Shadow Ridge Golf Resort
4.5
5
53
53
Nice Course - But a Bit Pricey for What You Get
I played this course about 1 week before they planned to overseed. As such, the course was a bit dry. However the greens were still in good shape, and held accurate approach shots well. This is a nice course, but I don't think it is worth the extra money that they charge in comparison with some of the other courses in the area. The course is challenging, not because it is long (it really isn't), or has tough driving holes (most are fairly easy). The reason this course is challenging is because the green are medium to small, are above the level of the fairways, and have false fronts and severe contours. This makes getting close to most pin placements almost impossible for the average golfer. I hit many approach shots that I thought were very good - only to find my ball had rolled over the green or had backed up off of the green. Faldo courses place a premium on extremely accurate iron shots!
October 6, 2012
Difficult but Fair
We love Shadow Ridge! It's a fun and interesting course. The greens are tough (undulating and fast) but that's part of the challenge!
April 8, 2013
Finishing four holes are difficult especially with a head wind.
Pace of play was good for a resort course. A little "worn in spots"
Middle tees are a little much for 15/18 handicapper . Four finishing holes really difficult especially into the prevailing west wind.
March 21, 2013
Excellent customer service, great course, excellent greens
We played here and really enjoyed the experience. The course was breathtaking as well as immaculately maintained. Carts with GPS and coolers, and frequent visits from the beverage cart all made this experience worth every penny.
March 20, 2013
Championship layout
This is an extremely difficult layout for a resort course open to the public. There are hazards built in that serve no purpose other than to frustrate the high handicap golfers and thereby unnecessarily prolong the time of the golf round. For example, waste bunkers that extend a hundred yards or more immediately in front of tee boxes. These present no challenge to the fifteen or lower handicap golfer but could cause the higher handicap golfers to thrash around getting out of the bunkers and then incur additional strokes by trying to make up ground with impossibly long fairway shot attempts.
Another feature that is unfair and time consuming to the average resort golfer is the highly sloped and contoured greens. As an example, I hit my tee shot to the center of a par three green where it settled leaving me a fifteen foot putt. As I walked back to my cart, one of my playing partners said that my ball had started to roll. It had indeed and continued to roll off the green and into a water hazard. This might be expected for a champion level tournament course but is in my opinion unfair and unnecessary for a resort course open to all levels of golfing skill. When you combine the greens design with pin placements half way up the slopes, your are guaranteeing rounds of five plus hours.
We were the first group off at six am and our round took fours hours. I can easily envision five hour plus rounds on this course at prime tee off times.
With so many other courses to play in the desert it will be a long time before I return to this one.
March 1, 2013
Very nice course
This course is worth playing - a little expensive for what you get (the GPS is below average and if you do not know the course you need to have a yardage book to figure out strategy- they should provide this for the price). Sir Nick tricked up a few of the greens but they roll very nice and hold a good shot. Fun to play!
February 24, 2013
Very fair and pristine
One of the best in palm desert excellent condition
February 23, 2013
Challenging course with protected greens.
This is a great course for all levels. Well placed shots are rewarded and missed shots are punishing. The fareways are pristene and the greens challenge every shot. The course begs you to play it twice... a day!
February 20, 2013
Wonderful Course
This course is excellent. Although very challenging, it is very enjoyable to play. The course conditions are picture perfect and the layout is worth the play. For Nick Faldo's first design, he did an excellent job. I would play this course again and again.
February 18, 2013
Tough green complexes and undulating greens
For an average player, the bunkering and undulating greens make it very difficult to score or feel that you can score well at all. Even moving up to shorter tees puts too much fear into shots with a wedge in your hand. And I never felt confident over any putt. Too many subtle breaks make even fairly short putts tiresome. Vacation golf it's not. More like a guys course on a grind it out golf trip.
February 16, 2013
Wide Open
Greens were tough, but nice wide landing areas made for a great day of golf. Very good condition, Very forgiving course. Great Day Of Golf
February 15, 2013
Pace of play was really slow. Waited on every shot.
Pace of play was really slow. Waited on every shot.
February 14, 2013
Top course in Palm Desert
Definitely a top 2 or 3 course in Palm Desert. Great layout by Faldo. Difficult but playable. Pristine condition. It's a must play.
February 9, 2013
Complete golf experience.
Shadow Ridge has it all. A well designed and challenging course, excellent practice facilities, and spacious and comfortable clubhouse. The fairways are well bunkered, but there is ample room to put the drive in play. The greens were in excellent shape , but is critical that approach shots are played to the right portion of the green. All around a great day of golf.
