Desert Willow Golf Resort - Firecliff Course

About the Course

Honored as the 2023 California Golf Course of the Year and ranked 21st among California's best public courses by Golfweek, the Firecliff Course stands as one of Palm Desert's most formidable challenges, surrounded by over 100 bunkers, dramatic elevation changes, and strategic water hazards. With a 4.5-star rating from Golf Digest and recognition as one of America's top 50 public courses, this par-72, 7,056-yard layout punishes golfers with tiny greens and a daunting 138 slope rating. The 17th hole is the course's masterpiece—a 204-yard par-3 to an island green flanked by water on the right and bunkers that resemble an inviting beach, where anything off-target spells disaster. The finishing par-5 18th presents the ultimate risk-reward scenario: water guards the right, bunkers line the left, and the green sits protected by water except for a narrow left-side entry. With over 100 bunkers scattered throughout and some of the smallest greens in the region, Firecliff lives up to its name—every shot demands walking the razor's edge.