From the moment you step out of the pro shop at the La Quinta Resort and cast your eyes on the grandeur of the Santa Rosa Mountains that ensconse the Pete Dye Mountain Course you feel like you have stepped onto a Hollywood set.

It occurs to you many times during your round that MASH helicopters full of wounded may come swooping out from the mountain passes and land at your feet for a triage administered by Hawkeye Pierce, B.J. Hunnicutt, and Margaret Houlihan.

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Some of the cast warming up at the range.

Waste bunkers shadow many of your tee shots into undulating landing areas.

Sand, humps, and hollows around the green complexes make recovery a Pelzian challenge.

This is a Pete and Alice script from TPC Sawgrass-confined tee ball landing area and a forced carry over sprawling sand elements to a raised green set… the arresting back drop is bonus coverage on the deuce. What would a Dye course be without the intimidating waste area and railroad tie combinations.

Visual intimidation but always a way of safe passage for the thoughtful player.

The inward nine introduces the residential component of the resort.

Another perfectly framed green complex….

Some of the homes have stature equal to the mountains they grace.

Sky is the limit on what these owners will spend to create unique residential ambiance.

The background on #14 looks like Ireland with a much sterner face.

The look does not get much more delicious than this……

The signature view on #16 from the precipice tee across the rocky tundra to that patch of green two three stories below.

One last composition of man made, nature given, and good lord created elements that make the Mountain Course at La Quinta such a breath taking golfing experience.

For more course detail click to see the La Quinta Resort Mountain Course Review

January, 2015