By Jeffrey A. Rendall

RANCHO MIRAGE, CA -- Pete Dye must've been in a bad mood in 1986, because he unleashed a beast.

When you mention Dye's name in conjunction with the Palm Springs area, you'll probably first think of PGA West, where Dye's Stadium layout continually ranks amongst America's toughest courses with a slope of 150 from the back tees. Opening in 1986, the Stadium Course was a big hit amongst golf course design enthusiasts, who marveled at the track's astonishingly difficult targets and stunning scenery. Many who witnessed the Skins Game or the Hope (played only one year there) probably looked on with ghoulish delight as the layout time and again humbled the game's best professionals (and some celebrities, too). And for those duffers brave enough to try it themselves -- may just be serving up some crow for the post-round meal.

In contrast, there's another Dye layout just a short drive away that hardly leaves the same impressions. Found at the Westin Mission Hills Resort, this 'gentle' Dye course opened a year after his Stadium piece, yet shares only a few characteristics in common with its brutish older relative. In other words, what Dye taketh away at PGA West, he giveth back at Mission Hills. Or maybe he was just in a better mood in 1987.

Playing to 6706 yards (par 70) from the back tees and a relatively tame slope of 131, you'll still find many Dye trademarks at Mission Hills--although you probably won't pay for 'em with as many golf balls. In characteristic Dye fashion, there's plenty of water, pot bunkers and railroad ties. The fairways are rolling, there are some target-oriented greens, and the putting surfaces are tricky and fast.

Unlike its Stadium sibling, however, the Mission Hills Resort course doesn't have any 250 yard par threes and there are 'only' two par fours over 423 yards. Its two par fives are possibly reachable for long-hitters (one definitely is), and there aren't any 20-foot high bunkers or Sahara-sized waste areas. Finally, there are only a couple carries that would rate in the 'scary' category.

Like PGA West, Mission Hills has tour-quality playing surfaces. The Mission Hills Resort lies adjacent to the famous Mission Hills Country Club, home of the LGPA's first major championship of the season, the Dinah Shore/Kraft Nabisco tournament. Lucky for the resort golfer, it seems many of the top-notch conditions the women pros find next door have made their way to the resort.

Perhaps what's most surprising about Mission Hills (being a Dye course) is its forgiving nature off the tee. Most holes have incredibly wide driving avenues, and while failing to find the fairway will most likely punish you with a thick Bermuda rough lie, you won't be marking down the requisite penalties you'd endure elsewhere. Several of the par fours can be attacked by an iron or fairway wood off the tee and a short iron to the green, and the fairways' mounding may even kick the ball towards a flatter area.

On a recent trip, Scot Rendall played both courses, and highlights the differences: "Being a frequent visitor to the Coachella Valley, I'd heard quite a bit about both the PGA West Stadium course and the Dye course at Mission Hills Resort. Both have their reputations, so I was anxious to see if the rumors were true."

Rendall continues, "The Stadium course is as tough as everyone says, it's an incredibly difficult placement golf course. If you get in one of those bunkers, you may need to blast out backwards. I've never seen a course where such slight misses often result in double or triple bogeys. At the same time, the Mission Hills course is challenging, but not as severe. You won't be in trouble as often, and the layout is much friendlier to the average player."

Hesitating to use the term, Mission Hills is not as 'tricked up' as the Stadium course. Dye still considers the Stadium as one of his architectural masterpieces, yet there's something about deep fairway bunkers that just doesn't seem right. Dye is a master of visually framing golf holes, but some of the Stadium's views go beyond intimidation. Mission Hills won't do that to you.

One note, both courses' surroundings are quite built-up, as the desert living environment is growing ever more popular. But the houses don't spoil the incredible views of the San Jacinto Mountains. As previously noted, the residences are situated far enough back where they really shouldn't come into play, and the residents themselves are good neighbors.

A final bit of similarity between the two Dye creations is the attentive service. Driving into Mission Hills, you're greeted by the Resort's personnel, and your bag's taken care of from there on out. There's a reason why this resort has the Westin name (the courses are managed by Troon golf) attached to it, and you certainly won't have to worry about doing much for yourself.

Looking at the course, Dye starts out with a good warm-up par four, 372 yards in length. There's a huge bunker right smack in the middle of the viewing area, but it's got plenty of room to either side and can even be flown at 210 yards from the back tee.

One of the most intriguing holes is number six. Just 330 yards from the back, you can even hit driver safely on the hole. The interesting part stems from a green that is protected by a large mound to the right side. If you approach from that direction, you're firing blind, and you'll probably even need to scale the mound before you hit in order to see where the pin position is.

Eight is vintage Pete Dye, a beautiful 197-yard par three with a full water carry to a railroad-tie framed green. This hole looks like it was taken from Dye's famous Harbour Town layout on Hilton Head Island. Tons of room to bail right if you can't stomach the carry, and only one bunker to avoid.

Turning to the back nine, twelve is a reachable par five at 506 yards in length. Bunkers squeeze the landing area at a driver's length from the tee. If you choose to lay-up, favor the left side as two large bunkers protect the right side of the green. The fairway on this hole is somewhat undulating, so it's likely you won't have a flat lie to hit your longer clubs, should you decide to try for the green in two.

Fourteen is a tremendous par four. From the back tees, you're shooting through a chute of trees. You'll need to carefully select your driving club, because a lake juts into the landing area from the left side, and the fairway is sloped on the right. For the approach to the green, you'll need to avoid water on the right and a large greenside bunker to the left. Par here is a great score.

Eighteen is a classic Dye finishing hole. Reasonably short at 385 yards, the tee shot is slightly downhill with water on the left, and a steep slope to the right. For those who choose driver, bunkers await long and right. Water hugs the entire left side of the green and short landing area, and if you're too strong on the approach, you're also wet. This hole could easily ruin a good score!

To sum up, the Mission Hills Pete Dye course is quite a contrast from Dye's PGA West Stadium course. It's the difference between a devilishly difficult trip through Pete Dye's considerable imagination versus a smooth but challenging cruise through his 'gentle' side. It must've been an incredible swing in moods to design two courses so different in consecutive years.