February 8, 2013
Fun day in the rain!
Even in the rain - we had a blast! Course in good shape and able to play at a good pace.
February 2, 2013
immaculate kept course
the big challenge is in approaching the greens. Surrounded by bunkers &/or water, they are uneven & very fast.
A great course, a greater challenge.
January 31, 2013
Nice course!
The course is very well maintained. The greens are challenging but true. Lots of sandtraps. Not much water. If you go much off the fairway the ball is gone!
I am from Cleveland, Ohio. In Cleveland there are more changes in elevation, there is more water, there are more opportunities to keep the ball in play if in the rough. However,for a Desert Springs Golf experience, this was great!
January 29, 2013
Good Course Tight Lies Tough Greens
Good Course - like the tight lies. Quite forgiving but greens are the toughest part of the course.
January 26, 2013
Great course
Great course. I would have given it 5 stars except for the greens. They are very undulating, lightening fast and many of the pin placements were unfair. However it was my first time playing the course and didn't expect those type of greens. I think playing it a few times I'll figure out how to approach the greens better. Lots is sand!!! Doesn't bother me but my wife wasn't very happy. But then again just don't get in it.
January 21, 2013
Great test of skills around the greens!
Tough greens. Need to be precise with putts or they roll off greens into collection areas!
January 19, 2013
Very nice golf course
I loved the course. It was fun to play and the course is in great shape. Would definitly play it again and recommend it.
January 14, 2013
Fairway turf a little thin - mowed to short and heavy use
The last 4 years, Marriott has cut back on the density of their overseed and it shows. Fairways are subjected to heavy cart traffic and lies are pretty tight. Greens are OK . Looks like it needs fertilizer.
January 14, 2013
Course rating doesn't reflect its true difficulty! Really tough greens. Great design, professional and helpful staff-great value! We'll be back!
This course will likely not help your index, but who cares? Sir Nick has lots of tricks in the greens. Nice design, good condition, great practice facilities. The staff was very helpful and professional. Will be back next time I'm in Coachella area!
January 13, 2013
Great golfing experience
With the possible exception of lightning fast greens, this was a great experience. Amazing views, great and interesting course architecture. Never a dull moment with the awesome mountain views. Not your typical desert course.
January 9, 2013
Course was in fantastic shape, greens in great condition and everything manicured to perfection. Pace of play great - finished it just about 4 hours.
I have played this course a half dozen times and it has always been enjoyable. Course was in great condition, staff is friendly and it's a great value for the money.
January 8, 2013
Hope you are good out of bunkers!!!
Sir Faldo has created a visually challenging course for your beginner and intermediate golfer. Not only are there a significant multitude of bunkers, but their rather unique placement is visually intimidating on a number of holes. Added to that is the fact that many of the holes are designed so that the surface of the green is very difficult if not impossible to see from your approach shot. As well, there are Swales everywhere, in particular, around the greens so that even good looking approach shots are hard to keep on the greens. The greens themselves are large, undulating and at times difficult to read.
It is, however, a very beautiful course with gorgeous views. A number of the holes make you feel as though you are inside a golf magazine ad!
Also of note - probably the best practice area in the valley on a public course - remarkable for the number and variety of practice areas - really excellent.
True challenge on a pretty course.
January 4, 2013
Nice layout
Very nice. Interesting holes and lots of variation.
January 4, 2013
We had a great experience.
Considering that the day before it was 10 degrees and snowing where we were, a putt-putt course in this area would get three stars from us. Fabulous weather and a very fair, well maintained golf course was just what we needed. Each hole was interesting and unique. Good shots were rewarded and wayward shots brought more challenge. To top it off the scenery was outstanding. We would love to play it again!
January 4, 2013
Great Nick Faldo course designed
The course lay out is so great designed , most of green is hard to get in two on par 4, cause there a lot of bunker around and the bound of it hiding where should we put the ball on green, water trap not too much but just the 18th be carefully .
January 3, 2013
Great mountain views mostly on the front nine, blocked by residential units on the front nine.
Although this is a great course for challenging round, the experience will eventually go away when all the residential units are built. The front nine was the best experience.
The starter was spot on when he said our round was on the edge of being dark when we finished based on the pace of play. The group ahead of use finally slowed down and was not monitored, thus we ended in the dark. Based on our front nine pace of play of 2 hours, we could have finihed with a 4 hour round, but we were slowed to a 4 3/4 hours round.
January 2, 2013