DESERT WILLOW GOLF RESORT (1991)

DESERT REGION

Municipal - 36 hole -cost: $95 - $165

38995 Desert Willow Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92260

Tel: (760) 346-7060

Designed by Dana Fry, Dr. Michael Hurdzan, John Cook. There are two courses at Desert Willow, the Firecliff and Mountain View. Huge bunkers, together with the natural desert, dominate the land­scape and make up the challenge of these popular desert courses. The yardage listed is for the Firecliff Course. From downtown Los Angeles (about 120 miles east to the course): Take I-10 east, exit at Cook Street, and head south. Turn right on Country Club Drive and make another right into the course. With its arroyo desert look, it's a little bit of Phoenix in Palm Springs. Course conditioning is excellent; I don't think we saw another divot or ball mark all day. This is tough course, but fair. The women we played with (all 36 handicappers) thought it was a fun course. The five sets of tees work.

DESERT WINDS GOLF COURSE (1965)

DESERT REGION

Military - 18 hole -cost: $5 - $12

MCCS MCAGCC Combat Golf Assoc., Twentynine Palms, CA 92278

Tel: (760) 830-6132

Designed by military personnel. This is a challenging desert course that sits along a hillside. You can literally see every hole from the clubhouse. The fairways are runway wide; the greens are larger on the front nine and smaller on the back. Out-of-bounds, wind, and heat can all be factors. The course is for military personnel only. From San Bernardino (about 90 miles northeast to the course): Take I-10 east to the Highway 62 turnoff to Twentynine Palms. Upon entering Twentynine Palms, turn left at Adobe Road. There are signs for the base. Ask at the gate for further directions.