Shadow Ridge Golf Club
About
Nick Faldo brings his exacting, often critical eye to West Coast golf for the first time at this Shadow Ridge Golf Course in Palm Desert. Faldo wanted a design that forced a ton of strategic choices and the architect team of Brian Curley and Lee Schmidt delivered for him.
Options? You want options!
Ten of Shadow Ridge's 18 holes are doglegs. The towering Santa Rosa Mountains serve as backdrop. The tall native tawny grasses contrasts sharply with the white sand bunkering. But it's the golf choices that are likely to seize your attention at this 7,006-yard, par-71 course.
The finish alone is enough to rattle an average golfer to the bone. No. 17 is a 157-yard par 3 that puts the wind in your face and nothing but trouble straight ahead. There's a lake to carry, deep bunkers and a green that slants left to right like a wayward chalkboard. No. 18, a 446-yard par-4, places both a stream and big fairway bunkers right in the straightest path to the green.
"The fairways are generous and the bunkering style is bold," Faldo said. "And the greens have plenty of subtle undulations that reward and encourage a variety of approach shots."
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 71 | 7006 yards | 73.7 | 135 |
| Green | 71 | 6621 yards | 71.5 | 130 |
| Gold | 71 | 6204 yards | 69.2 | 125 |
| Gold (W) | 71 | 6204 yards | 75.8 | 140 |
| Combo (W) | 71 | 5708 yards | 73.2 | 132 |
| Combo | 71 | 5708 yards | 67.0 | 120 |
| White (W) | 71 | 5158 yards | 70.8 | 128 |
| White | 71 | 5158 yards | 64.5 | 113 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black M: 73.9/136 W: 81.0/149 | 397 | 609 | 342 | 177 | 417 | 489 | 218 | 371 | 417 | 3437 | 463 | 396 | 206 | 345 | 547 | 451 | 541 | 174 | 446 | 3569 | 7006 |
| Green M: 71.9/131 W: 78.6/144 | 381 | 583 | 306 | 165 | 396 | 463 | 204 | 351 | 397 | 3246 | 461 | 366 | 186 | 328 | 518 | 428 | 506 | 157 | 425 | 3375 | 6621 |
| Gold M: 69.6/125 W: 75.9/138 | 368 | 549 | 278 | 158 | 379 | 424 | 176 | 328 | 379 | 3039 | 431 | 345 | 167 | 306 | 485 | 401 | 485 | 140 | 405 | 3165 | 6204 |
| Combo M: 67.4/120 W: 73.3/132 | 368 | 478 | 278 | 158 | 275 | 424 | 146 | 328 | 379 | 2834 | 373 | 345 | 147 | 306 | 430 | 308 | 485 | 140 | 340 | 2874 | 5708 |
| White M: 65.1/114 W: 70.5/126 | 306 | 478 | 250 | 101 | 275 | 371 | 146 | 292 | 295 | 2514 | 373 | 267 | 147 | 260 | 430 | 308 | 425 | 94 | 340 | 2644 | 5158 |
| Handicap | 9 | 1 | 15 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 18 | 4 | |||
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 71 |
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Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Bar, GrillAvailable Facilities
Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities, Sauna, Locker RoomsAvailable Activities
Swimming, BilliardsAvailable Sports
FitnessReviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by u826916558 on 12/24/2023
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Photo submitted by u826916558 on 12/24/2023
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Photo submitted by Boone43atc on 09/17/2023
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Photo submitted by u000004876203 on 05/31/2023
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Photo submitted by u459521915 on 04/21/2023
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Great par 3 Photo submitted by nolan2509462 on 12/24/2022
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Road Runner hangn out Photo submitted by nolan2509462 on 12/24/2022
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Photo submitted by uYGIR9367YG on 04/15/2022
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Photo submitted by Stuartallen on 12/25/2021
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Photo submitted by ascotsgirl on 05/18/2021
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Photo submitted by hacksalot03 on 11/16/2020
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Photo submitted by SlowLefty on 11/18/2019
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8th Hole Photo submitted by frednaimer on 02/22/2018
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Photo submitted by hacksalot03 on 11/25/2016
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Photo submitted by hacksalot03 on 11/25/2016
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Photo submitted by morourke00 on 03/20/2016
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Photo submitted by morourke00 on 03/20/2016
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Photo submitted by morourke00 on 03/20/2016
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Practice bunker Photo submitted by morourke00 on 03/20/2016
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Short Range Driving Range Photo submitted by morourke00 on 03/20/2016
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Photo submitted by morourke00 on 03/20/2016
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Photo submitted by Steven5117215 on 01/29/2016
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Photo submitted by JClemonsGC on 02/07/2014
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Beautiful resort Photo submitted by MagecD on 10/08/2012
Course is very playable for all skill levels.
The Faldo course at Shadow Ridge is a "must play".
Played the course on April 27, 2013 and the course conditions were perfect! The greens rolled true at moderate speeds. Most every hole has a "risk/reward" option. There are no bad lies in the fairways or rough and the bunkers are groomed.
