Indian Springs ANEW
It’s likely that no member of the Rat Pack ever made it out to Indio. Isolated, like Cathedral City, on an extreme end of the valley, Indio for much of the 20th century held little to tempt visitors to venture past the ritzier towns of Palm Desert and Indian Wells.
As Indio’s population continued to grow in 1970s, however, and as more expensive land in the neighboring resort towns was gobbled up by golf course and hotel developers, the city quickly became a prime resource of affordable land for new development. Today, Indio runs on par with its more-heralded neighbors, even earning distinction as one of “America’s wealthiest areas” in a 2001 issue of Forbes magazine.
Evidence of Indio elbowing its way into the valley’s elite circle can be found at INDIAN SPRINGS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (760-200-8988, www.indianspringsgc.com), where new owner Neil Finch has developed an Indian Wells-type experience at an Indio-type price.
Like the majority of Indio’s 50,000 residents, Finch knows what it’s like to pull yourself up by the bootstraps. Having first cut his teeth in the major golf resort industry as an assistant pro at Kaplua Bay, Pebble Beach and Monterey Peninsula, Finch slowly worked his way up through the ranks at some of the country’s most prestigious clubs — including Indian Wells — before taking on the GM position at Indian Springs in 1999.
It wasn’t until a year ago, though, that the opportunity arose for the longtime pro to take the natural next step.
“It’s a golf pro’s dream to be able to own your own course,” Finch said in a interview this fall with Golf News Magazine. “To literally have control over everything that is done. This is absolutely a dream come true.”
While making several strong improvements to the property — including an all-new driving range and practice area —?Finch knows when and where to leave well enough alone. The course itself needs no alteration, having already established itself as one of the valley’s most well- maintained. Superintendent Alfredo Alcocer, recruited by Finch from prestigious Rancho La Quinta upon his hiring at Indian Springs nine years ago, is held in high regard throughout the community for his ability to grow and manage thick, full fairways and for greens the course markets as a “Perfect 10.’ Golf Digest gave Indian Springs a four-star rating and Indio’s Desert Sun newspaper rated it the valley’s “Best Course Under $100.”
Yep, that’s right. Having finally made our way through the private-club, mega-resort acreage stretching from Rancho Mirage to Indian Wells, we’re entering wallet-friendly territory again in Indio. Winter season rates at Indian Springs typically range between $65-$99.
Snowbirds coming down for 1-2 weeks can save even more by planning a stay at the HOMEWOOD SUITES (760-391-4600, www.laquinta.homewoodsuites.com). Located in La Quinta, just blocks from Indian Springs and practically adjacent to the mega-resorts of Indian Wells and La Quinta, the Homewood caters to snowbirds with extended-stay discounts and shuttles to area courses, plus hot breakfasts, free buffets and complimentary beer and wine each night for kicking back after the round.
Each room comes with a kitchen, dishwasher, full-size refrigerator and dining table — they’ll even take care of the grocery shopping for you while you’re out enjoying Indian Springs’ green fairways. More moderately priced than the mega-resorts, yet convenient to just about every course on the valley’s east end, the Homewood — like Indio — is a good pick for the CG reader trying to live like a Hollywood star, on a Lynnwood budget.