Case Study

Desert Willow:

Creating a new product that stands out in a crowd

Opportunity

In 1996, the Coachella Valley was already considered a golf mecca, but at that time Palm Desert wasn't even on the map.  With more than 120 courses vying for attention -- and golf dollars -- the bar was set high for the City of Palm Dessert to make its mark and create a five star golf resort for its year-round and winter season residents as well as out of town visitors.  The search for an experienced partner with deep experience helping municipalities realize their vision in a financially sound manner led city managers to select KemperSports for the development, pre-opening, and ongoing management of their municipal golf course.

Action

Early on, KemperSports internalized the city’s vision:  Make the residents happy, achieve financial objectives and keep intense focus on maintaining the course conditions to the highest standards. Detailed planning proved to be the key to realizing the City's goals of delivering a premium resort-style golf experience.  From programming to driving range set-up to optimal cart selection and a comprehensive pricing strategy, no stone was left unturned.  Detailed planning and constant interaction with city managers was key.  Staffing selections from agronomists with desert knowledge to outstanding maintenance crews to an entire team focused on creating a unique desertscape experience would all combine to help Desert Willow stand out in the market.  Building relationships with nearby hotels as well as convention and tourist organizations was critical in driving visitor play and ultimately delivering the “country club for a day” experience.

Results

Since its opening more than a decade ago, Desert Willow's revenue and profitability continues to grow in this increasingly competitive market.  Local and national golf writers and raters extol the Firecliff and Mountain View courses at Desert Willow.  The area's leading newspaper, Desert Sun, rated Desert Willow the #1 public access facility in the Coachella Valley; Golf Digest Magazine awarded Desert Willow 4˝ Stars on its “Best Places to Play” list and the L.A. Times rated it among the “Top Ten Places to Play” in Southern California.  The kaleidoscope of desert flora plantings and gorgeous bunkering help the design meld into the landscape — so much so that the Firecliff course became the only course ever featured on the cover of Smithsonian magazine.  The success of Desert Willow and the results enjoyed by the City of Palm Dessert has led to four contract renewals of their partnership with KemperSports.