Desert Dunes Golf Course
Desert Dunes Golf Course, is a Public, 18 hole golf course located in Desert Hot Springs, California.
Desert Dunes first opened for play in 1989. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Par for the course is 72. From the back tees the course plays to 6,876 yards. From the forward tees the course measures 5,359 yards. The longest hole on the course is # 9, a par-5 that plays to 546 yards. The shortest hole on the course is # 5, a par-3 that plays to 176 yards from the back tees.
Watch out for # 18, a 443 yard par-4 challenge and the #1 handicap hole on the course. The easiest hole is # 5, a 176 yard par-3.
Desert Dunes is the an example of a links-style course in the desert. Rolling fairways are framed by native desert areas making accuracy off the tee a premium. The generous and undulating greens are surrounded by collection areas and strategically placed bunkers, including one right in the middle of their signature double green on the 9th and 18th holes.
Adding to your experience, a number of holes feature doglegs and elevation changes which will challenge your golf intellect and shot-making ability. With four sets of tees to choose from, golfers of any level can play this outstanding golf course.
This course has been reviewed 10 time
The Desert Dunes course is in an area off Palm Drive and I-10 which has not seen much development, so it feels more remote than it is.
I had played 2 other courses earlier in the week, and Desert Dunes had a distinctly different feel to it. The type of vegetation lining or separating the fairways was a low growing, native desert type shrubbery which was very thick and prickly, and not conducive to entering on foot, or even reaching into to retrieve an errant shot. If your ball goes in there, you may want to forget it, since who knows what varmits are living in there, and I have got the scratches to prove that it is hazardous even without encountering a varmit.
There was plenty of thick green grass from tee to green, but not as lush as I had encountered on the other courses I had played previously in the week (Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort in Palm Springs and Canyon South Golf Course, also in Palm).
The only palm trees are at the course entrance, with none on the course, which I thought was almost mandatory for this area, and there are few flowering shrubs or beds to add that "wow" factor. Still, not bad at all.
I liked the fact that although there are only a few holes with trees on the course, you could rarely see the adjacent fairways because of the layout, mounding and vegetation. The fairways are generous for the most part, conditioning is good, and the course provides a moderate challenge for the average golfer.
As mentioned previously, there is no development around the course, so this is somewhat unique for the Palm Springs area which has many courses that are completely lined with homes. Put this on your list for a nice variation in your Palm Springs golf experience.