La Quinta Country Club : The Early Years
In 1958, the land and area known as La Quinta Country Club was a barren, windswept, treeless desert. But the dreamers who bought the small boutique La Quinta Hotel had plans for lush fairways, sparkling lakes, and a playground for the stars...on a Championship golf course. 1,000 acres turned into just that. One of the founders, Leonard Ettelson, a Chicago attorney, said that the hotel was small and unprofitable, and they didn't expect to make money on it. "But we do expect to make money off the real estate."
Located in one of the most picturesque settings, surrounded by the dramatic Santa Rosa Mountains, these visionaries saw what others had not. A dream and opportunity to create a beautiful place to live and play. 
A residential subdivision was built around the golf course, called La Quinta Golf Estates. This neighborhood comprises the heart of La Quinta Country Club with a mix of custom homes, condos, in an eclectic style. Some are Santa Barbara style haciendas, others are more contemporary including a number of notable mid-century modern homes by renowned architects.
In October of 1960, Dwight Eisenhower, the President, flew in on his helicopter and dedicated the club! He then took an 8-iron and hit down the middle of the first fairway! A ribbon-cutting ceremony followed and the club was officially launched!
A new clubhouse was commissioned, a sprawling ranch style, with an elegant hacienda style. But golf would be the focus for the early years and the clubhouse did not open until 1966. In the early 60's there were many TV golf matches played and filmed at the course. Jimmy Demaret hosted the Championship of the USA set up by All Star Golf. Playing for the title, a young Jack Nicklaus, Jerry Barber, Gary Player, and Gene Littler. All filmed by NBC for nationwide coverage. A prize of $20,000 was at stake, a little different than the prizes pros play for today!
Another event filmed by CBS, was the Match Play Classic featuring 16 -two man teams ... much like today's Ryder Cup. The pros liked it because it was a free vacation for them . They got paid for each match they played and they picked their own partners, according to Tom Dawson who was with CBS at the time. The matches were shown throughout the winter, and no doubt, it attracted the eyes of people in the east and midwest, who were shivering through the season. Membership increased from 40-50 to 150 members in just a short time.
Now, we have a strong membership with many that spend only 6 months a year here. They come from Kansas City, Chicago, Denver, NY, Michigan, and many from the Pacific northwest. Our winters are sunny and the golf course is lush and green. It is a wonderful place to live and play, and it all began with a dream and a dusty desert landscape at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains.
This post is an entry for Active Rain October challenge: Historical Stories about Your Location hosted by Eileen Burns 954.483.3912 and Debe Maxwell, CRS
Ref: La Quinta Country Club, 1959 Silver Anniversary 1984
Photos: Chris Miller, One Point Media Group
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