The driving range is one of the best in the desert. Turf tees with brand new Taylor Made range balls.
The clubhouse is very nice and a very well stocked pro shop. There are many of Nick Faldo's momentos on display.
There is nothing not to like about this real gem of a course
Oh and Happy Hour in the Faldo Bar & Grill is all day long!
Nice & Boring
In general the course is not memorable. Back 9 is much nicer than the front but there are much better courses for the money.
Comparable to Westin Mission Hills Gary Player.
Bunkers, bunkers and more bunkers!
The course was in very good condition. The golf attendants and shop attendant were very courteous and helpful however, the Starter, Chuck's social skills weren't the best.
Challenging course with lots of bunkers around the greens.
I paid $39 through GolfNow for a 2:15 tee time. The course was challenging and well maintained, except I thought the bunkers could have used more sand. The other players in my group agreed. It was difficult to slide the club under the ball in the traps. I still liked the layout of the course and will play it again.
Challenging but well worth playing
We will be playing this course again. You need to play it more than once so you get familiar with its layout. Great shape and great value.
lots of bunkers...not very pretty from the first tee..gets better
you get what you pay for... decent golf course...minimal
extras such as help with bag...
Pace of play was horrible.
Pace of play was horrible. Marshall came by about 7th hole and said group in front of us was slow but on pace of play. We never saw him after that and they got slower. They were on green with our group on fairway and group behind us on tee many times after that. It took over 5 hours. Two groups behind us gave up and drove past us and went on in. Otherwise, course was in good shape but 5 hours plus is never fun.
Unfair greens
The greens and some fairways are so sloped that sometimes a decent or even good shot will roll into the water. That's not a fair test of golf. It's too gimicky.
This course is very good.
A beautiful course with some stunning views of the mountains. It is in great shape, very good practice range and putting green.
Staff was great and pace of play was good.
Good value thru golf now.com. Staff friendly but only saw cart girl once.
Good value. Some bunkers needed more sand. Only saw cart girl once which was a bit of a pain. Beautiful setting with many stellar mountain views. GPS on cart worked well and was very handy. We'd play here again.
Difficult but Fair
We love Shadow Ridge! It's a fun and interesting course. The greens are tough (undulating and fast) but that's part of the challenge!
Finishing four holes are difficult especially with a head wind.
Pace of play was good for a resort course. A little "worn in spots"
Middle tees are a little much for 15/18 handicapper . Four finishing holes really difficult especially into the prevailing west wind.
Excellent customer service, great course, excellent greens
We played here and really enjoyed the experience. The course was breathtaking as well as immaculately maintained. Carts with GPS and coolers, and frequent visits from the beverage cart all made this experience worth every penny.
Championship layout
This is an extremely difficult layout for a resort course open to the public. There are hazards built in that serve no purpose other than to frustrate the high handicap golfers and thereby unnecessarily prolong the time of the golf round. For example, waste bunkers that extend a hundred yards or more immediately in front of tee boxes. These present no challenge to the fifteen or lower handicap golfer but could cause the higher handicap golfers to thrash around getting out of the bunkers and then incur additional strokes by trying to make up ground with impossibly long fairway shot attempts.
Another feature that is unfair and time consuming to the average resort golfer is the highly sloped and contoured greens. As an example, I hit my tee shot to the center of a par three green where it settled leaving me a fifteen foot putt. As I walked back to my cart, one of my playing partners said that my ball had started to roll. It had indeed and continued to roll off the green and into a water hazard. This might be expected for a champion level tournament course but is in my opinion unfair and unnecessary for a resort course open to all levels of golfing skill. When you combine the greens design with pin placements half way up the slopes, your are guaranteeing rounds of five plus hours.
We were the first group off at six am and our round took fours hours. I can easily envision five hour plus rounds on this course at prime tee off times.
With so many other courses to play in the desert it will be a long time before I return to this one.
Very nice course
This course is worth playing - a little expensive for what you get (the GPS is below average and if you do not know the course you need to have a yardage book to figure out strategy- they should provide this for the price). Sir Nick tricked up a few of the greens but they roll very nice and hold a good shot. Fun to play!
Very fair and pristine
One of the best in palm desert excellent condition
Challenging course with protected greens.
This is a great course for all levels. Well placed shots are rewarded and missed shots are punishing. The fareways are pristene and the greens challenge every shot. The course begs you to play it twice... a day!
Wonderful Course
This course is excellent. Although very challenging, it is very enjoyable to play. The course conditions are picture perfect and the layout is worth the play. For Nick Faldo's first design, he did an excellent job. I would play this course again and again.
Tough green complexes and undulating greens
For an average player, the bunkering and undulating greens make it very difficult to score or feel that you can score well at all. Even moving up to shorter tees puts too much fear into shots with a wedge in your hand. And I never felt confident over any putt. Too many subtle breaks make even fairly short putts tiresome. Vacation golf it's not. More like a guys course on a grind it out golf trip.
Wide Open
Greens were tough, but nice wide landing areas made for a great day of golf. Very good condition, Very forgiving course. Great Day Of Golf