INTRODUCTION
There are private golf clubs in the Coachella Valley and then there is Tradition Golf Club. A community unlike any other in the desert, Tradition carries a history that stretches back to 1902 when the original Spanish Colonial estate was homesteaded by John Marshall, the same man who built the La Quinta Resort. That original homestead now forms the soul of one of the most storied and prestigious private golf clubs in America.
Spanning 746 acres at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains in La Quinta, Tradition opened its gates in 1998 with an Arnold Palmer-designed 18-hole championship course that Palmer himself called one of the most special settings he had ever worked with. The property later became the Hacienda del Gato, a private family retreat frequented by Hollywood stars and White House politicians through the 1950s and 1960s. The original gates of that historic estate still stand today, preserved near the 3rd hole.
Arnold Palmer was so taken with Tradition that he made the community his primary West Coast residence. His home sat directly behind the par-3 short course and practice range. In 2018, one of only three sanctioned Arnold Palmer statues in the world was unveiled at Tradition during CareerBuilder Challenge week, with Palmer's grandson and PGA Tour member Sam Saunders in attendance.
Today Tradition Golf Club is a member-owned equity club, ranked #33 among Platinum Clubs of America and listed among America's Top 100 Golf Communities by Travel and Leisure magazine. With just 280 residences and a membership capped at 210, Tradition offers a level of intimacy and elegance that defines everything a private club should be.
Billy and Stacy Thoman are your Coachella Valley specialists for Tradition Golf Club real estate. Call today or visit MyHomeInTheDesert.com.
THE COURSES
Arnold Palmer Championship Course
18 holes | Par 72 | Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay | Opened 1997
Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay and opened in 1997, the Championship Course at Tradition is regarded as one of the finest private layouts in the Coachella Valley. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mountains, the course features 450-foot-wide corridors, dramatic elevation changes, lightning-fast greens, Augusta white sand bunkers, captivating water features, and secret hidden tees that reward the strategic golfer at every turn.
Palmer himself described the setting: "The majestic setting is so special. The topography is excellent. There are dramatic elevations, and I like how many of the holes flow along the base of the mountains. We built a strategic, championship-caliber course which presents a very exciting test of golf."
Golf members enjoy unlimited access to both courses, practice facilities, clubhouse, fitness center, spa, bocce, pickleball, and all dining and social events. Membership is intimate, capped at 210 members, by invitation only with sponsorship and approval required.
Arnold Palmer Short Course
9 holes | Par 3 | Designed by Arnold Palmer
The beloved 9-hole par-3 short course sits directly behind the only desert residence Arnold Palmer called home. Ideal for golfers of all skill levels and a cherished part of daily life at Tradition. The practice range, chipping area, and putting greens sit alongside it, creating one of the most complete practice facilities of any private club in the valley.
THE RESIDENCES
Tradition Golf Club offers 280 residences across four distinct property types, all set within the community's signature Spanish Colonial and Tuscan-Mediterranean architecture. Wide corridors, lush mature landscaping, intimate garden courtyards, splashing fountains, wrought iron detailing, rustic wood beams, tile, and adobe walls create an atmosphere that feels as though it has existed for a century. Because much of it has.
Custom Estate Homes
The signature residences of Tradition. Custom-designed and custom-built homes ranging from approximately 3,000 to 11,000+ sq ft on lots from a quarter acre to over one acre. Prices range from approximately $2,000,000 to $10,000,000+. Many homes feature private pools, casitas, home theaters, outdoor kitchens, and sweeping golf course and mountain views.
California Village Homes
A collection of lock-and-leave single-family residences with a separate HOA that covers all front and rear landscaping, pools, spas, fountains, and pest control. Ideal for seasonal residents and buyers who want the full Tradition lifestyle without the maintenance responsibility. HOA approximately $675/month.
Bungalows
A small and highly sought-after collection of bungalow homes built adjacent to the clubhouse, averaging approximately 2,500 sq ft. Perfect for buyers who want to be steps from the clubhouse, dining, fitness, and social life.
Custom Homesites
Lots ranging from a quarter acre to over one acre, priced from approximately $350,000 to $1,500,000+ depending on location and view orientation within the community. Build your fully custom residence in one of the most prestigious addresses in the Coachella Valley.
REAL ESTATE AT A GLANCE
AMENITIES
Golf
Clubhouse and Dining
Fitness and Wellness
Recreation
Community
HISTORY
The land that became Tradition Golf Club carries more than a century of remarkable history.
In 1902, the property was homesteaded by John Marshall, the man who built the La Quinta Resort and gave La Quinta Cove its original name. Marshall added a main ranch house designed by noted architect Gordon Kaufmann, who went on to design the La Quinta Resort itself.
