PGA West Stadium Course #17: Welcome to “Alcatraz.” Home to Lee Trevino’s “Hole in One” – one of the most famous shots in golf history – which gave him the “Skins Game” victory over Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Raymond Floyd.
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4.3
964 Reviews (964)
5 Stars
594
4 Stars
229
3 Stars
84
2 Stars
33
1 Stars
24
Conditions
4.1
Value
3.8
Layout
4.6
Friendliness
4.5
Pace
4.0
Amenities
4.4
84.4%
Recommend this course
844 out of 964 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.4
68 Reviews (68)
5 Stars
40
4 Stars
20
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.5
Value
4.0
Layout
4.7
Pace
3.9
Amenities
4.4
StaffFriendliness
4.7
91.2%
Recommend this course
62 out of 68 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.2
132 Reviews (132)
5 Stars
68
4 Stars
36
3 Stars
16
2 Stars
8
1 Stars
4
Conditions
4.1
Value
3.7
Layout
4.6
Pace
4.0
Amenities
4.4
StaffFriendliness
4.5
82.6%
Recommend this course
109 out of 132 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Public/Resort
Par 72
Length 7300 yards
Slope 148
Rating 75.8
Book a Tee Time at
PGA WEST - Pete Dye Stadium Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1987
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Pete Dye (1987) Alice Dye (1986)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes
GPS No

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, MasterCard, Amex, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Dress code No denim, collared shirt and bermuda shorts required

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities

Available Sports

Fitness, Tennis

Accolades

Reviews

4.3
964 Reviews (964)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 40
Patio Dining 27
19th Hole Scenic Views 26
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 68
Water Hazards 65
Forced Carries 48
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 59
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 51
A Weekend Splurge 29
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 42
At a Resort 33
Convenient to the City 18

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 9
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

PGA West Stadium is a gem in the desert

This is my first time playing at PGA West and I was very impressed with the everything (Staff, Course conditions and layout, amenities.) The starter let me tee off a little early which allowed me to finish all 18 holes before dark. I will definitely come back and play Stadium course again soon.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Used cart

Great Experience

Currently reading a history book on Q-School. Nice to experience what I found in the pages. Was pleased how well I played. It was that rare good day for my game. The staff at the course is excellent. Although I should quit while I'm ahead, I'll be back. Thanks for a grand experience.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Call Before You Reserve

Played PGA West Nicolas on 9/16/23. Their website did not mention that the greens were sanded and the rough uncut. If you are a scratch golfer you will probably be fine. If you miss the fairway the rough is so thick even if you have a basic idea where it landed you can kiss the ball goodbye. I find it very dishonest not to advertise on their website the poor conditions of their course. They even warned us that the conditions were bad. Thanks for nothing. Traveled 3 hours to get there and prepaid for the round.
Do yourself a favor and make sure the course is properly prepared especially early season. If the greens are sandy and the rough has not be cut stay away if you like your balls.
Unhappy golfer.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Slow pace

Not sure if it was due to the rough length or overbooking or too many bad golfers but our round was 45 minutes behind the suggested pace and we walked off after 16 holes. Course for late summer was in okay shape, slow greens and dense rough, nice tee boxes and pretty decent fairways. Bunkers were pretty good.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 12
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 21
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great layout but ridiculous rough

The course is beautiful but the rough immediately off the fairways and greens is about 7 inches deep and thick. If you just barely miss a fairway our green and even if you have a real good idea where you landed you can kiss the ball good bye. I lost 7 balls on the first nine holes. You can’t find them unless you step on it and if you do it’s impossible too hit any decent shot out of it. T took all the enjoyment out of what should have been a fun round on a great layout.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Horrible shape

This course is usually in amazing shape but now it’s like playing a bad muni course. Not sure what happened. The price was ridiculous for the shape it was in. Staff however especially the Marshalls were awesome.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played

