Located in the Coachella Valley of Palm Springs, California, Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Golf Club enjoys almost year-round sunlight and stunning views of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Designed by the legendary Nick Faldo and playing 7006 yards from the tips, Shadow Ridge is packed with attention to detail on every hole. Drawing inspiration from Australia’s Kingston Heath and Royal Melbourne, Faldo wanted to design a course that tests a player’s skill and imagination, while also pushing the limits of what resort golf can be. We would later find out firsthand what exactly Faldo was trying to create. Bring your imagination and grit; you’re going to need it!
As we pulled up to the entrance, it was immediately evident that Marriott Shadow Ridge is a more significant experience than just golf. With expansive private villas and impressive resort amenities, I highly recommend you stay and play here even if you do not play golf. We arrived Friday evening and went to bed early, so we were ready for our early morning round.
The next day, we loaded up the truck and made the 30-second drive to the clubhouse. After checking in at the golf shop upstairs, we decided to look around a bit. The shop is not overly large, but it contains quality gear. The biggest tip we received from the pro was to stay out of the bunkers as the course features extremely bold and vast bunkering throughout. Should be easy enough, right?
Practice Facilities:
One of the most impressive things we observed during our visit was the practice facility. Balls are included with your round of golf, which should be a new standard at courses if you ask me! The range features a plethora of hitting bays to make sure there is room for everyone. If you only want to practice, the fee is $30 for unlimited access for the day. We also made sure to practice our bunker game just in case we found one of the treacherous bunkers around the course. Shadow Ridge features a 10,000 square foot grass tee or bunker called the “scoring V.” Nine different pin locations can be found here and can be customized from 50-100 yards out! I think more golfers should practice from this distance to improve the score (including me).
The chipping and putting facilities are 12,000 and 8,000 square feet, respectively, and located conveniently next to the cart area. The property also features two additional secluded greens to practice a wider variety of shots, but that’s a secret you’ll have to ask the locals about.
Bonus Features!
The Course:
Due to our handicaps hovering between 7-12, we decided to play the green tees measuring 6,621 yards. The par-4 1st hole was straightforward, with bunkers on each side guarding a tight landing area. While not overly long at 381 yards, you must be accurate off the tee to have a good look at birdie here. What was immediately evident upon stepping onto the first tee was the perfectly and meticulously manicured fairway and green. We could tell immediately that this course and maintenance staff takes pride in their craft.
Hole two features the only par-5 on the front side measures in at 583 yards, this hole is a real 3-shot par-5 and the number 1 handicap hole on the course. If you have the firepower to get there in two, avoid the right side on your second shot as water comes into play. A five is a good score here, so don’t get greedy!
Front Nine Feature Hole!
It is always tough picking just one hole from each nine as our favorite; I will include an honorable mention for the par-3 7th hole. We considered the 7th not only because it plays 204 yards uphill, but the wind is almost always whipping straight into you. I was too stubborn, but some of our group took driver on this par-3!
Our favorite hole on the front was the par-4 9th hole. It might not seem long at 397 yards, but this hole gets extremely tight right around 300 yards. Anything between 240-260 yards is a reasonable distance to have a shot at birdie. Water hugs this hole all along the left side, so you lefties that slice it need to make some adjustments! There is not much bunker trouble around the green, but it is protected by water along the left. Miss right off the tee and on approach, and you will be just fine.
Back Nine
In my opinion, the back nine requires a bit more shot-making and imagination as five out of nine holes consist of water. The back starts you off with a 461-yard par 4 with a tee shot over water to a blind fairway landing spot. This was the only blind tee shot on the back nine as most of the others either require less than a driver for a smart play, or a well-placed drive to avoid trouble.
Back Nine Feature Hole!
This one was not as tough to decide as the front nine was. The par-4 18th took the cake here. Playing at 425-yards from the green tees, 18 is beautiful and demanding. A creek snakes its way through the hole, starting from the right side and then cutting across parallel to the fairway on the left before cutting over the back towards the right near the green. While you do not need a driver here, you certainly have room to hit it. But beware, your landing area becomes much smaller and brings water into play on the left. I opted for a 250-yard club to make sure that it did not happen!
Overall, this was one of the best courses our group has played in the Palm Springs area. The property itself is beautiful, and I highly recommend anyone in the area to check out the villas, even if not golfing, as it is an excellent fit for families. The course was well-bunkered and well-manicured. The wind tends to whip a little bit in the valley, so try to bring your best Gary Woodland stinger with you!