PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament
A view of a green with water coming into play at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.
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Rating Index Rating
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4.6
1181 Reviews (1181)
5 Stars
726
4 Stars
315
3 Stars
93
2 Stars
30
1 Stars
17
Conditions
4.6
Value
4.3
Layout
4.8
Friendliness
4.6
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.6
92.1%
Recommend this course
1064 out of 1181 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.6
60 Reviews (60)
5 Stars
43
4 Stars
13
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.7
Value
4.3
Layout
4.7
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.7
StaffFriendliness
4.7
93.3%
Recommend this course
56 out of 60 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.6
92 Reviews (92)
5 Stars
67
4 Stars
18
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
3
Conditions
4.6
Value
4.4
Layout
4.8
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.7
StaffFriendliness
4.7
91.3%
Recommend this course
84 out of 92 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
The Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West delivers immaculate tee boxes, true-rolling greens, and first-rate fairways that consistently impress visiting golfers. Friendly staff and outstanding course amenities make this a rewarding and memorable round at exceptional value.

About

Holes 18
Type Public/Resort
Par 72
Length 7204 yards
Slope 143
Rating 75.3

The Golden Bear tests you with tabletop fairways at PGA WEST - Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course in La Quinta.

If your shot's too wild, it's rolling up, often down into the desert. That's just one bit of the showmanship at the Jack Nicklaus Tournament course. This was designed to hold a PGA event, but it's spent its days delivering damage and fun to regular hackers.

Nicklaus particularly tests your short game with his bunkering around the greens. Confidence in your wedge shots is crucial here. Still, it's not as tough and unforgiving as Pete Dye's Stadium Course or even Greg Norman's course.

It's possible to get lost in the scenery at the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course and there's plenty of scenery to go around with the desert brush and the mountains looming in the distance.

No. 15 is probably the most well known - and notorious - hole. Nicknamed "Long Island," it's pretty much that: a daunting 572 yard par five with an island green. The fairway's split, giving you a chance to pick your path. Either way you go, getting onto the green in two is oh but a dream.

"Nicklaus also abundantly uses non-traditional design features throughout the course to give the track its own unique flavor," TravelGolf.com's Jeffrey Rendall said. "In many ways, I don't think I've seen another course quite like it."

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PGA West - Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1987
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Jack Nicklaus (1987) Rick Jacobson Thomas Pearson (1987)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
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, MC, AMEX, Discover
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Dress code No denim, collared shirt and bermuda shorts required.

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities

Available Sports

Fitness, Tennis

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top Courses in California (2019 #30) (2014 #24)
  • Golf Advisor: Top 25 Off-course amenities in the U.S. (2019 #15)
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Reviews

4.6
1181 Reviews (1181)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 24
Patio Dining 24
19th Hole Scenic Views 18
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 46
Water Hazards 36
Forced Carries 22
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 40
A Weekend Splurge 21
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 15
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 24
At a Resort 15
Convenient to the City 11

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 week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great course just slow pace

Course was in great condition and very challenging holes only criticism was pace of play was extremely slow. One group about 4 holes up slowed everyone down and Marshall only spoke to them at hole 9. Unfortunately it didn’t make any difference. We started at 12:54 hoping to finish round before dark only made it to hole 15.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/28/2022

Hi, rpesti. 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 PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Underwhelming

While it was a challenging course the greens were beat up, the driving range was closed for construction, the practice green was nowhere near the entrance and in poor condition. Also the holes were visually similar. There were two holes on the back 9 that were identical. Further the entire course looks like it needs water.

I’m sure this course can be brought up to speed with some necessary adjustments.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/29/2022

Hello u1252417914, thank you for taking the time to review us, and for the 3 stars. We're sorry to hear the course may not have been in the best shape on the day of your round. We appreciate your feedback as we work to make any necessary improvements. Thank you for choosing to golf with us, and we look forward to seeing you again soon at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Played On
Reviews 7
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

PGAWest the BEST

Awesome. Cart path only so pace was slower but still great

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/28/2022

Your feedback is important to us, mesa2034. Thank you for sharing your 5-star experience. We look forward to seeing you again at the course soon! Thanks for choosing PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/10/2023

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 PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course!

Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/23/2022

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 PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course!

Played On
Reviews 1
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/22/2022

Hello, CH657896. Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We see you rated the course 2-stars and are interested in learning what we can do to improve for your next visit.

