TPC Stadium Golf Course (PGA West)

Pete Dye laid out the Stadium Course as PGA WEST's inaugural layout, opening in 1986 in La Quinta with a mandate to build one of the hardest tests in the game. Its most celebrated hole is the par-3 17th, "Alcatraz," a green ringed entirely by water; Lee Trevino's hole-in-one there during the 1988 Skins Game remains one of golf's signature moments. When the Bob Hope Desert Classic arrived in January 1987, Dye's severe bunkering, deep pot hazards and forced carries drew loud complaints from tour pros, cementing the course's fearsome reputation. Today the restored Stadium Course anchors PGA WEST's tournament pedigree and hosts The American Express each January, continuing a legacy that has welcomed PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, LPGA and NCAA competitors.