INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – The John Fought-designed Players Course opens for public play on November 27, 2007. The 18-hole, par-72, 7,376-yard, golf course is the second of two new golf courses (Celebrity Course opened November 2006) to be built at the Indian Wells Golf Resort located in Indian Wells, California.
"We are simply thrilled with the upcoming opening of the new Players Course," said Roger Behling, General Manager. "As the Players Course comes together, it is obvious that it will not only meet our expectation, it will exceed them. With its complete package of golf and hospitality offerings, Indian Wells Golf Resort certainly will provide an ideal golf experience to vacationers looking for a premier destination golf resort."
Conceived in the spirit of a classic American design style, The Players Course features wide playing corridors, traditional rectangular tee boxes and sculpted bunkers. Most of the holes are oriented to take full advantage of jaw-dropping views of the surrounding mountain ranges and majestic Eisenhower Mountain to the south. As a "core golf" layout, no roads or homes intrude into the golf courses, and each hole is designed to be somewhat sheltered from the others to elicit a feeling of solitude. Uniquely, Fought was able to utilize many of the mature trees found on the original East Course property to impart the feel of a venerable facility while at the same time delivering a modern approach to golf course design. Â But to be clear, the mature tree cover and geographical location are about the only two things that the original East Course (opened in 1986) and the new Players Course have in common. By design, the Players Course is completely different than the original golf course.
"The Players Course has an interesting classic strategy developed in harmony with a host of wonderful aesthetics," said John Fought. "The sand face bunkers are reminiscent of the work of George C. Thomas at Riviera. The mature trees, the California barrancas and stunning mountain views all combine to compose one of the finest new courses in the western United States."
The Indian Wells Golf Resort has been a popular golf travel destination for nearly 20 years, offering two golf courses and four hotel/resorts (Hyatt Grand Champions Resort, Villas & Spa, Indian Wells Resort Hotel, Miramonte Resort & Spa and Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa). The City of Indian Wells, owner of the golf resort, decided to invest in the future of the resort by embarking on an ambitious facility-wide project that has already yielded two new golf courses. Plus the spectacular Douglas Fredrikson-designed clubhouse (IW Club), lighted putting course, sprawling practice facility and a host of other amenities will soon follow in the spring of 2008. For more information about Indian Wells Golf Resort call 760.346.4653 or visit www.indianwellsgolfresort.com.
Although the opening of the Players Course is certainly creating a buzz in the golf world, many eyes will be on the Indian Wells Golf Resort’s Celebrity Course, as it hosts the 2007 LG SKINS GAME. Clive Clark’s much-anticipated Celebrity Course, which opened in November 2006 to rave reviews, features many risk/reward challenges that will set up well for the distinctive Skins format. Clark’s design will require tour players (Fred Couples, Stephen Ames, Brett Wetterich and Zach Johnson) to think their way around the golf course instead of simply overpowering it. For more information about the LG SKINS GAME, visit www.indianwells.com/lgskinsgame.
Indian Wells Golf Resort is professionally managed by OB Sports Golf Management, a diversified, golf-oriented company with a long history of success. Orrin Vincent, the CEO and Founder of OB Sports, had this to say about the new Players Course. "The new Players Course will provide a unique contrast to the already popular Celebrity course and create two must plays for golfers visiting Indian Wells," said Vincent. "The courses are different in both style and substance – both in the way they play from a strategic standpoint, and in how they are presented visually for the golfer."
OB Sports currently manages 30 premier golf courses and country clubs throughout the United States and Mexico. Known for its comprehensive and personalized services since 1972, OB Sports has become widely acclaimed as the leader in boutique-style golf course management. For more information on OB Sports, visit www.obsports.com or call (480) 948-1300.
Contact:
Roger Behling
(760) 346-2489
Kris Strauss
(480) 518-5003
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