John Marshall homesteaded 160 acres from the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1902, when Washington Street was still Marshall Road and the cove was Marshall Cove. The original house on that ranch is now called the Eisenhower Cottage. In 1920 a woman architect, Helen Douglass French, built the main hacienda. Later owners, William and Elizabeth Rosecrans, renamed it Hacienda del Gato after the family cat warned of a rattlesnake at the kitchen door. Citrus farmers followed. Developers followed them. In 1996 Sienna Corporation's John Hankinson took a handshake from Arnold Palmer, who had been staring at this mountain property from desert tournaments for years. Tradition Golf Club is that ranch with a Palmer course on it, still sitting in La Quinta Cove with an unmarked gate and a membership that does not come with the deed.
The Cahuilla were on this ground when a prehistoric lake still held water. Springs remained after the lake left. Club history notes arrowheads still found on the property. Palmer reached out to Hankinson, agreed to design the course, and agreed to be a member and a homeowner. The Tradition Golf Course and clubhouse opened in 1997 and 1998. Palmer's championship eighteen is the centerpiece, with a 9-hole course and practice facilities behind what the club still describes as the only desert residence The King called home. Club language leans on fast greens, Augusta-white sand bunkers, water, elevation, split greens, and Palmer's secret tee boxes. The Palmer statue, his follow-through in bronze, was unveiled in 2018 during CareerBuilder Challenge week with grandson and PGA Tour player Sam Saunders in attendance.
After the Holmes citrus years (Seville oranges, pink grapefruit, Ponderosa lemons, Algerian tangerines), the land passed through Fritz Burns, Bill Young, and Landmark Land Company. Sienna's 1996 purchase is the modern founding. In 2008 the club transitioned from developer-owned to member-owned equity. In 2017 it was recognized as a Platinum Club of America. In 2022 the club marked 120 years since the homestead and 25 years as a golf club. Historic structures, including the hacienda and the Avenue 52 entry, were retained inside the development rather than erased for a clean slate.
Residential product is typically discussed as bungalows, village homes, and custom estates rather than a single public PDF plan library. The club does not publish a fixed home count on its primary public pages. Real estate ownership is offered separately and is not required for membership. Membership is by invitation and Board approval. Pull current HOA documents and architectural guidelines for any specific address, and do not assume club membership transfers with title. Published amenities include the Clubhouse, Fitness Center and Spa, dining venues including the Tavern at Tradition, and a social calendar that members use whether or not they own property here.
Tradition publishes 78505 Avenue 52, La Quinta, CA 92253, with membership contact at 760.564.8723. The club sits minutes from Thermal Airport and about a half hour from Palm Springs International Airport. When comparing Tradition to Hideaway or Andalusia, separate the golf membership decision from the real estate decision early. The ranch history is not decoration. It is why the place still feels like a cove property rather than a master-planned golf suburb. Norman Williams and Jacqulyn Stanton of The Stanton Williams Group at Compass work with buyers and sellers at Tradition Golf Club. Reach Norman at 760.464.2190 or Jacqulyn at 760.702.2557.
