The American Express is the only PGA tournament played on three golf courses

American Express has a unique distinction on the PGA Tour: It is the only event played on three golf courses.

The tournament is played on the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West, the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West and La Quinta Country Club. Golfers play one round on each of the three in the first three rounds, and after the 54-hole cut, the final round is on the Stadium Course.

“It’s tough. It’s not, obviously it’s not something we’re used to,” Justin Thomas said during his Wednesday pre-tournament media session. “Although the courses are different. La Quinta is a lot different than, I would say, the courses here, but they all have the same general idea that you have to make a lot of birdies and you have to be aggressive. They’re very scoreable, so I take the same mindset into all the courses, it’s just you stand on the tee and think, ‘How am I going to make birdie and what’s the best way for me to do it.”

Here’s a closer look at the three venues.

La Quinta Country Club

Opened in 1959 with a course designed by Lawrence Hughes, La Quinta Country Club tends to offer the best scoring opportunities in American Express with an average of 67,905 last year. Four holes at La Quinta were among the 25 easiest holes on the PGA Tour in 2024. It is the only private course in the rotation. It measures 7,060 yards with a par of 72.

Jack Nicklaus tournament course

The Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course is ranked no. 19 on Golfweek’s Best 2024: Top Public Access Golf Courses in California. Designed by Golden Bear and opened in 1987, the course plays to 7,147 yards with a par of 72. It averaged 68,805 last season.

Pete Dye Stadium Course

Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West opened in 1986 and is ranked 10th on Golfweek’s Best 2024: Top Public Access Golf Courses in California. The 7,210-yard, par-72 course is the only layout used twice during tournament week. The layout, which played to an average of 69,149 last season, may be a little tougher this year after recent renovations, especially given its refreshed greens. The idea was simply to return the green complexes of the Stadium Course to the original plans of the famous architect Dye.