The Palms Golf Club

The Palms Golf Club sits in La Quinta, California, within the Coachella Valley's desert golf corridor. Designed by Brian Curley in collaboration with professional golfer Fred Couples, the course reflects Couples' preference for playable, strategic layouts that reward thoughtful course management over forced carries and excessive difficulty. The design opened in the early 2000s as part of a private residential community. The routing takes advantage of the natural desert terrain, incorporating native vegetation, sand, and mountain backdrops characteristic of the region. Curley and Couples shaped wide fairways with strategic bunkering that offers multiple angles of approach, allowing players of varying skill levels to navigate holes according to their abilities. The greens feature subtle contours rather than severe undulations, consistent with Couples' playing philosophy of rewarding solid ball-striking without punishing moderate misses. Water features appear selectively throughout the layout, adding visual interest and strategic consideration on several holes. The course maintains a balance between challenge and playability, avoiding the extreme desert-style hazards found on some neighboring designs. Bermuda grass surfaces suit the desert climate and provide consistent playing conditions during the region's extended golf season. The Palms operates as a private club serving its residential membership. The facility includes practice areas and clubhouse amenities typical of upscale desert golf communities in the La Quinta area, which hosts numerous private and resort courses within a concentrated geographic footprint.