Desert Willow (Firecliff)

Developed by the City of Palm Desert, the Desert Willow Golf Resort offers two 18-hole public access courses: Firecliff was first to appear when it debuted in 1997, followed a year later by Mountain View. Both layouts were designed by architects Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, with input from PGA Tour professional John Cook.

The Firecliff course extends to just over 7,000 yards from the back tees, featuring more than a hundred bunkers and waste areas, along with numerous water hazards. Its younger sibling, Mountain View, is a little shorter and a bit more forgiving, providing the perfect foil for the tougher Firecliff layout.

Highlight holes on the Firecliff include short par fours at the 331-yard 6th (played to a peninsula green) and 332-yard 15th (protected by a waste area to the right of the fairway) as well as an impressive par five closing hole, where water cuts diagonally across the hole then runs along the right side of the fairway to the home green.