Since Wheeler’s last overview article about golf course development in the Coachella Valley in mid 2005, five courses opened or expanded before the end of that year, alone. The year 2006 gave the valley a major renovation to one of its most popular courses and saw the opening of two additional venues – one private and one public. Looking ahead for the remainder of 2007, it appears that new golf course development is headed for slowdown, especially compared to the past five years.

The growth of golf in the Coachella Valley has been phenomenal with 35 courses built during the 1980s followed by the development of 28 new ones in the 1990s. More than a dozen new courses have been completed during the past five years. In all, there are 94 golf facilities consisting of 127 courses (a 27-hole course is counted as 1.5 courses) within the Coachella Valley.

Following is an overview and update on recent golf course openings and previously announced golf related projects throughout the region.

Grand openings in 2006 began with The Classic Club. The Berger Foundation donated its NorthStar public golf course to Desert Classic Charities, who changed the course name to “Classic Club.” The par 72 course opened in January 2006, in time for the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Arnold Palmer designed the Classic Club which is managed by Troon Golf. Golf Digest has rated the course at number five for public courses priced more than $75. The clubhouse will open mid year and includes over 60,000 square feet of space. Classic Club is located off of Varner Road, east of Cook Street, north of Interstate 10 in Riverside County.

The Madison Club golf course is adjacent to The Hideaway in La Quinta at the southeast corner of Madison Street and Avenue 52. The golf course opened in November last year. This exclusively private 18-hole, par 72 course was designed by Tom Fazio. The residential portion of the development has been billed s ultra high end custom homes on large and expensive lots that are sold separately. Construction of the first homes at the site has just begun recently.

The Indian Wells Golf Resort underwent a massive makeover in 2006 with the redevelopment of the former West Course which became the Clive Clark designed Celebrity Course. The new course opened in November to rave reviews and large crowds of golfers anxious to try it out. Redevelopment of the former East Course is currently underway with completion targeted for Thanksgiving 2007. A new 53,000 square foot, two-story clubhouse also is under construction and will hopefully be ready in time for The Skins Game, which the City of Indian Wells is sponsoring and hosting at the Resort for the next three years. The new Clubhouse, designed by Douglas Fredricksen, will house the Calloway Golf Fitting Center (old structure will be demolished) and may include an evening restaurant. Another feature of the new development is an 18-hole putting course designed by John Fought. Indian Wells Resort is located on Indian Wells Lane, on the north side off Highway 111, between Washington Street and Cook Street.

On the private side in Indian Wells, Toscana Country Club sports 27 recently opened holes designed by Jack Nicklaus. The south course opened in December 1004 and the front nine holes of the north course were completed in December 2005. A construction timeline for the back nine holes of the north course has not been determined at this point. Jack Nicklaus christened his two Signature Golf Courses on May 1, 2006, with a grand opening celebration for members and guests.

The Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, operators of Fantasy Springs Resort & Spa has opened its much anticipated Eagle Falls golf Course (originally announced as Kah’ We’ aH’ Creek Golf Course). The course is located adjacent to the resort off of Interstate 10 and Golf Center Parkway and covers portions of the cities of Indio, Coachella as well as Tribal Land. A once-flat desert surface has been artistically pushed and shaped by designer Clive Clark to achieve some of the look and feel of Scottish links style courses, yet more accommodating to the average resort golfer.

At the City of La Quinta’s SilverRock Resort, a second 18-hole course, designed by Jacobsen and Hardy, could be added to the current course and planned resort project as soon as 2008. Recently, the current SilverRock course was added to the rotation for the 2008 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic after a couple years of negotiations with the tournament. Much construction around SilverRock is approved, including a boutique hotel, a resort hotel, resort oriented retail stores, various styles of casitas and hotel condos and a black box theatre to be developed by DDC Desert Development. The entrance is off of Avenue 52, east of Washington Street.

Also in La Quinta, a second Rees Jones designed course is planned for Andalusia Country Club located at the southeast corner of Madison Street and Avenue 58. The first course opened in December 2005 to rave reviews. Jones’ second 18-hole course for Andalusia will be located on the west side of Madison Street and is targeting its first tee-off for early 2008. Drummond Company is the owner/developer (they also developed Rancho La Quinta Country Club) and could ultimately build up to 700 upscale homes surrounding the two courses. The
Temporary clubhouse, along with its golf shop will move into a new fitness center that is scheduled to open in spring 2007 until the massive permanent clubhouse is completed.

Travertine Pointe was another LaQuinta course that once appeared on our radar screen. A specific plan was approved by the City council at a time when such plans were not given expiration dates. However, the applications for Tentative Tract Maps and site development plans have all expired and would need to be reprocessed, which hasn’t occurred.

In Desert Hot springs there are two-high-profile developments with golf courses planned that were announced but now on hold and one that was looking doubtful that is likely back on track. Roger Snellenberger’s Highland Falls project, planned to include 18-hole golf courses designed by David Ginkel is on hold based on legal challenges according to various sources. The development, which was graded a long time ago, would cover 970 acres and include some 3,700 residential units when complete. The location is along Pierson Boulevard, north side, east of State Highway 62. Also on hold in Desert Hot Springs is Tuscan Hills, which was issued grading permits at the end of 2006 for its 515-acre, 2,200 residential unit and 18 hole golf course project. LTV Builders has decided to delay the start of construction of the entire development, including the Johnny Miller designed course. They have been granted a one-year extension to their standing entitlements.

With a Riverside County LAFCO approval of its annexation into Desert Hot Springs, the 1,763-acre Palmwood project may be back on track in 2007. Construction could begin this year on the 27-hold, Phil Mickelson designed golf course and a 400-room hotel. The project site is located north west of the city, near Indian avenue.

In Palm Springs, there is one course under construction and two in limbo. Avalon (formerly known as Palm Springs Village), to be developed by Suncal PSV, LLC, has begun construction on an 18-hole executive style course at the northwest corner of Avenida Caballeros and Sa Rafael Drive. On the Chino Cone near the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway entrance, the Shadow Rock Resort project is still alive and could potentially start construction on an 18-hole golf course during 2007. The battle with the Sierra Club continues even though developer Mark Bragg has pulled a grading permit. Ernest Noia’s Indian Oasis Resort, planned for 273 acres at Mesquite Avenue and Crossley Road with an 18-hole golf course, is on hold until a hotel “flag” can be secured.

In Cathedral City, the Desert Cove Golf Resort project, which would include an 18-hold course in conjunction with a Sheraton Hotel, stays on hold based on engineering challenges in the wash area portion of the plan. The hotel development will not proceed until the golf course development occurs.

The previously announced Desert Wells Country Club, perhaps the last hope of a new privately owned golf course within the Palm Desert city limits, died along with the expiration of its entitlement. Scratch this one from your list.

Lennar’s massive Desert Lakes project in Coachella, which included plans for an 18-hole golf course, is on hold for the foreseeable future as the housing market continues to slump. To date, there is no Specific Plan to this property that was annexed from the County of Riverside. An environmental impact report has not been submitted to the city.