Rancho Mirage, CA
Thunderbird Country Club
Frank Bogert opened Thunderbird as a dude ranch in 1946, with cabins and horse stalls on a large desert property. Seasonal closures and the lack of golf limited the venture’s appeal.1
- Location
- Rancho Mirage, CA
- Course
- 18 holes · par 71
- Original architect
- Lawrence Hughes
- Club website
- Visit website
Thunderbird Country Club history
Johnny Dawson led its conversion into a country club with investors including entertainment and business figures. Construction began in 1950, and Dawson and architect Lawrence Hughes struck ceremonial shots on January 9, 1951.1
The course
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Sources and editorial notes3 references
Sources for this story
- Thunderbird Ranch Thunderbird Country Club
Institutional history and course description.
Consulted 2026-09-21