The Mountains at Bighorn Golf Club

The Mountains course at Bighorn Golf Club opened in 1998 as the second of two championship layouts at this private desert community in Palm Desert. Arthur Hills designed the routing to work with the dramatic elevation changes and natural contours at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains, creating a layout that climbs and descends through canyons and ridgelines. The course sits higher in the foothills than many Coachella Valley courses, offering expansive views across the desert floor while playing through more rugged, mountainous terrain than the flatter valley layouts.

Hills incorporated the rocky outcroppings and natural desert vegetation into his design, with fairways carved through the landscape rather than imposed upon it. The routing features significant elevation changes from tee to green on several holes, and the terrain creates both strategic interest and visual drama. Water comes into play on select holes, but the primary design challenge comes from the topography, the desert waste areas, and the need to position drives carefully on the sloped fairways.

Bighorn Golf Club serves a private membership and has maintained a low profile compared to some of the valley's more tournament-oriented clubs. The Mountains course complements the club's other Arthur Hills design, The Canyons, giving members two distinct desert golf experiences. The club's facilities include dining and social amenities typical of high-end desert private clubs, though it has not hosted professional tour events.