Dye’s first desert course, pressed against the rock.
Before the Stadium Course made his name in the desert, Pete Dye built two courses for La Quinta Resort, and the Mountain Course is the one golfers still single out. It runs right up to the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains, so several holes play right up against bare rock. At 6,666 yards from the back it is far shorter than the Stadium, and it suits a resort guest who wants a proper Dye round without a 76 course rating. The public can book it too, which makes it a fair alternative when PGA WEST is full or dear.
Mountain Course at La Quinta Resort green fees and tee times.
Golfers who are not staying at the resort book through the public tee-time link on the La Quinta Resort or PGA WEST websites, or by calling the Pete Dye Clubhouse on 760 564 7610. Resort guests use a separate link and can reserve up to 365 days ahead. The Mountain Course is one of five courses in the resort’s Stay and Play package, which gives one round a night with a cart, with no surcharge here, though the arrival-day round is not included. Prices are not published as a rate card; they vary by date and time and show when you search. Fees include taxes, a shared cart and practice-ground use on the day. You can cancel without penalty until 48 hours before play.
The round, in perspective.
Dye opened the Mountain Course in 1980. It is par 72, with par threes at the 2nd, 5th, 13th and 16th and par fives at the 4th, 7th, 15th and 18th. Pot bunkers, raised tees and well-guarded greens appear throughout, and the routing pushes into coves of the mountain wherever it can. The 16th is the hole in every photograph: a downhill par three of 167 yards from the back, played to a pear-shaped green set in a natural rock cove. The 1st is a short par four, but the second shot climbs to a plateau green, and the resort’s own hole note warns that left is no good. The 7th, a par five of 492 yards from the Black tees, has water on the right that comes into play off the tee. Six sets of tees run from 6,666 yards down to 3,745 at the Orange markers.
Know before you go.
Resort guest booking
Up to 365 days ahead
Cancellation
Free up to 48 hours before the day of play
Carts
Shared cart included
Dress
Collared shirt and long trousers or walking shorts; no denim
Rental clubs
TaylorMade sets, with two sleeves of balls
Make the trip work.
Winter days are short in the desert, so an afternoon tee time here can run into dusk. The White tees at 6,280 yards suit most club golfers, and Silver at 5,732 yards suits higher handicaps. Keep a long iron or hybrid in good order for the 2nd, a par three of 205 yards from the Black tees with water all down the left and around that side of the green. If you plan to play both La Quinta Resort Dye courses, take the Mountain first while you are fresh; the Dunes, which opened a year later on flatter ground, is gentler from the tee.
Palm Springs International (PSP) is about 21 miles away, roughly half an hour by car via Highway 111 and Washington Street. The clubhouse is on Avenida Vista Bonita, a short drive from the main resort entrance on Eisenhower Drive. Ontario (ONT) is the nearest larger alternative, around two hours west.
La Quinta Resort & Club, which opened in 1926 and has long drawn Hollywood visitors, is the natural base, with Spanish-style casitas, many pools and a spa; staying there unlocks the year-ahead booking window. Old Town La Quinta, a few minutes’ drive east, has restaurants and shops. For a lower price, look at the hotels around Highway 111 in La Quinta and Indio, or at holiday rentals in the gated communities nearby.
Make a trip of it.
The Dunes Course, Dye’s second layout for the resort, is the obvious second round, and like the Mountain it carries no surcharge on the Stay and Play package. The Stadium, Nicklaus Tournament and Greg Norman courses at PGA WEST are about 15 minutes south-east. Off the course, the resort’s spa and pools fill a rest day, and the galleries and cafés of Old Town La Quinta are close by.
Find your season.
The Mountain Course closed for overseeding on 19 October 2026, reopened early on 13 November and was cart-path only until 6 December. From then until April the ryegrass is at its best. The resort’s high season runs January to April, when the desert is dry and mild; from June to September it is extremely hot.
Can you play the La Quinta Mountain Course if you are not staying at the resort?
Yes. The resort runs a separate public tee-time link, and the course also appears on the PGA WEST booking site as the Pete Dye Mountain Course. Resort guests get the much longer booking window, so non-guests should book once that link shows their dates.
Is the La Quinta Mountain Course the same as the PGA WEST Pete Dye Mountain Course?
Yes. PGA WEST now lists it among its own courses as the Pete Dye Mountain Course, alongside the Pete Dye Dunes, and both appear on its booking and maintenance pages. It is still played from the Pete Dye Clubhouse near La Quinta Resort, not from the main PGA WEST clubhouses.
What is the signature hole on the La Quinta Mountain Course?
The par-three 16th. It measures 167 yards from the Black tees, 157 from the Whites and 89 from the forward tees, and plays downhill to a green set inside a cove of boulders. The resort calls it the hole the course is anchored on.
When is the La Quinta Mountain Course closed?
Every autumn for overseeding. In 2026 it closed from 19 October until 13 November. PGA WEST posts the schedule for all its courses, including Mountain and Dunes, on its course updates page.
Last checked 10 November 2026. This is an independent planning guide, not a first-hand review or a booking service. Check live availability, access, fees and travel details with the operator before booking. Airport suggestions are starting points for route planning.
