WESTIN DESERT WILLOW VILLAS AND GOLF RESORT

Westin Desert Willow – The Courses

Located in Palm Desert, CA, Westin Desert Willow Golf Resort offers a premium experience both on and off the golf course. Designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, Westin Desert Willow consists of two 18-hole courses in Firecliff (opened in 1997) and Mountain View (opened in 1998). Westin Desert Willow really strives to embrace the natural and picturesque views of the beautiful desert landscape. A good example of this was considered in planning with the designers saying “we want to thoughtfully develop a plant palette that would make Westin Desert Willow environmentally sensitive, unique, and picturesque while integrating this with an exceptional golf course design.” The Firecliff course offers more of a desert-style feel and demands accuracy off the tee, while Mountain View has more of a resort style with water features and is more forgiving off the tee. No matter which course you decide to play, both offer premier playing surfaces and unique shot setups to challenge your game.

The course is just a short golf cart ride away from the Westin Resort and Villas. If you do not wish to walk, just call the front desk and someone will be there shortly to give you a ride over. Once we arrived, we checked in and ordered from the café just outside the golf shop. Here, you can get anything from a turkey club to a breakfast burrito. Whatever floats your boat and fuels you up for the round. It was helpful to have such a quick option instead of having to wait for a full meal from the restaurant.

The staff had our carts waiting right outside the café area for easy access to head over to the practice facilities. The facility consisted of a very nice, large range with balls provided, and separate putting and chipping greens. The only thing I wish it had was a practice bunker to get the consistency of the sand dialed in. I later asked about the bunker and the staff said they used to have one but had to remove it because golfers were skudding balls out of the trap, hurting others and breaking windows. I thought that was pretty comical considering we have all hit a thin screamer out of the sand at one point.

Mountain View Course

Our group started on the Mountain View course day 1. The staff informed us before the round that Mountain View is more forgiving off the tee, but requires a more precise chipping and approach game. We were quickly faced with four straight par-4’s, ranging from 369 to 433 yards from the purple tees (6,507 yards total). This was unique, to say the least, but most of the holes on Mountain View were straight and wide. A good tee shot on any of these four would put you in a great position to score.

Our favorite hole of the front nine was the par-5 6th hole. With water all along the right side and cutting in front of the green, this hole is truly a risk/reward to get on in two. Playing at just 455 yards, from the purple tees, it is certainly doable to get home in two. The only risk to consider is flying the water in front and keeping it out of the water on the left of the green as well.

It was around 108 degrees during our visit, so the iced Mango towels waiting for us at the turn were a game changer! Those small details by the staff are what sets one course apart from another. We felt as if they personally cared about our experience, which was refreshing (pun intended).

There were 10 total par-4’s on the Mountain View course, with another four in a row as we finished the round. One of which was the par-4 17th hole, our favorite hole from the back nine. It was a tough choice between this one and the par-5 18th. We chose the 17th because it plays at just 317 yards, presenting golfers with an opportunity to drive the green if you are a long hitter.

We cooled off in the lobby bar after our round as the winners collected their lunch bets. The property has many different areas to grab a bite to eat, either before or after your round. To read more on the dining options, check out the other accommodations section.

Firecliff Course

On Day 2 we found our way over to the second course, Firecliff. The staff mentioned that Firecliff requires good precision off the tee. While Mountain View offers more water hazards, Firecliff’s challenge comes with tighter fairways and several bunkers on each hole, over 100 on the course overall. The first hole alone had eight bunkers!

Playing at 6,676 from the purple tees, Firecliff requires a bit more distance than its sister course. Our favorite hole on the front nine was an easy choice. One of the signature and most photographed holes is the par 4 9th hole. Playing at 437 yards from the purple tees, this hole requires a long, accurate tee shot to have a shot at birdie, or even just par. This number 3 handicap hole has water along the left side, starting about 120 yards from the green, so your tee shot should be safe from the drink. Missing right on approach is ok here, as long as you feel comfortable playing out of those bunkers!

