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PGA WEST Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course
Rating Snapshot
About
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."
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 72 | 7204 yards | 75.3 | 143 |
| Black (W) | 72 | 7204 yards | 81.9 | 151 |
| Blue | 72 | 6522 yards | 72.2 | 134 |
| Blue (W) | 72 | 6522 yards | 78.2 | 142 |
| Blue/White | 72 | 6224 yards | 70.8 | 130 |
| Blue/White (W) | 72 | 6224 yards | 76.4 | 138 |
| White | 72 | 6061 yards | 70.0 | 128 |
| White (W) | 72 | 6061 yards | 75.4 | 136 |
| Gold | 72 | 5627 yards | 68.1 | 122 |
| Gold (W) | 72 | 5627 yards | 73.1 | 131 |
| Gold/Red | 72 | 5325 yards | 66.5 | 117 |
| Gold/Red (W) | 72 | 5325 yards | 71.5 | 123 |
| Red (W) | 72 | 5023 yards | 70.1 | 120 |
| Red | 72 | 5023 yards | 64.9 | 113 |
| Silver | 72 | 4014 yards | 60.5 | 101 |
| Silver (W) | 72 | 4014 yards | 63.8 | 111 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black M: 75.3/143 W: 81.9/151 | 412 | 444 | 192 | 549 | 364 | 462 | 527 | 172 | 461 | 3583 | 370 | 528 | 188 | 419 | 442 | 572 | 440 | 209 | 453 | 3621 | 7204 |
| Black/Blue M: 73.8/139 W: 80.0/146 | 412 | 398 | 163 | 549 | 364 | 420 | 527 | 143 | 431 | 3407 | 370 | 528 | 164 | 378 | 442 | 516 | 423 | 209 | 431 | 3461 | 6868 |
| Blue M: 72.2/134 W: 78.2/142 | 378 | 398 | 163 | 505 | 320 | 420 | 471 | 143 | 431 | 3229 | 330 | 490 | 164 | 378 | 381 | 516 | 423 | 180 | 431 | 3293 | 6522 |
| Blue/White M: 70.8/130 W: 76.4/138 | 349 | 398 | 163 | 505 | 320 | 386 | 471 | 132 | 383 | 3107 | 330 | 490 | 155 | 338 | 381 | 472 | 368 | 180 | 403 | 3117 | 6224 |
| White M: 70.0/128 W: 75.4/136 | 349 | 387 | 155 | 482 | 299 | 386 | 450 | 132 | 383 | 3023 | 318 | 480 | 155 | 338 | 339 | 472 | 368 | 165 | 403 | 3038 | 6061 |
| White/Gold M: 69.1/125 W: 74.3/134 | 349 | 387 | 155 | 482 | 288 | 373 | 450 | 125 | 340 | 2949 | 318 | 480 | 116 | 323 | 339 | 462 | 348 | 165 | 388 | 2939 | 5888 |
| Gold M: 68.1/122 W: 73.1/131 | 311 | 354 | 133 | 447 | 288 | 373 | 426 | 125 | 340 | 2797 | 283 | 449 | 116 | 323 | 330 | 462 | 348 | 131 | 388 | 2830 | 5627 |
| Gold/Red M: 66.5/117 W: 71.5/123 | 311 | 322 | 133 | 414 | 288 | 342 | 426 | 125 | 335 | 2696 | 283 | 400 | 116 | 323 | 330 | 417 | 304 | 97 | 359 | 2629 | 5325 |
| Red M: 64.9/113 W: 70.1/120 | 273 | 322 | 120 | 414 | 225 | 342 | 391 | 92 | 335 | 2514 | 232 | 400 | 104 | 295 | 301 | 417 | 304 | 97 | 359 | 2509 | 5023 |
| Red/Silver M: 62.4/106 W: 66.7/115 | 218 | 249 | 119 | 414 | 225 | 281 | 391 | 92 | 268 | 2257 | 232 | 400 | 104 | 241 | 237 | 417 | 234 | 97 | 267 | 2229 | 4486 |
| Silver M: 60.5/101 W: 63.8/111 | 218 | 249 | 119 | 322 | 173 | 281 | 328 | 74 | 268 | 2032 | 195 | 318 | 102 | 241 | 237 | 303 | 234 | 85 | 267 | 1982 | 4014 |
| Handicap | 5 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 4 | |||
| Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Handicap (W) | 9 | 13 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 15 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 18 | 4 |
Course Details
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Reviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by chrispsd on 02/12/2026
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First view Photo submitted by Richter6103254 on 12/22/2025
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Photo submitted by setch on 12/19/2025
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Photo submitted by u000002367479 on 09/19/2025
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Photo submitted by u000002367479 on 09/19/2025
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Photo submitted by u000002367479 on 09/19/2025
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Photo submitted by u000002367479 on 09/19/2025
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Photo submitted by Mincer24 on 04/16/2025
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Photo submitted by AroundtheHorn on 07/04/2024
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Photo submitted by AroundtheHorn on 07/04/2024
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Photo submitted by AroundtheHorn on 07/04/2024
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Photo submitted by AroundtheHorn on 07/04/2024
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Photo submitted by daddyzzang on 09/25/2023
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Photo submitted by Magoo6047 on 05/17/2023
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Photo submitted by u7326787 on 05/13/2023
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Photo submitted by u379613247 on 02/03/2023
