5 Top Short Golf Courses for Summer Play in Greater Palm Springs
If you're eager for a summer golf round but hesitant to spend four hours in the desert heat, Greater Palm Springs has you covered. Several shorter courses offer quick, enjoyable play without excessive sun exposure.
These courses deliver 2.5-hour rounds (or less) with the same excitement and challenge as full-length layouts. Enjoy lower green fees, easier tee times, and a brisk pace of play.
Prepare your irons and wedges for these premier par-3 and short courses in Greater Palm Springs.
Shadow Hills Golf Club
The par-3 North Course at Shadow Hills Golf Club in Indio, designed by Schmidt-Curley and sister to the championship South Course, is a serious test. Spanning 3,000 yards with water hazards, it features seven holes over 180 yards (three exceeding 200 yards). Sharpen your iron accuracy on this challenging tune-up.
Palm Royale Country Club
At Palm Royale Country Club in La Quinta, this walking-only par-3 course covers 2,000 yards, demanding precise wedge play. Designed by Ted Robinson, known as the 'King of Waterscapes,' it includes water on half the holes and bunkers on every one.
(Note: Through mid-September, the pro shop is closed. Use the honor system: sign in and pay via drop box before teeing off.)
Hawk’s Landing Golf Club
In cooler Yucca Valley, Hawk's Landing Golf Club offers a forward-thinking 12-hole layout (par-47, nearly 4,000 yards) playable in 6-, 12-, or 18-hole loops. It winds through native terrain, ideal for walking. For speed, try the innovative GolfBoards to zip across fairways.
Cimarron Golf Resort
In Palm Springs, the John Fought-designed Pebble Course at Cimarron Golf Resort (par-55, 3,020 yards) complements the Boulder Course. With 17 par-3s and one par-4, plus six holes over 175 yards, it tests mid-irons amid open, rugged desert beauty.
The Lights at Indio
Formerly Indio Muni, The Lights at Indio Golf Course is the valley's only lighted course for night play. This 18-hole par-3 (over 3,000 yards; 2,583 from Red tees) challenges beginners and pros alike—holes 3 and 4 alone total 422 yards.
Explore more golf courses in Greater Palm Springs.
