Golfers who prefer wide open flat fairways and large greens, and those who like elevated tees and narrow fairways with smaller greens, will both find satisfaction and pleasure playing The Palms Golf Course. The two nines are actually two courses, each asking the golfer to be watchful of what the next shot will require. The front nine is open and flat and has water on every hole except No. 1. While water is less a factor on the back nine, it presents some striking changes in elevation.

The par four at hole No. 2^—which looks harmless enough—has water on the left that stretches closer to the fairway than can be seen from the tee. If golfers go too far right, they’ll land in sand. The directional pole at 150 yards is a good line to take. The green looks inviting, but it is very large and can easily force a long putt.

The long dogleg par five at hole No. 4 provides no view of the green from the tee. The temptation on the second shot will be to cut the corner to the green. The water on the right goes on further than can be seen from the fairway, so it can be a bit tricky getting to the green guarded on the left by a large bunker. This hole has earned its rating of most difficult hole on the course.

The green on the par three 7^th hole has water on three sides and requires a long carry from the tee. There is also sand waiting if the tee shot is too far off the mark. Careful club selection is required on each par three. On the front nine, water and sand keep the golfer alert, and on the back nine the changes in elevation present challenges. Hole No. 11 has what appears to be an almost vertical tee shot down to sand awaiting a short or long shot, and the 14^th tee shot requires carrying a ravine that appears to extend into the next county. A miss short here requires some agility going down to hit the second shot.

Approaching the par five No. 10 hole, it quickly becomes apparent that the back nine will not be like the holes just played. The drive is a blind shot that doglegs downhill to a green guarded by bunkers. By the time golfers reach the green, they have a good idea just how much difference exists between the front and back nines. As if to underscore the contrast, golfers find themselves driving the cart from the green up a very steep hill to the next tee.

The short par four No. 12 hole is all uphill and can tease the unwary player into making mistakes. There is trouble left and right, and the green is at the top of a hill blind to the golfer. This plays longer than it looks and can cost the overly confident.

Hole No. 13 starts with a blind tee shot and doglegs downhill to the left. It often becomes a favorite hole because it is highly rewarding for a well-placed tee shot. The approach to the green is easy, but be careful to avoid the sand on the right side.

Signature 15^th Hole Earns its Status

Hole No. 15 is the signature hole, and has an elevated tee box for the back tees that provides an awesome view of the hole and the entire Mesquite area. The landing area looks easy to hit, but don’t be fooled. The fairway slopes sharply right and a ball headed for the middle of the fairway can end in the rough or worse on the right. To make it more engaging there is a hidden water hazard along the left side of the cart path that can grab and keep a pulled tee shot. The right side of the fairway has a series of bunkers with the last one on the right side of the green accompanying the bunker on the left side of the green. Sometimes the view from the upper tee is all the golfer wants to remember about this hole.

Hole No. 16 and No. 18 both dogleg left uphill with blind tee shots. They begin on low ground and climb to enormous heights. The only trouble on hole No. 16 could come from cutting the corner too sharply and going into the water. Hole No. 18 is a nice ending hole in spite of shooting to a blind green well guarded by bunkers.

The high elevated back tees on hole No. 17 present scenery going in another direction and challenges off the tee. The forward tees have the same problem, but without the scenery. The fairway is guarded by water on the left and short of the green, and sand on the right with water a bit further on the right. There isn’t much landing room, so positioning the tee shot and then wowing everyone with the second shot to the green is the best choice.

Playing a round at The Palms is always a worthy and entertaining experience. It’s not unusual for golfers to learn to negotiate the challenges of this course the hard way. A very important part of golfing, however, is having an optimistic outlook. There is always the hope of getting it exactly right—next time.