Best of the West
Reaching New Heights
Many golf facilities shut down each day once the last cart returns to the clubhouse. Not Indian Wells Golf Resort in Indian Wells, Calif. In fact, it remains just as alive when the sun goes down, thanks to activities both inside and outside of its 53,000-square-foot clubhouse.
That’s been the case since the 2019 debut of Shots in the Night, a series of laser games projected onto seven greens that are lit up for night play. But last winter the resort hosted a Winter Carnival, featuring an outdoor ice rink adjacent to the clubhouse, and unveiled a new Toptracer range experience, part of a new solar panel structure installed on the driving range.
“What we’ve done is converted the necessary device to save energy into an architectural structure that is going to look like it belongs here,” said Director of Golf Joe Williams. “We’ve taken the synergy of solar and turned it into an experience for golfers, business people, and families in the evening.”
POWER SOURCE
The new range experience includes 17 hitting bays shaded by the solar structure. Both golfers and students of the on-site Academy will be able to access the Toptracer technology (which provides detailed statistics on every shot) during the day. At sunset, the range transforms into another “Shots in the Night” amenity, with different Toptracer-related games and targets out on the range. A seating area is part of each bay (available for rent at $65 per hour), with food and drink available and an elevated BBQ menu for groups. Future plans include enclosing each bay to enhance privacy for potential business meetings.
The solar panels above golfer’s heads on the range is part of an energy efficiency project being implemented by the city Indian Wells, one that has included additional solar panels in the resort’s parking lots and course maintenance area, upgraded HVAC units, lighting retrofits, lithium batteries in golf carts, and reusable souvenir cups.
But it’s the solar panel structure, measuring 200 feet long, 45 feet wide, and 20 feet high, that will garner the most attention. According to Indian Wells City Manager Chris Freeland, the overall solar panel system is expected to generate 80 to 90 percent of the energy used by the entire golf resort, including the main clubhouse, pump system, and maintenance yard (where separate solar panels will be installed in the next phase of the project). The entire project is expected to produce 2.3 million kilowatt hours a year and remove the equivalent of approximately 2.1 million pounds of CO2 from the environment as well.
36 REMARKABLE HOLES
The centerpiece of the resort, however, remains its two golf courses, sometimes referred to as “The Beauty” (the Celebrity Course designed by Clive Clark) and “The Beast” (the Players Course designed by John Fought).
“Both are championship-caliber courses at over 7,000 yards,” said Tom Burley, head golf professional. “The Celebrity Course has all the bells and whistles, if you will. The entire course is overseeded, and when you mix that with hand-planted flowers, beautiful lakes, and other water features, it’s almost like playing through a garden. In my opinion, the scenery on the Celebrity Course is about as good as it gets for desert golf.”
The Players Course, ranked sixth among America’s Top 10 Munis by LINKS Magazine last year, stretches almost 7,400 yards from the back tees and will certainly test your mettle on almost every shot. “Just the fairways, tees, and greens are overseeded, so you get that nice contrast from the vibrant green fairways and greens to the gold rough areas,” said Burley. “It’s a ball-strikers course because hitting it solid out there is an absolute must if you want to score well.”
Instruction options at The Academy include a three-day golf school called “Manifest 3-6-9,” which is centered around a group-focused approach to learning. “More so than in practically any other sport, golfers tend to be armed with an overabundance of information,” Burley said. “So The Academy instructors focus on simplifying their approach and putting golfers in position to self-diagnose swing issues without overcomplicating things.”
Two indoor hitting bays, part of the golf shop on the first floor of the clubhouse, offer the chance to hit on state-of-the-art Trackman simulators or benefit from a custom build and repair studio where a team of experts can fit multiple golf club brands with different shafts and club head options.
DELIBERATE EVOLUTION
Off the course, The VUE Grille & Bar on the second floor of the clubhouse has been transformed into a high-end, sports-focused destination with more than a dozen large screen TVs showing sporting events from around the world.
Owned by the city of Indian Wells, the resort is located within walking distance of four luxury hotels: Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa; Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa; Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa; and the Indian Wells Resort Hotel.
“As a truly premium golf product and experience, we recognize the importance of staying both relevant and front of mind,” said Williams. “We do this by listening to our guests/players and being acutely aware of both golf and food and beverage industry trends. We are very motivated to deliver excellence in all these areas. We operate with this mindset on a day-to-day basis at Indian Wells Golf Resort. By deliberately evolving we will stay ahead of a very competitive field. This is achieved not only by our innovations, but equally so by driving the ‘exceptional basics’ in all areas.”
At-A-Glance
Indian Wells Golf Resort
Indian Wells, California
+1.760.346.4653
www.IndianWellsGolfResort.com
