Palm Desert, California · Palm Springs
Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff
The harder of Palm Desert's two city courses: Hurdzan and Fry's desert layout with over 100 bunkers, and new Mini Verde greens since December 2024.
- 18Holes
- 72Par
- 7,056Yards
- Palm DesertLocation
- Dr. Michael HurdzanArchitect
About Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff
Firecliff is the tougher of the two courses at Desert Willow, the City of Palm Desert's public resort run by KemperSports. The resort itself says Firecliff is known for strategic bunkering and demanding play, while Mountain View is the forgiving one. It's a par 72 of 7,056 yards from the Black tees (74.1 rating, 141 slope) with more than 100 bunkers, native desert landscaping and views of the Santa Rosa Mountains. In 2025 Golfweek put it 21st on its Best Courses You Can Play: California list.
Water shows up when it counts. There's a short risk-reward par 4 on the front nine that big hitters will want to drive, with bunkers and water around the green. The 17th is a long par 3 with water down its full length, and the 18th is a par 5 with water guarding the right side near the green. A summer 2024 renovation put in new Mini Verde Bermudagrass greens and reshaped, leveled and enlarged the tees, and the course reopened on December 20, 2024.
The city planned Desert Willow in the 1990s as a municipal facility that would rival private clubs. It hired Dr. Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, with Palm Desert resident and PGA Tour pro John Cook advising and landscape architect Eric Johnson choosing desert-friendly plants. In April 1997 it made the cover of Smithsonian Magazine for that low-turf, native-plant approach.
It's one of 14 courses in Palm Desert on Yoink, and JW Marriott Desert Springs - Palm Course is practically next door — handy when your first choice is booked solid.
Booking a tee time at Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff
Tee times open up to 60 days ahead with a credit card guarantee, and you need to cancel or change at least 48 hours out to avoid a charge. Palm Desert residents with a Resident Card get a $52 rate, but only on times booked within three days of play; book further out and you pay the public rate, and every player has to show their own card at check-in. All rates include a shared cart with GPS and practice balls. Walk-ins and standby groups are taken when there's room. The Golf Shop is (760) 346-7060, ext. 1. (Policies as of the FAQ page read September 2026.)
How to get a tee time at Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff
Yoink
Prime tee times at Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff — weekend mornings, twilight in summer — tend to go fast, and the ones that open up later usually come from cancellations nobody announces.
Yoink watches Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff's online tee sheet around the clock. Tell it the day, the time window and how many players, and it sends you an alert the moment a matching time appears. You book direct with the course, so there's no markup and nothing to cancel with us.
- Pick Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff in Yoink.
- Choose your day, time window and number of players.
- Get an alert when a matching tee time opens — then book it directly with the course.
Golf courses near Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff
- JW Marriott Desert Springs - Palm Course · Palm Desert · 0 mi
- Shadow Mountain Golf Club · Palm Desert · 1 mi
- JW Marriott Desert Springs - Valley Course · Palm Desert · 2 mi
- Desert Willow Golf Resort - Mountain View · Palm Desert · 2 mi
- Indian Wells Golf Resort - Celebrity Course · Indian Wells · 2 mi
- Suncrest Country Club · Palm Desert · 3 mi
- Desert Falls Country Club · Palm Desert · 3 mi
- Oasis Country Club · 3 mi
All 48 Palm Springs courses in California · California golf courses
Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff FAQ
Where is Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff?
Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff is in Palm Desert, California, in the Palm Springs area.
Who designed Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff?
Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff was designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan.
Is Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff open to the public?
Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff is municipal daily-fee (City of Palm Desert, managed by KemperSports), run by KemperSports for the City of Palm Desert.
How many holes is Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff, and what's par?
Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff is a championship-length 18: 18 holes, par 72, 7,056 yards.
How do I get a tee time at Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff when it's booked up?
Set a watch for Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff in Yoink with your date, time window and group size. Yoink monitors the course's tee sheet and alerts you the moment a matching time opens, including cancellations. You book directly with the course.
What golf courses are near Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff?
Nearby options include JW Marriott Desert Springs - Palm Course, Shadow Mountain Golf Club and JW Marriott Desert Springs - Valley Course. Yoink watches 48 courses in the Palm Springs area.
Sources
Facts on this page come from these pages, checked 2026-09-28. Rates and booking rules change, so confirm with the course.
- desertwillow.com · official
- desertwillow.com · official
- desertwillow.com · official
- desertwillow.com · official
Never miss a tee time at Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff
Yoink watches the tee sheet so you don't have to. When a time you want opens up, your phone buzzes — you book direct.