Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/15/2021

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating, wolfofwhyte! We're delighted you enjoyed your round. Please book another round with us soon, and thanks for choosing The Stadium Course at PGA West!

Played On
Reviews 19
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Desert golf

Played Stadium course day 1 and it was terrific. I tried to play another course the following day but golf now app would not let me confirm as it asked for CVv code from my credit card. There is no place to enter cvv code in the app. So I called golf now and they said to try to configure on a PC instead of phone. No cvv entry there either. So I booked it directly with the course. Also the app would not accept my discount code. So the app currently is pretty useless until you get this figured out. $99/year for basically nothing is not a good value. Very disappointed

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/02/2021

We'll get to the bottom of this. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 10/19/2021

Hi, u314162275052. Thank you so much for the great review. We are glad you had an incredible time, and we hope to see you again soon! Thanks for choosing The Stadium Course at PGA West.

Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/02/2021

Hello, jungeunhapetit. We appreciate the review. You rated us 3-stars which means there is room to improve on your recent experience at The Stadium Course at PGA West. Let us know, in the comments, how and where you would like to see changes from the course. Thanks for the feedback!

Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

A bit rough

The layout of the course was fantastic, and boy is it challenging.

I was a bit disappointed with the shape of the course, lots of dry patches in the fairway and the tee boxes needed a bit of help too.

The overall experience was great, ended up 10 inches from a ace on the 17th. So ended on a high note.

I hope to return again and hopefully it will be up to par with maintenance.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/02/2021

Hi, jgirard76. Thank you so much for your feedback. We are glad you had enjoyed your time at The Stadium Course at PGA West, and pride ourselves on delivering the best experience possible.

We hope to see you again soon!

Played On
Reviews 17
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Challenging Course!

Bring your A game to this one. Bad shots are really punished. Pro shop staff were very friendly and helpful.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 10/18/2021

Hi, Mark2689068. We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us. Thank you for the 4 stars! We aim for a 5-star experience, so we always welcome feedback for improvement. Thank you for playing The Stadium Course at PGA West.

Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 10/18/2021

We're glad you enjoyed your 5-star experience with us, u000004120154. Please comment or reach out to our team in the golf shop to let us know more about your round at The Stadium Course at PGA West!

Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/02/2021

We're glad you enjoyed your 5-star experience with us, rrickrrodriguez15. Please comment or reach out to our team in the golf shop to let us know more about your round at The Stadium Course at PGA West!

Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 10/08/2021

Hi, Greg8983805. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your time at The Stadium Course at PGA West. We look forward to seeing you on the course soon for another 5-star experience!

Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Don't let the course intimidate you.

It's fun keep it simple and you could score low even! Pace was slow, greens was a struggle but a stunner, lived the experience!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/02/2021

Hi, Pietskiet. We appreciate you leaving a review and rating us. We will inform the entire team, so they know their hard work is paying off. We look forward to having you back at The Stadium Course at PGA West!

Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Just a great time with my friend who was playing the course for the first time!!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 10/08/2021

Thank you for taking the time to review us, Dodgers205. Your feedback is valuable, and we look forward to delivering you excellent service again soon. The Stadium Course at PGA West thanks you!

Played On
Reviews 95
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 500 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

The best course I've played in SoCal!

First time I've played this course and I was SO impressed. The conditions and staff were top notch but the star of the show was the absolutely amazing layout of this Pete Dye course!!! This course demands and rewards accuracy. I'm about a 12 handicap but I can be erratic off the tee. I had a fairly good day and shot an 86 from the whites. I've now played 48 courses in the Inland Empire and North San Diego County over the last 2 1/2 years. I had more fun playing this course than any other course! Truly a "MUST PLAY"!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/02/2021

Hello, broncostarrinhemet. Thanks so much for taking the time to write a review. We're so glad that you enjoyed your round at The Stadium Course at PGA West. Please visit us again soon!

Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/02/2021

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating, u314162076099! We're delighted you enjoyed your round. Please book another round with us soon, and thanks for choosing The Stadium Course at PGA West!

Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/02/2021

Hi, u00000736813. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your time at The Stadium Course at PGA West. We look forward to seeing you on the course soon for another 5-star experience!

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