Golf: The Challenges of Indian Wells, the Luxury of the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort

Ready to put your golf game up next to the pros? Then look no further than the recently re-created championship courses at the Indian Wells Golf Resort, where PGA pros played the Skins Game in November 2007 (on the Celebrity Course) and in 2008 on the Players Course. Both courses are not for the faint of heart; this is where the big boys (and girls) play.

Both courses have been upgraded, with Clive Clark designing the stunningly beautiful and extremely challenging Celebrity Course, and architect John Fought the Players (www.indianwellsgolfresort.com). On the morning we played the Celebrity Course, the sun shone brightly over the snow-capped mountains in the distance, and a wolf actually raced across the first hole, stopping us in our tracks.

This generously wooded course has numerous par 4 and 5 holes in the 400 to 500 yard range, some with serious water designed to challenge even the best player. Holes 4 and 5 are both wonderful long holes with lakes to navigate and (especially on 5) brutal bunkers to contend with; on the back nine, you’ll find more incredible vistas of Eisenhower Mountain, flowering foliage all around, and more serious water. The 14th hole is a gem, 519 yards filled with lakes, waterfalls, and little streams, all designed to keep you from your goal of making its elusive 5 par.

The challenge-filled back nine wraps around the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort and Spa, which is the perfect place to stay while playing Indian Wells. A villa at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort.Literally right next door, the AAA 4-diamond resort has also undergone a recent upgrade, adding homey Garden Villas, complete with backyards patios (some that look right out onto the course) with private Jacuzzis, top-notch technology throughout, and even private butlers ready to service your every need. Plus, the Villas allow access to the Hyatt’s Regency Club, where breakfast, snacks, hors d’oeuvres, and cordials are served daily. Elegant and luxurious, the Villas are a class act that matches perfectly with the nearby world-class golf at Indian Wells.

In addition, the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort (www.hyattgrandchampions.com) boasts seven beautiful free-form and heated swimming pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center where you can strengthen and tone to help improve your golf game, and the massive Agua Serena Spa. Relaxation area at the Spa at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort. With 30,000 square feet of treatment rooms and a medical and skin spa tucked inside that offers a range of cosmetic procedures, this is a spa you can lose all track of time in, especially since they offer treatments well into the evening hours. Don’t miss your tee time, however; for every golfer who loves the game needs to play the two courses at Indian Wells at least once.