What’s Old is New Again at Shadow Mountain Golf Club Palm Desert!
The once bustling Shadow Mountain Golf Club Palm Desert fell into disrepair over the last several years and has been teetering on closure. But Lindi Biggi, founder of Loving All Animals and local Palm Desert resident, had a plan – she, along with her two kids bought the golf course and made a promise to bring it back to it’s glory. Lindi admitted she knew nothing about running a golf club, but she knew who to call.
Lindi took title on August 13th, and on day one started working on her plan to bring the historic golf club back to life, but with a new modern twist.
First, Lindi hired Touchstone Golf to manage and run the golf club. Mark Luthman, President of Touchstone, knew they needed to make some much needed repairs to the course first. They started by rebuilding the irrigation lake and pump station – but in order to do that they needed a way to save the fish that lived in the lake. So Lindi sent an all call to friends and neighbors to help catch and transport the fish from one lake to the next as each was finished. They also installed new sprinkler controllers and replaced the sand in all of the bunkers.
But the team knew those projects, while important, weren’t the things that would spark excitement. They needed something on a grand scale that would introduce the club to a whole new group of golfers, something that would create energy and delight for all ages. A Social Hub where the community could come together.
The Flamingo 18 Hole Putting Course
From that, was born the idea to add an 18 hole Putting Course where the existing driving range was. They hired golf course Architect, Jay Blasi to design and build the course. After 4 months of long, pre-dawn to dark work days, The Flamingo at Shadow Mountain Golf Resort is ready for it’s public debut. Jay is happy to say the course is ready for fun.
Check out the Flamingo Flyover!
The Grand Opening Event
The public Grand Opening Event is scheduled for Saturday, April 9th between 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. They’re celebrating with music, food and a shot-gun event. Watch for low flying aircraft with Pink Flamingo Banners in tow. The community is invited to celebrate the re-visioning of the Historic Shadow Mountain Golf Club Palm Desert.
Surrounding the Golf Course is the community of South Palm Desert with a variety of homes and condo’s – each unique from the other and many that are either on the course or within walking or short golf cart ride to the club. Check out these great homes and condo’s around the Shadow Mountain Golf Club Palm Desert. Living in South Palm Desert, you’ll enjoy a casual resort lifestyle where you can jump in your golf cart to go to dinner, catch a live concert at The Gardens or shop until you drop on famous El Paseo.
Shadow Mountain Golf Club is the oldest golf course in Palm Desert, opening in 1958. The course was designed by famed Augusta National Golf Course Architect, Gene Sarazen. Known at the time as “The Squire” for his dapper dress and the ever-present two-tone wing tipped shoes.
Summarizing the layout of the course, he said “The new modern course of this type is shorter than most, but is not easier to play. It will give the golfer who uses his brain a chance against the competitor who hits with power, and I think it will be one of the sportiest and most challenging courses in the entire area” .
Sarazen was the first to accomplish the Professional Grand Slam with the US Open in 1922, the PGA in 1923, the British Open in 1932, and then the Masters. At age 33 he became the first player to win all four majors. Only Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods have matched his record.
In 2010 the City of Palm Desert proclaimed Shadow Mountain Golf Club Palm Desert as a Historic Landmark.