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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
23 Reviews (23)
5 Stars
20
4 Stars
2
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
5.0
Value
4.6
Layout
5.0
Pace
4.5
Amenities
5.0
StaffFriendliness
4.9
95.7%
Recommend this course
22 out of 23 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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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 20
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Course in Great Shape for Middle of Summer

Played the course in 105* heat and 30% humidity. The course was in great shape for this time of year. Greens were excellent and there were only a few brown spots in a few of the fairways.

Staff was friendly as always and for $40, you can't beat this course ANYWHERE in the desert.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Desert Princess (Two Some)

Excellent day. This is the pristine course in the valley- DP, PGA WEST, Indian Wells. All top notch but the Pricess was fantastic.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 18
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

Fun Challenging Course

Great layout and very challenging. Five tee boxes 7056, 6676, 6173, 5642 and 5079 yards with slopes of 141 to 112. Everyone should find their sweet spot. Very well maintained for being July in the desert. Undulating greens with plenty of room. First time at Firecliff, I will have to come back and try the easier Mt. View course next time! Very enjoyable course, nice facility. I can see why it's on most of the "best" public lists for the Palm Springs/Coachella Valley area. Firecliff is now on my favorites list.....Indian Wells Players, Classic Club, SilverRock, Indian Canyons South, La Quinta Resort Mountain, Eagle Falls and PGA West Stadium.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great course.

Would highly recomend. One of the nicest courses in the Coachella Valley.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Oasis in the desert!!

This was my first time playing this course and it was Amazing!! Had a great time, the Course was beautiful. So green all throughout. The layout was just the right amount of Challenging. The temperature does warm up Wuick out there, but they have plenty of water with ice to keep you cool.

Being an Intermediate player on this course it looked intimidating at first but was nice and forgiving when it was needed. The staff was great and the Practice Facility was just as beautiful. One of the best courses I’ve played to date.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 18
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 19
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Better of the 2 Desert Willow Courses

While both courses are nice layouts, the Firecliff is definitely thebetter of the 2. Nice mix of birdie chances and some holes that will challenge all glfers for par. The greens were horrible but had just been punched and sanded. I have played before and they were much better. Pace was a little slow and not really any marshals prsent to monitor, but it was still fun. Fun course that allows a lot of optons for different abilities.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 14
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Better than I remembered

I played the Firecliff Course many years ago. So didn’t remember many holes, but the course was in very good shape. Fairways: A, tee boxes: A, greens: B, course layout: B+.

I will play here again soon.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1001
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 1 Contributor
California Advisor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Desert Willow Firecliff

Rode the Purple tees (6676/72.1/136) in 3H, 15m midday. The weather was clear, fairly calm and around 110.

The tees were excellent, level, lush with few divots.

The fairways are lush, firm and really nice to play from.

The rough is lush and mowed down. Good POP rough, not penal. Generally nice to play from.

The waste bunkers were firm and not as well maintained as the greenside traps. The greenside traps had good quality white sand and were nicely maintained.

The greens are transitioning back to Bermuda. Firm, somewhat bumpy and medium speed.

The all grass driving range is included and above average. Nice chipping area. Customer Service always excellent here from when you drop your clubs off out front to when you pick them up out front. No cart person today. Good GPS on carts. Plenty of ice/water stations on the course. Highly recommended.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1001
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 1 Contributor
California Advisor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Firecliff

Rode the Purple tees (6676/72.1/136) in 3.5H twilight. The weather was clear, fairly calm and around 105.

Picturesque emerald green layout with a generous amount of white sand, nativescape and water to keep players on their toes. From tee to green, the course was in excellent condition. The greens are transitioning back to Bermuda and were more spotty than the rest of the course.

The tees were excellent, level, lush with few divots.

The fairways are lush, firm and really nice to play from.

The rough is lush and mowed down. Good for POP, not penal and nice to chip from.

The greenside traps had good quality white sand and were well maintained. The waste bunkers are firm and much more hit/miss.

The Bermuda greens were just okay. Firm, fairly smooth and medium speed. They are about to be aerated and they look like they need it.

Customer Service exceptional from when you drop your clubs off out front to when you pick them up out front. Cart gal out making the rounds. All grass driving range is included and above average. Good GPS on carts. Plenty of ice/water stations on the course. One of my favorite Palm Springs area public layouts, highly recommended.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 13
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 13
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

The best

I played this course on our first visit 10 yrs ago. It never fails to impress, everything is just so right.

I love this course, layout, difficulty, condition and attention to detail. Everyone so pleasant and welcoming. Played off purple and got round in 4 hrs even following a slow group who seemed to be playing for the Crown Jewels! No one minded as the scenery was spectacular. Highly recommend.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 5
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 Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 24
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Fantastic

Course was in fantastic shape all around. Tripled 18 to shoot 77, won't forget this round! Don't pass up a chance to play both tracks at Desert Willow!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Loved the Firecliff Course

Course is in great shape. Finished in just under 4 hours....pace of play great. Very picturesque course! Would definitely play here again.

Played On
Reviews 22
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

36 Holes facility - a golf haven! Simply outstanding!!!

Breathtaking views, outstanding course conditions, Absolute delight to have played both the courses - on the same day.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
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 Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
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