Borrego Springs

The 27 holes of golf at Borrego Springs Resort and Country Club (1112 Tilting T Dr. 760/767-3330. www.borregospringsresort.com) are open to the public. Three 9-hole courses, with natural desert landscaping and mature date palms, can be played individually or in any combination. Greens fees are $65 to $75, depending on the course and the day of the week, and include a cart. Roadrunner Club (1010 Palm Canyon Dr. 760/767-5374. www.roadrunnerclub.com) has an 18-hole golf course. Greens fees are $20, and carts are $14.

Indian Wells

Next door to the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort, the Golf Resort at Indian Wells (44-500 Indian Wells La. 760/346-4653) has two 18-hole Ted Robinson-designed championship courses: the 6,500-yard West Course and the 6,700-yard East Course. A public course, it has been named one of the country's top 10 resorts by Golf Magazine. Monday through Thursday greens fees are $125; Friday through Sunday they're $135 (fees may be deeply discounted in summer). The resort also offers instruction through the Indian Wells Golf School.

La Quinta

PGA West (49-499 Eisenhower Dr. 760/564-7170; 760/564-5729 for tee times. www.pgawest.com) operates three 18-hole, par-72 championship courses and provides instruction and golf clinics. Greens fees (which include a mandatory cart) range from $50 on weekdays in summer to $235 on weekends in February and March. Bookings are accepted 30 days in advance, but prices are lower when you book close to the date you need.

Palm Desert

Desert Willow Golf Resort (38-500 Portola Ave. 760/346-7060. www.desertwillow.com), one of the newest golf resorts in the desert, has been praised for its environmentally smart design, which features pesticide-free and water-thrifty turf grasses. The clubhouse holds a display of contemporary art, including an original blown glass chandelier by Dale Chihuly. The public course, managed by the City of Palm Desert, has two challenging 18-hole links. Greens fees are $175, including cart.

Palm Springs

Palm Springs is host to more than 100 golf tournaments annually. The Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention and Visitors Bureau Events Hotline (760/770-1992) lists dates and locations. Palm Springs TeeTimes (760/324-5012) can match golfers with courses and arrange tee times. If you know which course you want to play, you can book tee times online (www.palmspringsteetimes.com).

Indian Canyons Golf Resort (1097 E. Murray Canyon Dr. 760/327-6550. www.indiancanyonsgolf.com), a new 18-hole course designed by Casey O'Callaghan and Amy Alcott and operated by the Aqua Caliente tribe, is located at the base of the mountains. Tahquitz Creek Palm Springs Golf Resort (1885 Golf Club Dr. 760/328-1005. www.tahquitzcreek.com) has two 18-hole, par-72 courses and a 50-space driving range. Greens fees, including cart, run $70-$90, depending on the course and day of the week. Tommy Jacobs' Bel Air Greens Country Club (1001 S. El Cielo Rd. 760/322-6062) has a 9-hole executive course. Greens fees are $15 ($10 for replay).

Rancho Mirage

The best female golfers in the world compete in the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship (Mission Hills Country Club. 760/324-4546. www.kraftnabiscochampionship.com) held in late March.

Of the two golf courses at the Westin Mission Hills Resort Golf Club (71-501 Dinah Shore Dr. 760/328-3198. www.troongolf.com), the 18-hole, par-70 Pete Dye course is especially noteworthy. The club plays host to a number of major tournaments, is a member of the Troon Golf Institute, and has several teaching facilities, including the Westin Mission Hills Resort Golf Academy and the Golf Digest Golf School. Greens fees are $145 during peak season, including a mandatory cart; off-season promotional packages sometimes run as low as $60.