SilverRock Resort, La Quinta, California, Usa

http://www.silverrock.org

Back to the Coachella Valley after two years from my last visit and joined by the italian Pro Fabio Forlano, our "two days - three courses" trip in the Desert started with one of the most awarded golf courses of the area.

SilverRock is a majestic Arnold Palmer Classic Course located in La Quinta, Ca. Opened in 2005, it hosted the Pga Tour Bob Hope Classic from 2008 to 2011. 

With its challenging layout of 7,578 yds from the silver tees (and six sets of tees to choose from), is the longest and demanding golf course (76,3/139) in the Palm Springs area.

Its immaculate bermuda grass fairways are set against the backdrops of Santa Rosa and Coral Mountains providing marvelous vistas of the surrounding scenario. It is amazing how close are the mountains to some of the holes!!

A typical desert golf course design with almost 50 bunkers, desert waste areas and water hazards, including the Coachella Canal and several lakes, that come into play on ten holes. A real challenge surrounded by a beautiful environment.

And the great work of Arnold Palmer has been recognized with the course being named in the 2005 "Top 10 New Courses That You Can Play" by Golf Magazine (the only californian golf course to make the Top 10 list), Best Tour Golf Course You Can Play 2009 and 2010 by GolfWeek Magazine, Zagat America's Top Golf Courses Award 2008, 2009, 2010 and rated by Greenskeeper.org Best Playing Conditions and Worth the Green Fee in the Palm Springs Area in 2006.

Owned by the city of La Quinta, the Arnold Palmer course is part of a 36 holes master plan still under development which includes a luxurious boutique hotel, a resort hotel and retail venues, all reflecting the many historical, cultural and natural influences that the location and the city of La Quinta provide. 

The lovely renovated 1961 ranch is today used as temporary clubhouse.

Local curiosity, as the plaque on the clubhouse says, a nine holes golf course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, featured a waterfall cascading over rocks at the edge of a green adjacent to the house.

The Putting Green

Rancho Xochimilco: the temporary Clubhouse

Driving Range

Golf Cart shelters

#1 Hole 426 yds Par 4

#1 Hole 426 yds Par 4

#2 Hole 592 yds Par 5

#4 Hole 385 yds Par 4

#5 Hole 335 yds Par 4

#6 Hole 493 yds Par 4

#7 Hole 603 yds Par 5

#8 Hole 191 yds Par 3 and the clubhouse

#11 Hole 418 yds Par 4

#14 Hole 165 yds Par 3

#15 Hole 525 yds Par 4

#16 Hole 488 yds Par 4

#17 Hole 237 yds Par 3

#17 Hole 237 yds Par 3

#18 Hole 570 yds Par 5

#18 Hole 570 yds Par 5