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Photo submitted by mcry on 01/17/2023
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Gorgeous Photo submitted by igolowuc on 12/27/2022
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Photo submitted by Goegl01 on 12/06/2022
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Photo submitted by u2138341 on 10/04/2022
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Photo submitted by u2138341 on 10/04/2022
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Photo submitted by Golfmd50 on 02/24/2022
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Photo submitted by u355891953 on 11/16/2021
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Photo submitted by u355891953 on 11/16/2021
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Photo submitted by captainlandius on 09/26/2021
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Photo submitted by captainlandius on 09/26/2021
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Par’d it…i can go home now lol! Photo submitted by u000001295218 on 09/22/2021
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Photo submitted by u000001295218 on 09/15/2021
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History!!!!!!!!! Photo submitted by U04596 on 07/06/2021
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Number 8. Photo submitted by u378708142 on 05/16/2021
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Pretty sketchy Photo submitted by jbsocal on 09/13/2020
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Photo submitted by u314159354135 on 01/02/2020
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Photo submitted by u314159354135 on 01/02/2020
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Photo submitted by u314159354135 on 01/02/2020
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18th green Photo submitted by Dave1883044 on 11/10/2019
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Photo submitted by James2537435 on 11/07/2019
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Photo submitted by u841910878 on 05/20/2019
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Photo submitted by u841910878 on 05/20/2019
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Photo submitted by hacksalot03 on 12/31/2016
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Photo submitted by u664859348 on 01/28/2015
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Photo submitted by gjcheney60 on 02/25/2014
Great course but slow
Great golf course but pace of play ruined the day. 3 groups on all the par 3’s and not a Marshall to be found
We're glad you enjoyed your 5-star experience with us, Bobheller. 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!
Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating, jammers1! We're delighted you enjoyed your round. Please book another round with us soon, and thanks for choosing PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course!
We would love to hear more about your positive experience on our course. Please contact us to share your favorite part of your experience and what we can do to earn that last star! Thanks for golfing at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course!
Hi, nowaks1. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your time at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. We look forward to seeing you on the course soon for another 5-star experience!
Good spot for a snickers commercial
Friendly staff, beautiful course and clubhouse, but the pace of play was slow and no rangers out to keep groups moving, we had a 12:36 tee time and couldn't finish our round , I would like to play the course again !!!!!
Hello, Themutt60. Thank you for visiting us at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. We appreciate your 4-star rating and review. We hope you join us for another round soon.
Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating, u314159690846! We're delighted you enjoyed your round. Please book another round with us soon, and thanks for choosing PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course!
Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating, nowaks1! We're delighted you enjoyed your round. Please book another round with us soon, and thanks for choosing PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course!
Cart path only booooo!
Best course I’ve ever played. Perfect conditions and a great layout. This course kicked my butt. Though but fair holes. Cart path only on the entire course made my hips burn; got my daily 10000 steps in by the 16th.
