Indian Wells golf: the city's two courses, the hotels next door and the private clubs

Indian Wells golf for visitors means Indian Wells Golf Resort: two city-owned, Troon-managed courses, the freshly redesigned Players and the friendlier Celebrity, with four resort hotels within walking distance. The town's other eight clubs, from The Vintage Club to Toscana, are private.

Indian Wells is 29 minutes from downtown Palm Springs, free-flow, between Palm Desert and La Quinta. This guide covers the two courses, how residents and hotel guests book, the private clubs and the tennis fortnight that moves every price in town.

Quick facts

• Bookable: 2 courses, 36 holes. Private: 8 clubs.
• Owner: City of Indian Wells; managed by Troon.
• New: the Players reopened in December 2025 after a John Fought redesign, now par 71.
• Rates: no public rate card; the Celebrity is listed from $149 (undated).
• Residents: Resident Benefit Card rates and a 14.5-day booking window.
• Big event: BNP Paribas Open, February 28 to March 14, 2027.

Players vs Celebrity

The Players figures come from listings, and scorecards on some sites still show the old par-72 routing, so expect new yardages and ratings. Both courses grew out of Ted Robinson's 1986 East and West courses.

The Players Course

The Players is a desert course on the valley floor with water, fairly wide fairways and mountain views. The 2025 redesign rerouted holes 9, 17 and 18, built a new 17th and 18th north of the Whitewater Wash and redid the bunkers, tees and greens. The resort cites a Golf Magazine California ranking of 16th and a Golfweek Top 25 Best Municipal Courses listing for both courses (years not stated). The Epson Tour Championship was scheduled on the Players in 2026.

It is the most complete public test in Indian Wells, but price it before you commit: no rate card is published, and the only figures are a GolfLink estimate of $299 and a 2025 reviewer's $227 before the renovation. See the Players course guide.

The Celebrity Course

The Celebrity is the prettier, more forgiving half of the pair, with lakes, waterfalls and flower beds. GolfPass reviewers rate it 4.6 out of 5 from 522 reviews, and the resort cites a Golf Magazine California ranking of 30th (year not stated). It is the better first round for couples, mixed groups and anyone based at the hotels next door. See the Celebrity course guide.

Both courses share a 53,000-square-foot clubhouse with the Vue Grille, a pro shop and the practice facility. Our Indian Wells Golf Resort guide goes deeper on the two.

Overseed at Indian Wells

The resort publishes its 2026 overseed dates only as an image, which we could not read. The historic pattern is one course closed at a time: in 2022 the Players reopened October 13 and the Celebrity closed October 16 to November 3. Call 760-346-4653 before booking October or early November golf. See Palm Springs golf overseed.

Resident rates and the Resident Benefit Card

Indian Wells residents with a Resident Benefit Card or Property Owner ID book discounted times online up to 14.5 days ahead, opening at 7 PM, prepaid, with 72-hour cancellation. Resident booking moved fully online from June 1, 2026.

Resident guests must be accompanied. For snowbirds, Indian Wells seasonal rentals are 3 minutes from the courses, and the city's card policy mentions renters obtaining a card, but the documents and lease length needed were not found. Ask City Hall before you sign. See Palm Springs snowbird rentals.

The hotels next door

Four hotels sit beside Indian Wells Golf Resort and sell Stay & Play packages. No separate hotel-guest green fee was published.

Room rates were not read for 2026. A Travelocity snapshot showed $384 a night at the Renaissance (stay date unknown), and past guest prices at the Indian Wells Resort Hotel ran about $112 to $224 (not a 2026 quote). For cheaper rooms, the Holiday Inn Express Palm Desert on Highway 111 is 4 minutes from the courses. Compare in Palm Springs golf resorts.

Private clubs in Indian Wells

Eight Indian Wells clubs are private:

• Toscana North and South: two Jack Nicklaus courses in a private club community; members and guests only. Prospective buyers can schedule a tour.
• The Vintage Club Mountain and Desert: a private membership club; members and guests only.
• Indian Wells Country Club, Eldorado, The Reserve Club and Desert Horizons: private country clubs for members and their guests; guest, reciprocal and rental-guest policies were not checked.

None of the eight has a published route for visitors. See private golf clubs in Palm Springs.

Indian Wells golf and the BNP Paribas Open

The BNP Paribas Open fills the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for two weeks, February 28 to March 14, 2027 per Visit Greater Palm Springs. It lands in the middle of peak golf season, so Indian Wells, Palm Desert and La Quinta hotels run their highest rates and Washington Street, Highway 111 and Miles Avenue around the Tennis Garden are congested. If your dates are flexible, Indian Wells golf in January, early February or late March avoids it. See Palm Springs events.

Pairing Indian Wells with its neighbours

Indian Wells sits between two bigger golf towns: Palm Desert's 14 bookable courses are a short drive west, and La Quinta's PGA WEST and resort courses a short drive south-east. Read Palm Desert golf courses and La Quinta golf courses to build a week around an Indian Wells hotel.

Plan it on the map

Open the Palm Springs golf map to see Indian Wells golf, the hotels a two-minute walk or shuttle from the first tee and the private clubs around them. The $30 plan can base a trip or a whole winter in Indian Wells with a weekly rotation of nearby courses.