PGA WEST's Stadium Course offers variety of challenges

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Travelers seeking the ultimate golf thrill need look no further than the TPC Stadium Course at PGA WEST,a diabolically wonderful Pete Dye design located at the remarkable resort golf destination in La Quinta, Calif.

Difficult? To be sure...some might describe the course as one big Hail Mary. But for more than two decades, golfers have put this confounding golf gem at the top of their bucket lists for one reason: To experience Dye's genius woven through a rugged desert tapestry in the shadows of the Santa Rosa Mountains just minutes from Palm Springs.

The TPC Stadium Course was created in 1986 as a sequel to Dye's PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Quintessentially Dye, the par-72, 7,300-yard Scottish links-style layout is one big adrenaline rush, chock full of moguls and swales, small pot bunkers, railroad ties and hillside lies, with water coming into play on nine holes.

Large greens and elevated tees add a small measure of balance to this gorgeous golf anomaly, while a recent renovation has helped improve sight lines and make wayward shots less painful. Still, this course is not for the faint of heart. You have only to attempt one of its 200-yard carries over water or try and dig yourself out of one of the many cavernous bunkers lurking about to realize why "Golf Digest" consistently rates the PGA WEST TPC Stadium Course among the toughest in the U.S. Rumor has it that this course was built to be the toughest golf course West of the Mississippi, and Pete Dye did not disappoint.

Comparatively speaking, the round begins innocuously enough with impossibly thick Bermuda rough lining the entire fairway over here and endless water over there. By the fourth hole, nicknamed "Sand Pit," golfers know they are in it for the long haul.

And by the sixth hole, aptly dubbed "Amen" --- a 255-yard par-3 which is all carry over water, with water also guarding the left and right of the green --- it is clear divine intervention is needed to prevent a complete deterioration of the score card. After all, three of the world's best players, Jack Nicklaus, Payne Stewart and Curtis Strange, consecutively hit their balls in the water off the tee on No. 6 during the 1991 Skins Game.

The TPC Stadium Course crescendos with its trio of daunting finishing holes, including the par-5 16th, the "San Andreas Fault," boasting a treacherous 19-foot deep greenside bunker. Next comes "Alcatraz," the iconic 17th hole with its intimidating but visually stunning island green. Its forced carries, scores of pot bunkers and difficult greenside chips make this one of the toughest par-3 holes ever imagined. Perhaps the most famous shot ever made on the TPC Stadium Course was Lee Trevino's hole-in-one on Alcatraz, a shot that earned him a huge carry-over worth $175,000 in the 1987 Skins Game. He is the only person ever to make a hole-in-one in the history of the Skins Game.

And finally, the course culminates with the ominous water-lined 18th hole, a dramatic ending to one of the most spirited and unforgettable adventures in golf.

In addition to the Skins Game, many other prestigious events have been played on PGA WEST's TPC Stadium Course over the years, including the Bob Hope Classic and the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. Additionally, every other year the course hosts one of its most intense and anticipated events of the year, the q-school finals for talented players vying for a precious spot on the PGA TOUR.

The course is, however, first and foremost a resort layout, offering everyday golfers the unique opportunity to test their skills on the same magnificent layout where some of the world's best golfers compete. Numerous sets of tees enable golfers of all abilities to enjoy this masterpiece for themselves.

The thrill doesn't stop with the final pin on the TPC Stadium Course, either. Visitors to PGA WEST can also play four other superb courses designed by none other than Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman and Tom Weiskopf, as well as enjoy an array of world-class amenities that have earned PGA WEST recognition from The Robb Report as the finest resort golf destination in the world.

Three luxurious clubhouses, each with its own unique architectural design and ambience, offer a variety of world-class dining options and hospitality venues. They include the Australian ranch-style Greg Norman Clubhouse, featuring an indoor-outdoor dining experience with French doors that open from the main room to the verandah, a sunken patio with a flagstone fireplace and sweeping views of the mountain skyline; The Tournament Clubhouse, an open-air designed venue offering al fresco dining, a fully stocked golf shop and banquet facilities; and the members-only Private Clubhouse.

Other amenities at PGA WEST include the Health & Racquet Club, featuring a state-of-the-art fitness center, a 23,000 square-foot destination spa, and tennis courts with three different surfaces; a world-class golf practice facility; and a selection of elegantly appointed accommodations, with exciting Stay 'n Play packages available through PGA TOUR Experiences (www.tpcvacations.com).

The TPC Stadium Course is part of the PGA TOUR's acclaimed TPC Network of premier private and resort clubs designed by some of golf's most elite architects. For more information, please visit www.tpc.com/tpc-stadium-course. For tickets or more information on the Bob Hope Classic, please visit www.bhcc.com.