The back nine holes at SilverRock Resort in La Quinta, California, have closed so that a significant redesign project can take place.

Permission has recently been granted for the development of two new hotels close to the resort – one of which will impact the golf course.

In order to make room for the hotel, five of the holes on the back nine are to be rerouted and reconfigured.

The original course at SilverRock was designed by a team from Arnold Palmer Design, and opened in 2005. Brandon Johnson of the firm told GCA more about the current work.

“We are adding a new hole which will become the par three eleventh,” Johnson said. “This takes advantage of an existing lake and the surrounding mountain views. The hole will be carved out of the desert landscape, and causes the renumbering of many of the other holes on the back nine.”

The existing thirteenth hole will become the new twelfth hole, and has been converted into a reachable par five.

“The new fourteenth hole is also being converted into a par five, with the green shifted back and to the right, and a reconfigured second landing area,” Johnson said.

What was formerly the par five twelfth hole is being converted into the new par five seventeenth hole, featuring a new green location.

“The new eighteenth will be what was formerly the eleventh hole, and is being converted into a short par four, tempting players to go for it on the home hole,” Johnson said. “Width and centre line bunkers provide plenty of options off the tee to a skinny green with subtle but challenging pin locations.”

The work is taking place over the course of this summer, with the back nine set to reopen for play in November 2017.