Conditions could have been better

I have have played this track a couple of times and this was by far the worst conditions I’ve played it in. That said I understand why because of the recent hurricane that went through. I just think it needed a lot more TLC after the storm and should have stayed closed to clean up. First the bunkers had zero sand. They were hard packed dirt or mud or flooded. Second the rough was way longer than normal and inconsistent in areas. It definitely had not been mowed in a while. People were losing balls all day. I personally found 8. In the end for a course as hard as this having things not in better shape makes for a long day.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
2.0
First Time Playing

Cart path only policy was so terrible. Because of 100 degree weather, We had a though day.. Golf course condition also terrible. Green condition is worst. Maybe we never visit this course again.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Stinking hot

Overall was really pleased
Location is solid tucked back near the “Cove”
Price was stellar for that day at $56, was a steal in my opinion. Range balls were included. Carts came with water and and ice plus had additional ice available and Marshall had extra water if needed
Cart also had Bluetooth connection so didn’t need to use personal speakers. My brother in laws cart #8 had a faulty speaker so sounded poorly. My cart was rocking

Greens were a little brown in them and could
Use more love. Not sure how Hurricane impacted the course the week before.

Didn’t get to utilize restaurant but talking to others it’s a good place

At the turn snack cart wasn’t open so had to head back to restaurant/clubhouse. But got more ice and drinks.

Marshall was on the course checked in on us a few times.

Did have a person that lived on the course that was playing that was very unpleasant and almost hit us. Even though we played under 4 hours he was hitting to early. We let him pass and told him but he gave a snotty response of that he was better than us.

Again I will close with a great overall experience.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played

Ok

First 2 greens were rough, But got better after 3. Fairways were patchy but for the most part like the greens did improve.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 33
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Hot fun in the sun!

Played in 104 degree heat by staying very hydrated. Greens and fairways dry as expected but did not affect play. Course layout never disappoints. Avoided the “moat” and “San Andreas fault”, stayed dry on “Alcatraz”. What more can you ask for?!

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
1.0
Verified Purchaser

Hurricane Hilary came thru and I didn’t get to play. Any chance for a refund of fees.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played

$200 green fees in Summer?

I’ve played this course close to 100 times in the last 35 years.

Management has ruined it by removing so many trees last year. I get that Mesquite trees are water hogs but they removed all the shade from tee boxes and along the fairways.

Charging $200 a round in SUMMER is absolutely ridiculous!

This management Co. is GREEDY!

There are many courses in this valley to choose from. Don’t be afraid to take your business else where

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 5
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
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great playing where the pro’s play!

Our group had a blast playing PGA West Stadium Course in the heat of August! A wonderful Pete Dye layout - which was overall in good shape given the intensity of the summer desert heat. Grateful for the opportunity and look forward to playing the Stadium Course again and watching the PGA Tour players handle the course at The American Express next January!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Great Experience

Staff was fantastic from the parking lot to the course. Fairways in good shape and rough a little long. Greens were punched in past few weeks, which is to be expected this time of year in Coachella Valley. Given recent weather the course was in excellent shape and presented a great challeng and staff kept us hydrated out there. With rough a little high. Lost a few balls but our fault for not hitting it true. Bar staff and food exceptional. Great round for me and my son. Many thanks to the team at PGA West! If I can offer any criticism, I’d like more rakes around the traps, but never should have been in ‘em in the first place.

Played On
Reviews 23
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

SLOW.

Played at 11 AM on a Sat. 100 degrees. and waited after the first hole on every single shot the whole day. the two groups in front of us pulled out range finders from 10 yards off the green and tossed up grass on every shot...all 6 or 7 on every hole. Pace was a game destroyer and probably added 8 strokes to my game. That and the heat. I came from the coast. The course was nice and challenging, I came up short on 5 or 6 greens, not sure if it was the heat or hangover from the night before. I'd play this course all the time if I lived in the area.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Course Needs Help

Something must be wrong with the grass because all the greens and many areas on the fairways are in terrible condition. The greens are almost unplayable . I hope Theo can be fixed. I should have been told about the course conditions at the time of booking

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
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Commented on 06/05/2023

Hi, gkates. 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 The Stadium Course at PGA WEST.

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