Hi, u314161110468. 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.
Golf with my 2 sons
Great day, always enjoy playing with my adult sons…..also played with a very nice gentleman from Tennessee……Mike
Your feedback is important to us, u000004158002. 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.
So glad we played here!
This is a must play if you enjoy golf. Was really an outstanding day and very challenging course but not unfair in anyway. There are a few things that you need to get used to with all these swells but a magnificent challenge for your game.
Great staff and seamless in every way.
Thank you for your review, u355891953. We will pass along your positive experience to our team at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Slowwwwwwwwww
We teed off at 12:18 and got 16 holes in before it got too dark. Huge jam ups on 8,9, 17 and 18. Waiting on most holes. The course was only a few days off overseed but was in good shape except the greens were very shaggy and slow. I'm sure everything will be top notch soon. Love the course but the pace of play was brutal and nothing was being done about it.
Hello, sdigel. Thanks so much for your review. We're so glad you enjoyed your round at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. That's what we like to hear! We hope to see you again soon!
Stage course of overseeding
Hello
I felt for this time of year the course ahold have been a little more mature .
Felt like it was very thin and slow
Hello, Mguertin. Thank you for visiting us at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. We appreciate your 4-star rating and review. We hope you join us for another round soon.
u2833204, thank you for the awesome rating! We hope to see you again at the course very soon for another great experience, and thanks for choosing PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.
Best Greens at PGA West
The Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West has the best greens I have ever putted. Smooth and quicker than any of the other PGA West Courses with absolutely no ball marks. Some of the pin positions made putting difficult in some situations, but were generally manageable if you had good direction and distance control or followed Jack's principle of aiming for the center of the green. I had expected to find three distinct pin locations and/or green levels on every green as that was a Nicklaus trademark, but the Tournament Course greens were large and undulating and without the aforementioned level separation. The clubhouse was impressive and the pro shop was large and well stocked. Driving range was expansive with numerous targets to shoot at and a large practice bunker also. Putting green was comparable to the greens on the course - which generally is not the case at most golf courses. Fairways were generous in the landing areas on most holes and the rough was playable. Tee boxes were a bit overgrown - needed to be cut, but were in good condition including the par 3 holes. The only real issue was a lack of sand in the greenside bunkers - fortunately I managed to steer clear of them for most of my round. The course layout was varied and quite interesting. The course staff were friendly and helpful. I was paired with a member (Michael S.), who unfortunately quit after nine holes, but he was helpful in describing each hole and the challenges before us. This was by far the best course I played at PGA West (compared to the Dunes and Mountain courses). Highly recommend this track and hope to play it again the next time I visit the desert!
ParMachineGolfer, thanks for the amazing review and for choosing PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. We hope to see you again soon!
Hello, u000003182744. 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.
Great Track
Not an easy golf course at all but very fair and in great shape. Greens roll true, hit it on the line with correct speed and you are making putts. Amazing scenery around! Great course can’t say enough good things.
Thank you for your review, u609380751. We will pass along your positive experience to our team at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
A challenge
It's PGA West, high standards always. Great reception from cart employees, very informative.
Tees, fairways, great shape for this time of year...the greens, oh man, hard dry and fast. With Jack's elevated greens, holding shots almost non existence, but it is what it is. Bunkers were playable with a fair amount of sand.
Pace was going well, being a foursome we did allow 3 singles to play through. Then we caught 2 foursomes and it was a standstill, the lead four were the slowest hacks I've run across, they were 3/4 holes behind, not a clue to their surroundings...Marshall ?!?
Other than that, a great layout, tough but fair, worth it...
Yes, I would return as long as I get in front of the slow play.
Thank you for your review, u314161222326. We will pass along your positive experience to our team at PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
We're glad you enjoyed your 5-star experience with us, u231095733. 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!
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Hello. Thank you for reviewing the course. We apologize for the delay of play during your round. This is by no means the standard we strive to achieve. We work hard to accommodate everyone who visits our course and to best control pace allowing everyone to finish in a reasonable amount of time. We will continue to look for ways to improve, and we are glad to see you rated the course conditions to be great during your game. Thank you for playing PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. We hope to see you again soon.