My Weekend Golf Getaway at the Westin Mission Hills

During a recent weekend golf outing in the Coachella valley I had a chance to stay and play with my wife and family at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort in Rancho Mirage.

The Westin Mission Hills is an exotic desert sanctuary that has two championship 18 - hole golf courses. The Pete Dye Course or as I like to call it the "Diabolically Dye" is distinguished by hidden pin placements and carries over water that test a players length and accuracy. There are also, pot bunkers that are to be avoided at all costs, abundant trees and railroad ties that bring a nostalgic aura to the course. The smaller of the two courses, the Pete Dye, plays to 6,706 yards and is a par-70 course that is set up for a little fun, since it is more forgiving than its big brother. All skill levels will enjoy playing this course.

The big boy of the two courses, the Gary Player Signature course, was praised by Golf magazine as being a remarkable course that is "difficult well-designed and joyful," and adds that it "may be the best golf course in the Palm Springs area." This is a one of a kind since this is the only Gary Player course in the Palm Springs Area. It is over 7,000 yards that call for a 72 to make par. It is renowned for its environmentally careful integration with the desert landscape.

The Gary Player Signature course at The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa is an exclusive Callaway golf shop that features Callaway apparel, merchandise and accessories. There is also a Callaway golf fitting center available to resort guests and daily fee players. You will, however, need to call the head golf professional to set up a fitting appointment.

After the first day of play on the Dye courses, I spend the following morning working on my game the Westin Mission Hills' golf academy. The school is located at the south end of the Pete Dye Resort Course and features state-of-the-art swing analysis and video. The school also includes a full putting green and pitching green complete with a complex set of bunkers even Pete Dye would be proud of.

Because it is located on the grounds of one of the prettiest hotels in the desert, the Westin Mission Hills has the distinct advantage of being a place where you can spend your entire golf vacation never having to leave the resort property and if you bring your wife, she can have a day at the spa which in my case more than made up for the fact that I spent virtually our entire holiday out on the course.