Courtesy of Brian Curley (2)
Golf course architect Brian Curley has returned to The Palms Golf Club — the private La Quinta, California, course he crafted with World Golf Hall of Famer Fred Couples in 1999 — to complete a modernization that restores the layout while refining it for contemporary play.
Curley’s and Couples’ recent work focused on reclaiming the clean, classical look that defined the course at its debut. Together, they reconstructed creeks, removed trees to enhance strategic options and long-range views, and cleared vegetation to reveal features that had quietly filled in over time. Fairways were widened to improve playability and revive the dramatic doglegs that are a hallmark of the design. The result is a layout that feels more open and playable, and more visually connected to its desert surrounds — all showcased by an exceptional seasonal overseed.
“Over the past 25-plus years, the course had seen subtle changes that were mostly imposed to cater to the elite player,” Curley said. “These included tighter fairway widths and added trees that took out alternative angles of play. Fred and I feel that this recent effort brought back much of the original width creating more playability for the average player, yet the course certainly remains one of the more challenging layouts in the desert.”
From the start, The Palms was conceived as an old-school golf club: walking-friendly, golf-first and free of distractions. Now, as then, there are no tee times and fast play remains central to the club’s identity. Its ethos and aesthetics borrow from the game’s most revered traditional venues, including Augusta National, Riviera and Oakmont.
The Palms is also known for its “core golf” setting, with only a scattering of perimeter homes. The absence of real-estate constraints allowed Curley and Couples to shape bold doglegs and lines of play that are rare on modern desert courses.
The routing itself offers variety and character. The opening holes unfold through a distinctive mesquite environment reminiscent of the Sandbelt, while later stretches are framed by towering palms that lend the course a timeless Coachella Valley feel.
The club’s membership reflects that tradition. The Palms is historically home to a collection of PGA Tour and LPGA Tour professionals, as well as many of the region’s top amateurs. Arnold Palmer was among its more beloved early members, often spending time in the clubhouse, even joining the club’s famed weekly “game,” a tradition that still thrives today and continues to attract elite players from across the valley.
With the team’s latest work complete, The Palms enters the new season renewed, faithful to its roots yet thoughtfully updated.
Beyond California, Curley-Wagner Golf Design is engaged with an eclectic mix of projects around the globe, including multi-course residential and resort projects; private, intimate 18-hole routings; and public facilities featuring creative golf experiences catering to how today’s players enjoy the game.
