Welcome to the website home of the Desert Hunt Invitational, a private golf tournament held each May in the Coachella Valley region of Southern California. The genesis of the event goes back to 1996, when four good friends from Oakland got together in Palm Desert for three days of golf. A similar trip was made the following year and by 1998, the weekend getaway had evolved into a formal tournament using a modified Ryder Cup format involving two four-man teams. The inaugural event was called the “Desert Loop” and it consisted of four rounds of Team Four Ball, Two Man Four Ball and Singles matches over a three-day schedule.
In 1999, the tournament was renamed the Desert Hunt Invitational in honor of Donnie Hunt, a close friend to many of the participants, who passed away in the summer of 1996. This was also the year the event grew in scope and purpose as the field expanded to two six-man teams and many new events and traditions were added to the official schedule. Now held over a five-day period, the festivities include a practice round, a Pairing's Cocktail Party, the Champions' Dinner to honor the victors of the previous year and the Captains' Dinner, a final evening salute that culminates with the announcement of the next year's captains.
Firmly established, the Desert Hunt has become a tournament where the golf is often less than brilliant, but the competition is always serious. With stakes built largely on pride, the golf plays out for those involved as a marathon of high drama and intense pressure, usually self-inflicted. The desire to win is significant but the truth is the golf and the attendant competition is only a part of what the event is about. In the end, the winning and losing is secondary. Simply put, the “Hunt” is about good friends getting together and having a good time. For most, it is an annual pilgrimage to the desert to be with people you care a great deal about and don’t get to see enough of. For five short days we’re together again, doing the things we once did in abundance, but our bodies and senses have little tolerance for now. With each year the legend grows: Tuesday arrivals, a little smoke, a lot of drink, chip offs, putting on the coat, 5 5 5 action, the shrimp platter at Morton’s, butterflies on the first tee, the draft day buzz, post-round parties at the condo, early wake up calls, letting down a teammate, drinking from the jug, Costa’s on Saturday night, “Secret Weapons”, the Mountain Course at sunset, rats in the hot tub, mock drafts under the influence, the Rat Pack room, and morning breakfast at Goody’s.
Enjoy your visit!
