In the Coachella Valley, golf is one common denominator that binds all of our valley cities.
This unique area of Southern California has more golf courses per square mile than most any other part of the country.
I'm David Woods, PGA Director of Golf at The Vintage Club in Indian Wells.
Born and raised in Canada, I was mesmerized by the beauty of the desert when I first visited in 1997. One year later, my wife and I moved here and made Palm Desert our home. Prior to my current role at The Vintage Club, I was the director of golf at Indian Ridge Country Club in Palm Desert.
I will be providing monthly insights on golf here on Palm Springs Life’s website. We will discuss golf courses, course architecture, golf instruction, golf equipment, country club living and more.
As a resident of the Coachella Valley since 1998, I have seen the golf community grow over those years. This area is unique for golfers for many reasons.
Unlike other popular golf destinations like Florida and the Carolina's, in the desert we have the luxury of consistent beautiful weather during the fall, winter and spring months. Also, because our golf courses are over-seeded with winter rye grass, golfers experience some of the best playing conditions in the world.
There are a couple of very common questions that people ask about golf in the desert:
What is the best course to play if you are not a member of a private club?
There are well over 100 courses in the area and many of them are resort courses open to the public. A few of my favorite resort courses are Desert Willow, Indian Wells Resort and if you are looking for a great test of golf, the Stadium course at PGA West!
What type of golf equipment should I buy to improve my game?
The answer is less about what brand to purchase and more about making sure you seek the assistance of a PGA Professional in order to be custom fit. Just like buying a suit, one size and style doesn't fit all. A proper fitting and help with selecting the type of clubs that will benefit your game is the most essential. Golf is a difficult game that can be made easier with the help of new technology and properly fit equipment!
David Woods' golf column will appear monthly. Visit www.thevintageclub.com for more information on The Vintage Club.
Follow David on Twitter @davidwoodspga