Desert Dunes

19300 Palm Drive, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240 (619) 251-5366

Located in Riverside County - Directions: I-10 to Palm Drive, North on Palm Drive 2 Miles; club on right. [Photo(s)

Desert Dunes is just outside of Palm Springs, California. Surrounded by desert it can be HOT during the summer months. I responded to a promotion in my local newspaper to play there. An advertisement offered 4 players a total cost of $60 including cart! How could I not take advantage of that promotion?

I made a tee time for June, 28, 1998 at 09:30 for 4 players. We arrived one hour early and immediately started having distractions to a pleasant round of golf.

In the club house I was asked for the ad that appeared in the newspaper. I mentioned that there was NO REQUIREMENT to present the ad at check in. I was told that it was printed in the ad that there was a requirement to present it. I produced the ad and showed the staff that there was NO REQUIREMENT to produce the ad and requested that I be allowed to retain the ad so that I could play again during the time period allowed (through 7/31.98). They (the entire staff on duty) refused, commenting that they needed the ad to justify the lower rate. I explained that they could write on their receipt that a coupon was used, return the coupon to me and I could play there every weekend for the duration of the ad, thus instead of income being generated ONLY ONCE, they could generate income multiple times. THEY REFUSED MY REQUEST thereby loosing income for the next FIVE WEEKS! Oh well!

On the first tee we had a very pleasant conversation with the starter. A very pleasant person. We teed off at 09:50, only twenty minutes late. The temperature was 98 degrees. The wind was strong.

The tee boxes were a little beat up. The fairways were okay. The greens dry with multiple areas of damage. I saw a refreshment cart only once. Water coolers were present and the water was cold. By the third hole speed of play was very good. with minimal waiting on the tee boxes. The desert and the mountains were beautiful! There was lots of wild life including snakes! Non venomous I presume. The snakes were interested in going someplace else and I did not want to delay them! The flora was beautiful and fragrant.

When we made the turn at the club house for the back nine. I stopped to request that the course supplied cooler on the golf cart be refilled with ice the distractions BEGAN AGAIN! After nine holes of golf I was informed that personal coolers were not allowed on the course. Nowhere was that RULE published! My logic maybe off here, but I tend to think that the appropriate time to comment about the personal cooler would have been at the start, or at the end of the round, not in the middle of the round with the temperature over 100 degrees! Frankly, I was feeling quite weak from the heat as was another player in our foursome. I apologized for my inconsiderate non compliance of their unknown rules and I was allowed to continue the round.

On the tenth hole play slowed down and the temperature was hot! My associate and I were weak from the heat. By the 12th tee, we thought it might be dangerous to continue. We stopped play and headed for the parking lot.

I normally enjoy the desert in the summer heat. I have played in 100 plus degrees of heat before and like to play golf in those conditions (little or no slow play). I will play again in that temperature range.

Which brings me to my last major observation - Would I play this course again? Not likely. Would I recommend it to anyone? No. If I brought a client there and that client had the kind of reception that I had, I doubt that I would retain that client. Play at your own risk. You may go and have the best round of golf in you life. I know, I had a VERY MEMORABLE ONE!

The following are observations that may be of interest to you:

Staff: Overpaid, under worked, with the exception of the starter. He was a pleasant person that braved the heat without any shelter.

Marshall: None.

Driving Range: Served it's purpose.

Putting Green: Dry, with lots of damaged areas.

Speed of Play: Minimum Waiting.

Equipment:

Carts: Good shape, stocked with coolers and ice, card, tees and power!

Soft Spikes: Not Required. Unless it is another Hidden Rule.

Refreshments:

On the Course: Water coolers.

Refreshment cart.

In Clubhouse: Did not sample.

They're Your Clients, If You Don't Entertain Them...Your Competition Will!!!

Last modified: August 02, 1998

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