
Classic Course
Classic Club
About this course
The Classic Club in Palm Desert opened in 2007 as an Arnold Palmer Signature Design, situated in the Coachella Valley with views of the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south and west. Palmer routed the course across relatively flat desert terrain, incorporating strategic bunkering, water features on multiple holes, and generous landing areas balanced by well-protected greens. The layout measures over 7,300 yards from the championship tees and plays as a modern resort-style course with wide fairways that reward positioning for optimal approach angles. The course gained immediate prominence as the host of the CareerBuilder Challenge (formerly the Bob Hope Classic and Humana Challenge) on the PGA TOUR, serving in the tournament rotation from 2007 through 2014. During this period, The Classic Club was typically the final-round venue in the multi-course pro-am format, providing a championship test for tour professionals while remaining accessible to amateur players throughout the rest of the year. The tournament exposure established the course's reputation beyond the local desert golf market. The property features desert landscaping with native vegetation framing many holes, and the design emphasizes playability for a range of skill levels despite its length. Water comes into play on several holes, and the bunkering style reflects Palmer's preference for bold, visible hazards. The club operates as a semi-private facility, offering public access alongside member play, which is common among the newer generation of desert courses built during the early 2000s development period in the Coachella Valley.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in CA
Quick facts
- Location
- Palm Desert, CA, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 2006
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Arnold Palmer
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 7,322 yards
- Difficulty
- 75.8/144
- Course Vaults score
- 7.7
Getting there
The journey to Classic Club begins at Palm Springs International Airport, a compact and efficient gateway less than twenty minutes east along Interstate 10. Private arrivals often favor Thermal Airport, a discreet facility favored by corporate and charter traffic, positioned even closer to the Coachella Valley's eastern reaches. The drive from either point traces the dramatic transition from mid-century resort corridors into the open desert floor, where the Santa Rosa Mountains rise sharply to the south and the fairways of Classic Club emerge against a backdrop of raw, sunlit stone - a fitting threshold to one of the valley's most architecturally refined modern layouts.

FAQ
Common questions about Classic
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Classic has a Course Vaults score of 7.7 out of 10 based on 43 logged golfers.
Classic was designed by Arnold Palmer.
Yes. Classic is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Classic is 72.
Classic plays 7,322 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Classic is 144.



