The Dunes Course

The Dunes Course arrived in 1981 as Pete Dye's second course at the resort, sitting a notch gentler than its Mountain sibling while keeping his fingerprints on every hole. Rolling mounds, grass hollows and a Scottish-and-Irish links flavor give it more width off the tee, which makes it the more forgiving of the two La Quinta layouts. At 6,578 yards and par 72 it rewards players who can shape approaches into greens that Dye tilted and guarded with sand.

It has long been a resort-guest favorite and shared duty on the tournament rotations that once brought the pros to La Quinta. The desert-and-mountain views are constant, but the mood is more strategic than punishing—room to swing, with the trouble waiting for the careless rather than lining every fairway. It's the round most groups point to when they want a scenic, spirited walk without the Stadium's teeth.