The iced mango towels were back for the Firecliff course, but since the turn brings you through the golf shop, the staff will meet you out on the course to offer the cool towel. Again, this was a very nice touch and the hint of mango provided us with a much-needed refresher in 105 degrees, despite teeing off early.

The back nine of Firecliff provided us with some spectacular views and challenging holes. It was another easy choice to pick our favorite hole on the back. Running parallel and often photographed as a pair with the 9th hole, the par-5 18th hole is truly beautiful. With a small creek running along the left side and cutting across the halfway point of the fairway, this hole requires precise planning and shot execution. With such a tucked green, only the longest and most daring hitters will be on in two. The best play is to execute a layup and leave yourself with your best yardage into the green.

Both courses are unique and challenging in their own way. There was a good blend of desert style golf and resort golf to suit all types of players. The greens rolled true but not too fast, a good opportunity to score well and not get frustrated on and around the greens. The golf shop and café offered us easy and quick access to top of the line apparel and quality food and snack to power our round. The mango towels were a nice touch to keep us cool, as the sun tends to wear on you after a few hours of searching and swinging! Keep reading to find out more about golf offerings and our experience staying at the Westin Villas.

Other Accommodations

• Junior Golf Program
• Footgolf
• Weddings
• Special Events
• Tournaments
• Dining
• The Palm Desert Golf Academy

The Westin Villas

We arrived on a Friday evening and parked to check in at the lobby. Pro Tip: Don’t unload your bags just yet as you will need to drive to the appropriate building number to find your villa.

We booked 2 villas with a conjoining door since there were four of us. The photo above is just one of the villas, complete with a full kitchen, dining table, TV area, and a connecting bathroom-bedroom combo. The conjoining villas offered us plenty of space and is perfect for four people, either as one big villa or separately, whichever you prefer. We were lucky to get a corner villa that overlooked the Mountain View Course, one hole on each side!

After our first round, we were looking to cool off a bit and decided to check out the pool area. We made our way to the main pool area called the Mirage pool deck, complete with a main lounge pool, a second pool for volleyball and basketball, and a smaller third pool for the waterslide! We had a bit of trouble finding the main pool as there are three separate pool areas on the property, one specifically for smaller children and families. The pool had a full bar available and able to charge anything back to your villa. We also took advantage of the basketball hoop to continue the competition from the day. Note: I suggest getting a map of the property as it’s fairly large and can get confusing.

The resort offers an impressive array of accommodations including a workout and fitness studio for those looking to break a sweat on vacation. But where will the kids go during your workout or round of golf? No problem, they got it covered! Perhaps one of the best amenities is the Westin kids club. Here, your kids (ages 4-12) will be able to take part in activities such as tye dye shirt crafting and poolside pottery painting. The only cost associated is for the materials used in the class, making it affordable for all.

 

If golf is not your thing, the resort also offers tennis courts complete with complimentary gear and court time. They are open all day until 10 pm and the equipment can be rented at the game room. Speaking of the game room, this is a great place to cool off and relax. It includes a pool table, air hockey, and a flat screen with video game consoles. Good luck trying to get your kids out of there!

My favorite feature the resort offered was the late departure lounge. How many times have you had a flight later that day or at night but checkout is at 11 or 12? Maybe you hang out in the lobby watching everyone else check in. Maybe you lug all your luggage into a restaurant. Or… you could relax in the lounge and grab a bite to eat at the Agave Bar & Grill.

Our experience at the Westin Desert Willow Villas was above and beyond what we were expecting. The golf was fantastic and the accommodations were even better. Every time I think back I remember something new, like the pool table and ping pong tables that were outside our villas next to two grills. The golf bridged the gap between a challenging desert landscape and resort style views. The golf mecca that is Palm Springs can be quite overwhelming choosing a resort and course in which to stay and play. With 2 separate courses and top of the line villas and accommodations (especially for kids), all types of groups are welcome here at the Westin Desert Willow.

 

To book your stay and play at the Westin Desert Willow Villas and Golf Resort please visit their website!