Indian Wells Country Club

The club's 36 holes grew over time, one nine at a time, on about 400 acres. The Classic Course is the historic one: it hosted the Bob Hope Classic from the tournament's first year in 1960 for more than four decades, and Arnold Palmer won that first edition. In February 1995 Presidents Bush, Ford and Clinton played the opening round together with Bob Hope here. The Classic plays 6,478 yards at par 72 and rewards precise iron play into contoured greens. The Cove Course, at 6,537 yards, sits closer to the Santa Rosa Mountains with gentle elevation and long views, and the Cove side of the club keeps a Bob Hope Room full of tournament memorabilia. Neither course is overly long, which keeps them enjoyable for a wide range of players. A full range, short game areas and TrackMan fitting round out the practice facilities.

The clubhouse is large, at about 70,000 square feet, and it handles golf, dining, fitness and events under one roof. Dining spills out onto a terrace and patio, and the club hosts wine dinners and seasonal parties along with weddings and private events on its lawns, garden spaces and tented venues. Tennis is well established, with lighted courts, league play and a teaching professional, and the fitness program includes wellness classes. Members also keep the club's history alive through a House and Heritage committee and Desi's Deck, dedicated to Desi Arnaz at the 60th anniversary.

Indian Wells Country Club is operated within the Invited Clubs network, formerly ClubCorp. In 1994 a partnership of 319 club members and ClubCorp completed a $17.25 million purchase of the club from the U.S. Customs Service, an unusual chapter in its history. Today there are several tiers. Full Golf and Full Classic Golf members have unrestricted play on both courses, while Limited Classic and Social members can play at designated times. Social and fitness memberships are available to people who do not golf. Because the club, not a homeowners association, sets fees, current figures are shared directly by the membership office.

Homes here were built over many decades and sit in separate neighborhoods, each with its own association rules, so the choices are broad. You will find flat-roofed midcentury originals from the late 1950s, two- and three-bedroom condominiums built between the 1960s and early 1980s and since remodeled, and newer enclaves such as Mountain Gate, Painted Cove and Villaggio. A local real estate guide counts roughly 900 homes and puts prices from the $700,000s for condominiums to more than $3.5 million for estate homes. Many single-family homes carry very low or no association dues, which is rare for a gated golf community, but buyers should check each property's documents.

The nickname, the Fun Club of the Desert, still fits. The club was founded by Hollywood friends who wanted somewhere casual, and the mood remains sociable rather than stuffy. The membership has grown younger in recent years, and the club works hard to keep its history visible, from photographs to the Bob Hope Room. Because membership is optional, neighbors range from avid golfers to owners who simply like a gated street with fairway views. El Paseo and the Indian Wells Tennis Garden are a short drive away.