The estate later became the Hacienda del Gato, a private retreat that attracted Hollywood stars and White House politicians through the 1950s and 1960s. The original gates of the old estate still stand today, preserved near the 3rd hole of the championship course.
In the late 1990s the property was acquired by Sienna Corporation, which partnered with Arnold Palmer to design and build the championship course that opened in 1997. Palmer fell so in love with the setting that he made it his primary West Coast home, living just behind the par-3 course and practice range.
The club formally transitioned to member-owned equity status and earned its designation as a Platinum Club of America for its excellence in private club experience. In 2018, the iconic Arnold Palmer statue was unveiled on property, one of only three sanctioned statues of The King in the world, with Palmer's grandson and PGA Tour member Sam Saunders in attendance.
LOCATION
Tradition Golf Club is located at 78505 Old Avenue 52 in La Quinta, just south of the intersection of Washington Street and Avenue 52, at the base of the stunning Santa Rosa Mountains.
Old Town La Quinta is a golf cart ride away, offering boutique dining, shopping, and the La Quinta Art Celebration. Arnold Palmer's Restaurant sits directly across the street. The Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals, HITS horse shows, and the Empire Polo Club are all within minutes. Easy access to Highway 111 and Interstate 10 connects residents to Palm Desert, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Springs. Palm Springs International Airport is approximately 30 minutes away. Thermal Airport/Executive FBO is just minutes from the gates.
WHY WORK WITH BILLY AND STACY THOMAN
Tradition Golf Club is one of the most intimate and prestigious addresses in the Coachella Valley, with a membership capped at 210 and just 280 residences at build-out. Transactions here require deep local knowledge, discretion, and the right relationships.
Billy and Stacy Thoman specialize in Coachella Valley luxury real estate with deep expertise in Tradition Golf Club, The Hideaway, The Madison Club, PGA West, Toscana, Rancho La Quinta, and the full range of desert country club communities.
Whether you are searching for a custom estate on the championship fairway, a lock-and-leave California Village home, a bungalow steps from the clubhouse, or a homesite to build your dream residence in one of America's most storied private clubs, Billy and Stacy will find it.
Call Billy and Stacy Thoman today or visit MyHomeInTheDesert.com to explore current Tradition Golf Club listings.
INTRODUCTION
There are private golf clubs in the Coachella Valley and then there is Tradition Golf Club. A community unlike any other in the desert, Tradition carries a history that stretches back to 1902 when the original Spanish Colonial estate was homesteaded by John Marshall, the same man who built the La Quinta Resort. That original homestead now forms the soul of one of the most storied and prestigious private golf clubs in America.
Spanning 746 acres at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains in La Quinta, Tradition opened its gates in 1998 with an Arnold Palmer-designed 18-hole championship course that Palmer himself called one of the most special settings he had ever worked with. The property later became the Hacienda del Gato, a private family retreat frequented by Hollywood stars and White House politicians through the 1950s and 1960s. The original gates of that historic estate still stand today, preserved near the 3rd hole.
Arnold Palmer was so taken with Tradition that he made the community his primary West Coast residence. His home sat directly behind the par-3 short course and practice range. In 2018, one of only three sanctioned Arnold Palmer statues in the world was unveiled at Tradition during CareerBuilder Challenge week, with Palmer's grandson and PGA Tour member Sam Saunders in attendance.
Today Tradition Golf Club is a member-owned equity club, ranked #33 among Platinum Clubs of America and listed among America's Top 100 Golf Communities by Travel and Leisure magazine. With just 280 residences and a membership capped at 210, Tradition offers a level of intimacy and elegance that defines everything a private club should be.
Billy and Stacy Thoman are your Coachella Valley specialists for Tradition Golf Club real estate. Call today or visit MyHomeInTheDesert.com.
THE COURSES
Arnold Palmer Championship Course
18 holes | Par 72 | Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay | Opened 1997
Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay and opened in 1997, the Championship Course at Tradition is regarded as one of the finest private layouts in the Coachella Valley. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mountains, the course features 450-foot-wide corridors, dramatic elevation changes, lightning-fast greens, Augusta white sand bunkers, captivating water features, and secret hidden tees that reward the strategic golfer at every turn.
Palmer himself described the setting: "The majestic setting is so special. The topography is excellent. There are dramatic elevations, and I like how many of the holes flow along the base of the mountains. We built a strategic, championship-caliber course which presents a very exciting test of golf."
Golf members enjoy unlimited access to both courses, practice facilities, clubhouse, fitness center, spa, bocce, pickleball, and all dining and social events. Membership is intimate, capped at 210 members, by invitation only with sponsorship and approval required.
