Marriott's Shadow Ridge Golf Club

Shadow Ridge is a Nick Faldo-designed daily-fee course that opened in the late 1990s as part of the Marriott resort complex in Palm Desert. The layout occupies relatively flat desert terrain in the Coachella Valley, where the design navigates around residential development and incorporates the region's characteristic sandy washes, native vegetation, and mountain backdrops. Faldo, a six-time major champion who transitioned to course design in the 1990s, created a player-friendly resort course that emphasizes strategic options over penal hazards, with multiple tee boxes accommodating a range of skill levels. The routing features wide fairways bordered by desert scrub and waste areas, with water coming into play on several holes. Bunkering is generous but not severe, and the greens offer moderate undulation suitable for resort play. The course takes advantage of views toward the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south and provides the open, sun-drenched experience typical of Coachella Valley golf. Palm Desert's concentration of resort courses means Shadow Ridge competes in a market defined by accessibility and playability rather than championship difficulty. The facility serves primarily resort guests and visiting golfers drawn to the Palm Springs area's winter climate and extensive golf options. As a Marriott property, the course integrates with the broader vacation ownership and hospitality infrastructure, offering convenient access and standard resort amenities. Shadow Ridge represents Faldo's approach to resort design during an era when many tour professionals entered the architecture field, emphasizing playability and visual appeal for a recreational audience.