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Rating Index Rating
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4.7
799 Reviews (799)
5 Stars
584
4 Stars
161
3 Stars
32
2 Stars
12
1 Stars
10
Conditions
4.6
Value
4.4
Layout
4.9
Friendliness
4.8
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.6
95.2%
Recommend this course
754 out of 799 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.8
17 Reviews (17)
5 Stars
14
4 Stars
2
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.9
Value
4.5
Layout
4.9
Pace
3.9
Amenities
4.9
StaffFriendliness
4.7
94.1%
Recommend this course
16 out of 17 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.8
44 Reviews (44)
5 Stars
36
4 Stars
6
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.7
Value
4.6
Layout
4.9
Pace
4.0
Amenities
4.7
StaffFriendliness
4.8
95.5%
Recommend this course
42 out of 44 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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Reviews

4.7
799 Reviews (799)

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 6
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Best value high end course in Area

The course was in excellent shape. Better still the cost was reasonable when compared to other high end courses.

Pace of play was slow, but with such a great course and great value it was popular.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

One of the better courses in Palm Desert

Well manicured challenging course. Pace of play could have been a bit better especially with early tee time. Definitely would recommend playing this course. Great for all levels. Staff was very friendly and were great in any questions that we had about the facility.

LVentura

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 6
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 Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 36
Skill Advanced
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 Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Completely awesome golf course

Completely awesome golf course, That I would recommend to anyone. I played a lot of courses in the desert, including all of the public PGA West courses. This course is comparable to any of them. It was in wonderful shape when I played, and staff were nice. The greens ran true and fast, the fairways were nice and lush, in the rough was only partially penalizing. I certainly want to play again.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great Course

Has to be one of the nicest municipal golf courses anywhere.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Amazing

Course was in absolutely perfect condition!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
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 6
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Great course

The course is in excellent condition. The greens are fast and hard so you do need to play the ball short, unless you can put plenty of spin on the ball. However the front of the greens is firm so bouncing the ball up works just fine.

The course plays easy for beginners, but is a challenge for better players. There is a great choice of tee lengths so all abilities can enjoy.

The only negative was the pace of play is a little slow so allow 4 1/2 + hours for your round.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 19
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 Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
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 9
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

One of the best in Palm Desert

This is a first class golf course. Beautiful and well maintained. My new favorite for Palm Desert

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 22
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great place!!!

First of all I want to thank Ryan S. The director of golf at the Desert Willow! Amazing business professional and absolutely has the facilities dialed in. He was gracious to pair me alike golf skill set folks and was the most enjoyable round of public play golf I have had in the last 10 years!!! The guys I joined play the tips as I do and it was an amazing round of golf. This facility and its entire staff are dedicated to making your golf experience epic! I use that term “epic” because it’s from the staff that greet you at the club drop to the staff that wipes your clubs after the round !!! The facility is amazing shape and if you don’t Fire Cliff or Mountain courses it’s is most definitely your loss. This course and all that is encompassing in your round is a word class golfing experience.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
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
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 4
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 12
Handicap 20-24
Skill Beginner
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Great course

Fun, challenging and amazing views - I am a beginner and it was very playable for me and my foursome had good golfers in it and was challenging for them also

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once 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 Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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Golf Packages

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The Palm Mountain Resort & Spa Stay & Play Package

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PALM SPRINGS, CA | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at Palm Mountain Resort & Spa and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Indian Canyons – South Course, Indian Canyons – North Course, The Classic Club, Tahquitz Creek – Resort Course, and Tahquitz Creek – Legend Course.

The Hilton Garden Inn Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage Stay & Play Package

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PALM SPRINGS, CA | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Indian Canyons – South Course, The Classic Club, Tahquitz Creek – Resort Course, and Tahquitz Creek – Legend Course.

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