Arnold Palmer Short Course
9 holes | Par 3 | Designed by Arnold Palmer
The beloved 9-hole par-3 short course sits directly behind the only desert residence Arnold Palmer called home. Ideal for golfers of all skill levels and a cherished part of daily life at Tradition. The practice range, chipping area, and putting greens sit alongside it, creating one of the most complete practice facilities of any private club in the valley.
THE RESIDENCES
Tradition Golf Club offers 280 residences across four distinct property types, all set within the community's signature Spanish Colonial and Tuscan-Mediterranean architecture. Wide corridors, lush mature landscaping, intimate garden courtyards, splashing fountains, wrought iron detailing, rustic wood beams, tile, and adobe walls create an atmosphere that feels as though it has existed for a century. Because much of it has.
Custom Estate Homes
The signature residences of Tradition. Custom-designed and custom-built homes ranging from approximately 3,000 to 11,000+ sq ft on lots from a quarter acre to over one acre. Prices range from approximately $2,000,000 to $10,000,000+. Many homes feature private pools, casitas, home theaters, outdoor kitchens, and sweeping golf course and mountain views.
California Village Homes
A collection of lock-and-leave single-family residences with a separate HOA that covers all front and rear landscaping, pools, spas, fountains, and pest control. Ideal for seasonal residents and buyers who want the full Tradition lifestyle without the maintenance responsibility. HOA approximately $675/month.
Bungalows
A small and highly sought-after collection of bungalow homes built adjacent to the clubhouse, averaging approximately 2,500 sq ft. Perfect for buyers who want to be steps from the clubhouse, dining, fitness, and social life.
Custom Homesites
Lots ranging from a quarter acre to over one acre, priced from approximately $350,000 to $1,500,000+ depending on location and view orientation within the community. Build your fully custom residence in one of the most prestigious addresses in the Coachella Valley.
REAL ESTATE AT A GLANCE
AMENITIES
Golf
Clubhouse and Dining
Fitness and Wellness
Recreation
Community
HISTORY
The land that became Tradition Golf Club carries more than a century of remarkable history.
In 1902, the property was homesteaded by John Marshall, the man who built the La Quinta Resort and gave La Quinta Cove its original name. Marshall added a main ranch house designed by noted architect Gordon Kaufmann, who went on to design the La Quinta Resort itself.
The estate later became the Hacienda del Gato, a private retreat that attracted Hollywood stars and White House politicians through the 1950s and 1960s. The original gates of the old estate still stand today, preserved near the 3rd hole of the championship course.
In the late 1990s the property was acquired by Sienna Corporation, which partnered with Arnold Palmer to design and build the championship course that opened in 1997. Palmer fell so in love with the setting that he made it his primary West Coast home, living just behind the par-3 course and practice range.
The club formally transitioned to member-owned equity status and earned its designation as a Platinum Club of America for its excellence in private club experience. In 2018, the iconic Arnold Palmer statue was unveiled on property, one of only three sanctioned statues of The King in the world, with Palmer's grandson and PGA Tour member Sam Saunders in attendance.
LOCATION
Tradition Golf Club is located at 78505 Old Avenue 52 in La Quinta, just south of the intersection of Washington Street and Avenue 52, at the base of the stunning Santa Rosa Mountains.
Old Town La Quinta is a golf cart ride away, offering boutique dining, shopping, and the La Quinta Art Celebration. Arnold Palmer's Restaurant sits directly across the street. The Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals, HITS horse shows, and the Empire Polo Club are all within minutes. Easy access to Highway 111 and Interstate 10 connects residents to Palm Desert, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Springs. Palm Springs International Airport is approximately 30 minutes away. Thermal Airport/Executive FBO is just minutes from the gates.
WHY WORK WITH BILLY AND STACY THOMAN
Tradition Golf Club is one of the most intimate and prestigious addresses in the Coachella Valley, with a membership capped at 210 and just 280 residences at build-out. Transactions here require deep local knowledge, discretion, and the right relationships.
Billy and Stacy Thoman specialize in Coachella Valley luxury real estate with deep expertise in Tradition Golf Club, The Hideaway, The Madison Club, PGA West, Toscana, Rancho La Quinta, and the full range of desert country club communities.
Whether you are searching for a custom estate on the championship fairway, a lock-and-leave California Village home, a bungalow steps from the clubhouse, or a homesite to build your dream residence in one of America's most storied private clubs, Billy and Stacy will find it.
Call Billy and Stacy Thoman today or visit MyHomeInTheDesert.com to explore current Tradition Golf Club listings.
We will be able to provide you with the most advantageous and up to date knowledge of the desert. Buyers and Sellers alike will tell you that they received the highest level of customer service and care.
