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
1195 Reviews (1195)
5 Stars
759
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
91.2%
Recommend this course
1056 out of 1195 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.7
39 Reviews (39)
5 Stars
31
4 Stars
6
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.8
Value
4.3
Layout
4.8
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.6
StaffFriendliness
4.9
94.9%
Recommend this course
37 out of 39 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.5
93 Reviews (93)
5 Stars
62
4 Stars
21
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.5
Value
4.3
Layout
4.7
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.6
StaffFriendliness
4.7
90.3%
Recommend this course
84 out of 93 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+ Annual
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10 rounds of waived fees
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$120 in tee time credits
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Reviews

4.5
1195 Reviews (1195)

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
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Felt like I was in the AMEX tournament

Played this while they were getting ready for the AMEX Desert Classic. Was told Brett Snedeker was in earlier. Very VERY well maintained course. Super challenging yet fun. Fast round with the help of GPS carts. Way better than Torrey Pines BY FAR.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/25/2021

Thank you for your kind words! We hope to see you again at the course very soon for another 5-star experience. Thanks for choosing The Stadium Course at PGA West.

Played On
Reviews 17
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/25/2021

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating, albertino! 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 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/25/2021

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 10
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Always Great

First time playing Stadium during winter, course was in great condition as you would expect, especially two weeks before the PGA Tour is there. Fairways and Greens were a little long, but figure they are keeping them that way before they trim them down for the AMEX. Def a challenging course for any level, even if you are in the middle of the fairway you might not get a flat lie. Water everywhere as with all Pete Dye courses. Can't wait to be back, shot in the 70's my only two rounds played here, but I know this place will get some revenge on me soon lol

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/12/2021

Your feedback is important to us, geoffsumpter. Thank you for sharing your 5-star experience. We look forward to seeing you again at the course soon! Thanks for choosing The Stadium Course at PGA West.

Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/12/2021

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 1
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great Course

I was matched up with players that were 25 handicaps and wanted to play from the tips. Obviously, they struggled and slowed our pace. How does the saying go? Know thyself. Even with the slow pace, I really enjoyed the course and they whole experience.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/12/2021

Thank you for your review. We will pass along your positive experience to our team at The Stadium Course at PGA West. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Played On
Reviews 37
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Stadium course

The course is fun and a challenge from the blues. A few of the greens were very thin on grass. Not as good as usual. Prefect weather and a fun round.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/12/2021

Hi, u975607183! Thank you so much for leaving us with your feedback. We value our customer experience, so your review is important to us. We will continue to work towards a 5-star experience and we hope to see you back!

Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Awesome course to play

Had the opportunity to play at this course and was a great experience. The fairways, greens, bunkers, etc were second to none. Definitely a great value. Can’t wait to play this course again. The staff can improve on friendliness and professionalism however.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/12/2021

Hi GCasablanca, thanks for leaving us a review! We're glad you enjoyed your time at The Stadium Course at PGA West and hope you'll come see us again soon.

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Beautiful but very tough

The course is a beautiful dunes type course. Beware beginners or those looking for an easy or moderate round of golf. This is a very difficult course. Like climb down into a bunker with an 8 foot face hard. There are several other courses at this location. I would recommend the Mountain Course if you're looking for the beautiful surroundings but a normal difficulty rating. If you prefer a dunes course with rolling everything this is for you!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/12/2021

Hi, maris3518615. 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 8
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
1.0
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Not worth it.

They flooded the tee sheet so everyone was waiting on every single hole's tee box. Some tees were worse than others with three groups waiting on the tee and it wasn't like we teed off late in the afternoon. We teed off just past noon and were still not able to finish the round. For the price they are charging to play it just simply isn't worth it especially when it takes 5 hours plus to finish your round. The course wasn't even in that great of shape. I do NOT recommend.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/19/2021

Thanks for the review. We see you rated the course 1 star. We take single star feedback very seriously at our course. Please reach out to our management team at (800) 742-9378. Thank you for playing The Stadium Course at PGA West.

Played On
Reviews 36
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once 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
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/12/2021

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

Played On
Reviews 30
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Pete "diabolical" Dye

is the nickname I have for this golf course designer. Deep pits to escape if you are just a bit off line. greens are good, fairways excellent. excellent pace of play till the very last 3 holes.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/12/2021

Thank you for your review, u425184049. We will pass along your positive experience to our team at The Stadium Course at PGA West. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/04/2021

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating! 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 15
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
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 Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/12/2021

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating, CW4030! 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 12
Handicap 20-24
Skill Beginner
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/12/2021

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating, Tshuvah22! 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 1
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 Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 10-14
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
Default User Avatar
Commented on 12/23/2020

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating, bellas! 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 6
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Experience

Pro shop was awesome and the staff was so helpful. The course was in tip top shape. The greens rolled so true. We look forward to playing it again soon. We felt like we had the course to ourselves.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 50
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Pete Dye was a mean guy.

First round here in 15 years. This course requires all the shots You can get uneven lies is every fairway. Greens are undulating and tricky. Bunkers are deep. And you can find yourself green side in what I would describe as deep Bermuda grass “bunkers”, leaving you 6-8 feet below green elevation. Water abounds. Every shot requires station to station forethought to ensure you have a prayer from where you leave yourself. The Stadium Course deserves its reputation as a brutal test of golf.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
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