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Rating Index Rating
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4.8
809 Reviews (809)
5 Stars
593
4 Stars
162
3 Stars
32
2 Stars
12
1 Stars
10
Conditions
4.7
Value
4.5
Layout
4.9
Friendliness
4.8
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.7
96.5%
Recommend this course
764 out of 809 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.8
24 Reviews (24)
5 Stars
21
4 Stars
2
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
5.0
Value
4.7
Layout
5.0
Pace
4.5
Amenities
5.0
StaffFriendliness
4.9
95.8%
Recommend this course
23 out of 24 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.8
33 Reviews (33)
5 Stars
27
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.9
Value
4.7
Layout
5.0
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.8
StaffFriendliness
4.8
97.0%
Recommend this course
32 out of 33 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Firecliff's layout earns top marks, with true-rolling greens, well-kept fairways, and a design that opens and closes on memorable par 5s. Staff consistently go above and beyond, delivering a professionally run experience from bag drop through the final hole.

About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 72
Length 7056 yards
Slope 141
Rating 74.1

A lot of courses say they're all about nature. Desert Willow Firecliff Resort in Cathedral City actually lives it. Natural desert plants are the star of the show here. So much so that the course was featured on the front cover of Smithsonian magazine.

Bobcats, coyotes and desert rabbits have free run of the place, adding another dimension to any round. When you see a bobcat out in the distance of the desert brush, you're not chasing after that golf ball. No matter how much cash you plunked down for the latest in long-distance technology.

Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry designed Desert Willow and it offers a good example of how you become a rising name in the golf architect game. The sand sculpting demands attention from the first hole.

The course looks intimidating to play. With a 138 slope rating, it plays that way too.

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Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff
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Course Details

Year Built 1997
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Dr. Michael Hurdzan (1997) John Cook Dana Fry (1997)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
GPS Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes - "Palm Desert Golf Academy"
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Meeting Facilities, Banquet Facilities

Accolades

The Best Way To Book Is With GolfPass+ Annual
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$120 in monthly tee time promo codes
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12 rounds of waived fees
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Reviews

4.8
809 Reviews (809)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 11
Patio Dining 8
19th Hole Scenic Views 7
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 16
Water Hazards 13
Undulating Greens 10
This course/club is great for:
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 12
A Weekend Splurge 11
Advanced Golfers 11
This Course's Location is:
At a Resort 11
Worth the Drive 11
Convenient to the City 10

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 18
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather

Great Day

Another great day at Desert Willow, course was in great shape, , its a must play course when I come out to the desert. love this place, staff are great also....

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 23
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 27
Handicap 10-14
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 Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great condition especially for summer

Had a great day playing Fire course…greens rolled true but a tad slower than they looked. Fairways and rough were butter. Great course I’ll be back again for sure.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 22
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Good Experience

Good experience for my wife and me today. Would like to see more drinking water on the course. Staff was wonderful. Course (Firecliff) was in great shape.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
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 Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 18
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Excellent Course

Course was in great shape. No one in front or behind due to summer heat. Ice and water at every 4 or 5 holes. Wide fairways, lots of bunkers, and water. Challenging layout. We’ll worth the money.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 13
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Worth every cent!

Do yourself a favor and play this track! Challenging and well kept. Played when it was over 104 and they offered “mango scented ice towels” for the patrons! Just one of the many courses in palm desert worth putting on a must play list.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Fully met our expectations

Excellent layout; love this course. The greens were a bit rough but should come around in a few weeks.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 20
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Great round, but got slow

We played here 4 days ago since this is one of our favorite courses in the area. Greens rolled a little better today, but still stressed. We played as a threesome and the pace was very quick for the initial 9. On the back nine things ground to a halt. We had 3 groups on the tee on the first par 5 of the back nine. Pace continued at this level for the remainder of the round. The group ahead of us said the ranger noted that the slow threesome was 3 groups in front of them. Regardless, we never saw a ranger all day. I'm just glad that we didn't have this pace for the entire round.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 62
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played

Greens are in transition

The seasonal dormant grass that makes up half the surface was missing, the fescue was fine, but it made them uneven. Everything else was perfect. I love this course!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 35
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Best Public Course

Excellent course for all levels of play. Many spectacular holes.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 20
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Course was stressed

We play Firecliff at least twice every time we're here. The course is almost always a little stressed, but this year it seemed to be in worse condition than normal. Greens had a lot of rough spots. Very difficult to make putts over 8'. Fariways and sand were in overall good condition. We play this course again in a few days. I hope things get a little better by then, but not expecting much since most of their issue is with their greens.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
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 23
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 Good
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