Hurdzan Golf Design has been hired by the city of Palm Desert to make improvements to the Firecliff course at the Desert Willow Golf Resort.

Work will include a substantial reduction in maintained turf, bunker redesign, tee leveling and the reduction of non-native plant species to help reduce the course’s carbon footprint.

Located in Southern California, Desert Willow Golf Resort is home to two courses – Firecliff and Mountain View – and opened in 1996. Both courses were designed by the Hurdzan/Fry firm, who worked alongside PGA pro John Cook.

“Our Desert Willow golf courses are highly rated and widely praised by our citizens and guests,” said Martin Alvarez, Palm Desert’s director of Economic Development. “Our intent is to improve them and the environment around them. We have set lofty goals and this plan will help us achieve them in a prioritised, financially prudent way while minimising disruption for our golfers.”

The plans for the project are already underway and construction is set to be phased over a three to five-year period.

“Even great designs like ours need a bit of freshening up,” said Darrell Souza, director of Golf at Desert Willow. “Who better to lead the planning than one of the original designers? Dr. Hurdzan is as famous for his environmental approach to golf courses, as he is for his creative designs around the world. The goal will be to keep the tradition and improve the product.”