Bighorn (Mountains)

An adventurous Arthur Hills design, the Mountains course at Bighorn Golf Club sits high above Palm Desert, the popular “snowbird” retreat in the Coachella Valley. It was the venue for the now defunct PGA Skins Game between 1992 and 1995 when its spectacular location made it the ideal place for some captivating TV golf.

Opened for play in 1991, seven years ahead of the Tom Fazio-designed Canyons layout, the 18-hole Mountain course occupies the ground at highest elevation on the property, though water also comes into play on occasion. Feature holes include the par three 2nd and par five 3rd, then the short par four 14th and drop-shot par three 17th on the inward half.

The club unveiled its new 80,000-square-feet clubhouse at the start of 2018 – sitting 1,000 feet above the valley floor to accentuate the desert views – and this mightily impressive building incorporates four large penthouses for the use of members and their guests. Taking more than a year to construct, the clubhouse is said to have cost an eye-watering $70 million.