New clubhouse at Indian Wells Golf Resort marks final step in golf facility construction project
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – In what is anticipated to become the hub of the community, the IW Club (new clubhouse at Indian Wells Golf Resort) is scheduled to open its doors to the public August 15, 2008. The completion of this multi-purpose facility marks the end of an ambitious golf facility construction project that now boasts a complete package of world-class golf and desert lifestyle amenities.
“We are all extremely thrilled to put the finishing touches on the IW Club, and we’re equally delighted to open it to our guests,” said Greg Johnson, City Manager for the City of Indian Wells. “Early on we agreed that the IW Club should be more than just an amenity for golfers; it also needed to be a place where the community can gather to enjoy the kind of lifestyle that attracted all of us to the desert in the first place.”
On August 15, the IW Club Restaurant & Bar will offer a daily dining menu from hours of 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Beginning on September 1, the restaurant and bar will extend its hours to 9 p.m., and on November 1, the IW Club Restaurant launches its delectable dinner menu (dinner hours: 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.; bar remains open until 10 p.m.).
The 53,000 square-foot IW Club houses a spectacular golf shop with a wide variety of retail offerings ranging from quality golf apparel and equipment to department store-type offerings. There is even a men’s and women’s specialty nook complete with designer-label apparel, sports coats and other accessories. The golf shop is also home to Callaway Performance Center, one of only nine worldwide, that offers an effective, high-tech approach to golf lessons and club fitting. A nine-hole, natural-grass, lighted putting course lies just outside the golf shop, and a casual golfer’s grab-and-go café is located on the main level.
The IW Club’s fine and casual dining venues, both perched on the second floor to take advantage of the commanding views of the golf course and surrounding mountains, offer a menu complete with American favorites with Asian influences as well as a first-rate wine list. The banquet operation will be in full swing with a versatile grand ballroom that opens on one side to a reception hall and on the other side to an outdoor veranda overlooking the golf course. To advance the indoor/outdoor desert lifestyle, the IW Club features large sliding-glass doors in the dining areas that allow for an effortless transition to the many outdoor patios.
Executive Chef Matthew Pike comes to the IW Club from Cielo, the penthouse restaurant at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, and the Pacific Coast Steak and Seafood restaurant, to name a few. “They say that cooking is either in one’s blood or it isn’t,” said Chef Pike. And it must have been in his blood from the beginning, as his culinary career started at the age of 10 at his parents roadside snack shop in Vermont serving burgers, shakes and other all-American favorites to his neighbors. From there Pike traveled the country gathering a diversity culinary experience to firmly land at the IW Club. There he will bring to bear his talent and experience to provide an all-American fine dining experience with Asian influences.
To add an extra element of service not normally found at a public-access club, valet and concierge services are provided. Upon entering via the main entrance, guests are greeted by the concierge who adds a personal touch as she directs patrons to their destination.
The architecture of the Desert Modern-style IW Club, designed by Phoenix-based Douglas Fredrikson Architects, features sandstone walls, large expanses of glass, metal roofing, limestone and granite accents and stainless steel detailing. A stunning water feature – a veritable sheet of water cascading from the upper level to a collection pool below – adorns the front Porte Cochere. The interior features warm wood detailing, Travertine floors, leather accents, sculpted carpets and other luxurious appointments.
It was the direction of the City of Indian Wells to provide a state-of-the-art facility to complement the two new championship golf courses as well as provide Indian Wells residents with a place to call their own. The Indian Wells Golf Resort is a popular resort destination with many of its guests staying at the four adjacent resorts. The new IW Club will provide additional dining, meeting and recreational opportunities for those guests.
About Indian Wells Golf Resort
The Indian Wells Golf Resort has been a popular golf travel destination for nearly 20 years, offering the original East and West Golf Courses and four hotel/resorts. Not willing to rest on past success, the City of Indian Wells, owner of the golf resort, reinvested in the golf experience at the resort by embarking on an ambitious facility-wide project ultimately yielding two new golf courses, the IW Club, nine-hole putting course, sprawling practice facility and a host of other amenities.
The Clive-Clark designed Celebrity Course opened November 1, 2006, and the John Fought-designed Players Course opened in November of 2007. Since then both golf courses at Indian Wells Golf Resort have attracted the attention of the golf world. In fact the Celebrity and Players Courses made Golfweek magazine’s list of California’s top 20 public-access golf courses – the only 36-hole facility to have both golf courses on the list. Plus Golfweek also honored Indian Wells Golf Resort in its first-ever nationwide municipal golf course ranking “Golfweek’s Best top 30 Municipal Courses.” In the ranking, the Players Course earned the No. 3 spot, and the Celebrity Course was ranked No. 7. For the second time, Indian Wells Golf Resort was the only 36-hole golf facilities to have both of its golf courses in the top ten.
The Indian Wells Golf Resort is also home to competitive golf at the highest level. The LG SKINS GAME will be held at Indian Wells Golf Resort from 2007 through 2009. The first year featured a competition between Fred Couples, Stephen Ames, Brett Wetterich and Zach Johnson. Ames took top honors in 2007 earning $650,000 in “Skins.” The participants for the 2008 LG SKINS GAME will feature defending champion, Steven Ames, Tour favorite, Phil Mickelson, and two other players soon to be announced. For more information about the LG SKINS GAME, visit www.indianwells.com/lgskinsgame. For more information about Indian Wells Golf Resort call 760.346.4653 or visit www.indianwellsgolfresort.com.
Indian Wells Golf Resort is professionally managed by OB Sports Golf Management, a diversified, golf-oriented company with a long history of success. 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:
Jeff Lessig, Indian Wells Golf Resort
(760) 346-4653, jlessig@iwgr.com
Nancy Samuelson, City of Indian Wells
(760) 346-2489 nsamuelson@indianwells.com
