JFHenebry/Courtesy of the club
JFHenebry/Courtesy of the club
JPHenebry
JFHenebry/Courtesy of the club
PGA West: Stadium Course
La Quinta, CA • Public
PGA West: Stadium Course
56150 Pga Blvd
La Quinta, CA 92253-4600
United States
Telephone
Overview
Originally private, the Stadium Course (the original 18 at PGA West) was among the rota of courses for the old Bob Hope Desert Classic until some pros, objecting to its difficulty, petitioned to remove it (it’s now back). It's Pete Dye at his rambunctious best, with a finish mimicking his later design at TPC Sawgrass: a gambling par-5 16th (called San Andreas Fault), a short par-3 17th to an island green and an intimidating par-4 18th with water all the way to the green. Though hideous in its difficulty and aesthetics by 1980s standards (it was can't miss television when it hosted the 1987 Skins Game), it's matured into a noble piece of architecture that represents the tail end of Dye's extreme middle phase. In 2024, Tim Liddy, a protégé of Dye, returned to PGA West to perform a restoration to return putting surfaces and bunker complexes to their original dimensions, as well as grassing the greens in more drought-tolerant TifEagle bermuda.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest Public: Ranked since inaugural edition in 2003-'04.
Highest ranking: 40th, 2015-'16.
2023-'24 ranking: 62nd.
100 Greatest: Ranked 72nd, 1991-'92. Ranked 93rd, 1993-'94.
Second 100 Greatest: Ranked for six years from 2013-'18.
Highest ranking: 168th, 2013-'14.
Best in State: Ranked 24th, 2013-'14. Ranked 25th, 2015-'16. Ranked 29th, 2011-'12, 2017-'18. Ranked 31st, 2021-'22. Ranked 33rd, 2023-'24. Raked 36th, 2025-'26.
Previous ranking: 33rd.
2025-'26 ranking: 36th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“It's polarizing, difficult, and unforgettable. You can love and hate it from one hole to the next."
Read More2026
Review
“One must approach the Stadium course with a different mindset than most other venues they play because it is so unique that it is quite difficult to make any comparisons. If a player is approaching the day with the idea of just having fun and enjoying a course that most players have seen on TV for years and not worrying about their score, then they will be satisfied and fulfilled. However, if the player is serious about wanting a well-designed layout with traditional values and some elements of being fair, then they will be disappointed. This is Pete Dye at his most extreme. While most of the holes are different from each other, the overall feel is that there is little variety with the artificial mounding throughout, often on both sides of the fairway. Dye does get credit for his ability to disguise approach shots by making sections of greens feel smaller than they are. Stadium comes under the category of having an “experience” and one that most players should have at least once if for no other reason than to play the famous final three holes. But avoid the sand to the left of 16, it is challenging to get out of even for the most skilled bunker players."
Read More2025
Review
“Best Renovation candidate. Excellent choice to use Tifeagle for green surfaces. Removal of top growth lowered greens restoring original height bringing rocks and bunkers into original intended play. Overall, great renovation bringing Stadium back to Dye’s original beast of a layout."
Read More2025
Review
“This is one of the most demanding courses I have ever played and it makes you appreciate how good the pros are to be able to play this course so well. It is tough and challenging and it is important that you play the right tees to be able to survive."
Read More2025
Review
“Conditions of the greens and fairways were firm and fast. Severe challenge for the average player with bunkering and turtle back greens with little margin for error. Distinctive holes on 9 and 16-18. Hole 16, has an iconic bunker that sits 19 feet below the green will raise your score if you land in it. The course contains distinctive holes that you must be precise in order to score well."
Read More2025
Review
“Pete Dye's courses have distinctive features, such as mounds and a formula for closing holes around water. This course sticks to that script, but it gets a bit repetitive."
Read More2025
Review
“PGA West Stadium course is a very challenging course with memorable holes. The greens were just redone and it has made the course more difficult as there are many areas which fall off the edge and the ball rolls into collection areas. There are many strategic decisions to be made on where to place tee shots and whether to aim at the flag or other parts of the green. The course was in good condition as they had redone the greens and they just finished up with the PGA Tour American Express Championship the week before."
Read More2025
Review
“Dramatic and very challenging golf course played over relatively flat desert terrain offering outstanding views of the surrounding mountains. Holes play mostly straight with only 6 having slight dog legs left or right. Fairways and greens were firm and fast when played. Fairways were wide and accommodating albeit bordered by well-placed bunkers and low level dormant rough. However, the green complexes created significant challenges to scoring as all were bordered by extremely deep bunkers and runoff areas. The closing stretch of 16 (a par 5 bordered by 15-18 foot deep bunkers), 17 (a par 3 played to an island green) and 18 (a par 4 bordered the entire length by water) were an excellent test to complete the round."
Read More2024
Review
“(Played post renovation) Dramatic and challenging golf course played over relatively flat desert terrain offering outstanding views of the surrounding mountains. A renovation of the course returning the putting surfaces and bunkers to their original size and locations was completed in late 2024. Holes play mostly straight with only 6 having slight dog legs left or right. Fairways and greens were firm and fast when played. Fairways were wide and accommodating albeit bordered by well-placed bunkers and low level rough. However, the green complexes created significant challenges to scoring as all were bordered by extremely deep bunkers and runoff areas. The closing stretch of 16 (a par 5 bordered by 15-18 foot deep bunker), 17 (a par 3 played to an island green) and 18 (a par 4 bordered the entire length by water) were an excellent test to complete the round."
Read More2024
Review
“Fairly different from TPC Sawgrass. Hazards may be more prevalent and extreme on this course, but I would say it plays quite a bit easier at PGA West vs TPC Sawgrass. Course has very wide corridors and benign rough. Greens are easier to hit that TPC Sawgrass also. Worth a trip if you've never played it before."
Read More2024
