Welcome to the Indian Wells Resort in Palm Desert. We wanted to feel like celebrities, so we got a scenic room at the wonderful Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa for the weekend. This is a 4-star resort that has 560 guestrooms, 3 restaurants, a full-service spa, and an outdoor pool. It also has access to two premiere golf courses at Indian Wells Golf Resort: the Celebrity course and the Players course.
My son and I got a chance to play a round on the celebrity course on this trip. There is lot to talk about and so many great pictures to show, so hop in the cart and hang on my son is driving…
There were high expectations when the Clive Clark’s Celebrity Course reopened in November 2006 to rave reviews and it was definitely to be expected. Clark, a professional Golfer, golf course architect, and sports commentator is responsible for this masterpiece course design at Indian Wells and many others.
In addition to spectacular mountain views, the Par-72 Celebrity Course features clear and open and highly manicured fairways, naturally beautiful streams, brooks, and small lakes. There are even a few waterfalls with flowers of all colors.They are groomed to perfection and with great detail.
With it’s two par 5s and two par 4s, which still adds up to a par 72 over 7,050 yards, it’s big and open and the sand traps which are many and filled with that ultra fine sand, so well taken care of it looks like a photograph in every direction. The course hosted the LG Skins Game in 2007 and 2008 because of it’s unmatched beauty and the difficulty of the course. it’s a hard one.
From the moment you step on the course you feel special and privileged to play. The Celebrity Course offers a premiere golf experience and I guarantee whenever you travel to Palm Desert or Indian Wells and think about where to play, you well revere this course as a little secret and special experience.
When you are searching for the pin and you tee up, it’s easy to get distracted by the beauty of the palm trees in the distance and the mountains that look like there are 500 feet away. Beyond the distant scenery, the course itself is gorgeous. Bring your camera as you will want to capture the beauty.
A bit about the course designer: Clive Clark has worked as a commentator for the BBC and CBS, and as a golfer and golf course architect, often alongside fellow BBC golf analyst Peter Alliss. Clark has his golf course design company in Palm Desert, California and now resides in nearby La Quinta.
His designs include Lake Winnipesaukee, Belgrade Lakes, and of course the fabulous Indian Wells Resort in the Palm Desert California but also has created The Hideaway, and Alcaidesa just outside Sotogrande, Spain.
Photos by Todd Meisler
Helpful Links
Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa
Clive Clark’s Celebrity Golf Course Indian Wells
Traveling To Indian Wells Soon? Here are a few tips:
How to get there: Indian Wells is a 2-hour drive from Los Angeles and a 2.5 hour drive from San Diego. If you are coming from out of state, the two closes airports are Palm Springs International Airport and Ontario International Airport.
Where to stay: Indian Wells offers many resort hotels, but our favorite is Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa. The resort has a great pool and is next door to the Indian Wells Golf Courses. I suggest checking HotelsCombined for the best Indian Wells hotel rates.
What to pack: The temperatures each season vary greatly, but even in winter it can be hot. Summers days tend to warm up quickly and stay hot. Winter temperatures are much more mild and warm up nicely during the day, but you might find early morning and evening can be cool. I was very happy I brought along a light rain jacket (you will get the occasional rain shower). I also always pack and extra golf glove, golf tees, and in my golf bag. Don’t forget a good pair of golf shoes (I like the Adidas Climacool Spikeless) and my latest favorite golf gadget is the Golf Rangefinder Binoculars that locks on to the flag automatically and measures the distant in just a second.
Thinking about a visiting Indian Wells or want to plan a Indian Wells Golf Course vacation? Ask your questions in the comments below!
Read More About Great Golf Getaway’s
Top 5 West Coast Locations for a Golf Getaway
Golf In Paradise at the Poipu Bay Course (Hawaii)
Indian Wells Golf Resort Weekend
While I was an invited guests of Renaissance Indian Wells Resort and Indian Wells Golf Resort, this is a totally independent and honest review based on my experience.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to the readers of this website.
No Comment