We take customer feedback very seriously at our course. Please reach out to our team in the golf shop and tell us what's on your mind.

Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Fantastic Facility

Beautiful course-lots of interesting holes-Jack must have had fun designing this one! Elevated greens and being baround see level sometime required an extra club. Greens were not super quick coming off overseeding which helped. Some blinds shots if you didn't keep it on the fairway (mini strips of fairways on other side of mounds). THE ROUND WAS VERY SLOW. We were on the 18th hole when we past the 5 hr mark! If only people played from the proper tees and kept up with the group in front. We got a really good price so great value and wonderful day!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/22/2022

Roadbun, 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 PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/18/2022

Hello, drhowardtang. Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We see you rated the course 2-stars and are interested in learning what we can do to improve for your next visit.

We take customer feedback very seriously at our course. Please reach out to our team in the golf shop and tell us what's on your mind.

Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played

Nicklaus Tournament Course not.teady to be opened

I've had the pleasure of playing PGA West Courses in the past. My experience at Nicklaus Tournament couldn't have been more disappointing. Simply put, the course should not be open for play. It simply isn't ready. My only thought is that the powers that be want it generating revenue. The greens are the worse I've seen them. You have a few months before the tournament to get them in shape and the course is going to need it. Not worth any amount to play it in the condition it's in. Was suppose to play Stadium tomorrow 11/17/2022, but the course has moved me to Greg Norman. I don't want to play GN, I want to play Stadium. Now I can't get out of my Tee Time because I booked with Golf Now. Don't advertise Tee times that you can't fulfill. Many courses in the Coachella Valley to play, why would I come back here and why would I recommend PGA West to anyone.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/18/2022

Hi, u032269504,

We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us. We are going to pass on your feedback to the teams in charge so they can work to make changes.

Your feedback helps us do better. We are looking into this issue and hope to resolve it promptly.

Thank you for visiting PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. We hope you'll give us another try in the future.

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
3.0
Verified Purchaser

Greens were bad

Greens were in bad shape. They were extremely slow and surprisingly in bad shape after coming off of shut down. Rest of the course was fine. Pace of play was slow for a Tuesday. Played the course in 5 hours and waited quite a bit. Staff was very nice and helpful.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/17/2022

Hi, u314163569465! Thank you so much for leaving us with your feedback. We value our customer experience, so your review is important to us. Please know the current conditions are by no means the standard we strive to achieve. We will continue to work towards a 5-star experience and we hope to see you back!

Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Loved the layout

Greens were still a little bumpy and slow after reseeding, otherwise course in great shape. Lots of sand and grass bunkers and plenty of water hazards and undulations. Playing again in two weeks so hope to enjoy it again.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/17/2022

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 PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Played On
Reviews 13
Plays Once a year
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/15/2022

Hello, Bootyboyandgirl. Thank you for leaving us a review. We are sorry to hear your experience was anything short of 5 stars, but we hope you will give us another try in the future. Thank you for choosing PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Played On
Reviews 13
Plays Once a year
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/15/2022

Hello, Bootyboyandgirl. We appreciate the review. You rated us 3-stars which means there is room to improve on your recent experience at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. Let us know, in the comments, how and where you would like to see changes from the course. Thanks for the feedback!

Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/15/2022

Hi, u314163561494. We would love to hear more about your positive experience on our course. Please contact us to share with us your favorite part of your experience. Thanks for golfing at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course!

Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/14/2022

Hello, bambam50. Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We see you rated the course 2-stars and are interested in learning what we can do to improve for your next visit.

We take customer feedback very seriously at our course. Please reach out to our team in the golf shop and tell us what's on your mind.

Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/11/2022

Hi, dfoster760. 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 PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Played On
Reviews 10
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 10/13/2022

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 at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course!

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 10/12/2022

Hi, u000006426585. 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 PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Played On
Reviews 40
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great course very slow play!

Course was in great shape layout is a true test of a golfers 🏌️‍♀️ skills greens were not too fast and ran true didn’t see a Marshall at anytime waited on every hole and only played 13 holes in 3 1/2 hours just a very busy day I guess but still a great course

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Fair
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 10/10/2022

Thanks so much for your wonderful review, dalekirkland. We are thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed your time with us. Please visit again soon. Thanks for choosing PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course!

Played On
Reviews 7
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
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