Las Vegas golf holidays are synonymous with great golf courses played by the rich and famous; Dean Martin and the Rat Pack through to Tigers Woods and peers. Las Vegas golf courses have it all, with a range of course designers from Jack Nicklaus, Rees Jones, Pete Dye and Tom Fazio to name but a few – from lush green parkland to stark desert courses This entertainment mecca has a surprisingly wide choice of golf to choose from.
Where to Play Golf in Las Vegas?
Las Vegas, located in the USA, and the surrounding area has no less than 70 golf courses and not to mention just over two dozen or so golf resorts to boot. The choice of golf here is more than surprising; Las Vegas certainly has more-to-meet-the eye than just the glitz and glamour of the famous Las Vegas Strip. So where do you start? Where do you play? We have travelled to, and experienced, Las Vegas for ourselves, we have compiled our Top 10 Courses on Where to play Golf in Las Vegas.
Our Top Ten Golf Courses in Las Vegas
The Desert Pines is a Dye design golf course and is reminiscent of many golf course designs from the Carolinas. Desert Pines golf course measures 6,222 yards from the back tees. This Par 71 golf course is a true test of golf for golfers of all levels and allows every one of them to enjoy the tranquillity and calming of this great course just 15 minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip.
Desert Pines also has the latest addition in golf with the new Golf boards; an alternative means for golfers to play faster and yet still get the benefits of walking. Desert Pines is definitely one we recommend whilst staying in Las Vegas.
Course Designer: Peter Dye
Opened For Play: 1996
Location: 3415 E Bonanza Rd, Las Vegas
With 54 Holes of golf on-site, the Las Vegas Pauite Resort is a popular choice when golfing in Las Vegas. The Snow Mountain golf course a Pete Dye design is the original course and is a favourite of returning golfers to the resort, this 18 Hole championship golf measures no less than 7,164 yards and has with doubt the best par 3’s on all of the three golf courses.
The Snow Mountain golf course has ryegrass fairways with seven holes featuring water and traditional Dye-style railroad-tie bunkers. The finishing three holes are not for the faint-hearted with risk-and reward the order of the day. Another great Dye design course that once played, you’ll want to come back for me.
Course Designer: Pete Dye
Opened For Play: 1995
Location: 10325 Nu-Wav Kaiv Boulevard, Las Vegas
If you’re looking to experience the dramatic scenery of golf in the desert, take a look at our “Desert Discovery Golf Tour”:
The Desert Discovery Golf TourCustomer Testimonials
Inventively designed this beauty truly has some of the most picturesque scenery found anywhere in the desert. Etched into the Las Vegas Desert, Painted Desert golf has a layout that measures 6,781 yards. It is breath-taking with incredible vistas and mountain backdrops, the Painted Desert golf course is a testing course for the best of golfers. However, with numerous tee-boxes, golfers of all handicaps a fair, impressive, memorable round.
The final 18th Hole is an excellent challenge off the tee with a large bunker down the left-hand side; enough will allow an approaching position to approach the elevated green slopes from front to back. A must-play course, its sheer beauty is worth every penny of the green fee.
Designer: Jay Morrish
Opened For Play: 1987
Location: 5555 Painted Mirage Rd, Las Vegas
7. TPC Summerlin Golf Course
The TPC Summerlin Golf Course opened its doors in 1991 and is designed by Bobby Tweed and Fuzzy Zoeller. This Par 72 Championship course is at the heart of the 22,000 acres Summerlin community, located just five miles West of Las Vegas it is the largest master-planned community in the USA. TPC Summerlin is a favourite of Tiger Woods who won his first professional event here at the Las Vegas International (now the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.).
The TPC Summerlin Golf Course is not appealing to the eye as many are, the greens, however, have subtle undulations the course itself is designed to appeal to golfers of all standards, be aware however of the testing par 3, 17th Hole it is more than a test for even the best of golfers.
Designer: Bobby Weed & Fuzzy Zoeller
Opened For Play: 1991
Location: 1700 Village Center Circle, Las Vegas
6. Royal Links Golf Club
Just a short 20 minutes away from the main strip you will find Royal Golf Links, Dye International Designed it is a classical take on Pete Dye’s best holes offered by Links golf. The course has holes copied from eleven open Championship golf courses; including the “Road Hole” and “Hell Bunker” from the Old Course at St Andrew’s to the “postage Stamp” from Royal Troon. This combination of great holes down to the Castle style clubhouse, and Stymies Pub, Royal Links Golf Club The golf course is rated as one of the best in the area and welcome addition to that bucket list.
Designer: Pete & Cynthia Dye
Opened For Play: 1998
Location: 5995 East Vegas Valley Drive, Las Vegas
5. Reflection Bay Golf Course
Lake Las Vegas is the location for this fantastic Jack Nicklaus golf course. Just a short 20- minute drive away east of the Las Vegas strip the Reflection Bay golf club is the centre-piece of this prestigious residential development. Reflection Bay is the only Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course in Nevada. The course opened in 1998 and hosted Wendy’s 3 Tour from 1998 – 2007 showcasing the famous champions such as Bubba Watson, John Daly, Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples. The clubhouse is a lavish 32,000 square feet and features an extensive pro-shop and casual and fine dining. A challenging but fair test of golf for golfers of all standards and one we highly recommend.
Designer: Jack Nicklaus
Opened For Play: 1998
Location: 75 Montelago Blvd, Henderson
4. Bali Hai Golf Club
The only remaining Championship golf course now available on the famous Las Vegas Strip, Bali Hai Golf Club. Opened in 2000 this Par 71 course measures just over 7,000 from the back tees and has over 4,000 trees and over 100,000 Balinese tropical plants guarding the lush green fairways that adorn this golfing getaway just a stone’s throw away from the Las Vegas Strip.
As the name suggests, Bali Hai golf club has a distinct feel of an Indonesian course, yet with five-star service to boot and offers a forecaddie service to ensure the golf course is the only thing to concern you. A great design and a golf course that lets you in gently and tests you more and more as the round progresses. A must-play course whilst on holiday in and around Las Vegas.
Designer: Brian Curley
Opened For Play: 2000
Location: 5160 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas
Cascata golf course derives its name from the Italian word for “waterfall”, as a 418-foot waterfall cascades into a bellowing river through the clubhouse culminating into a relaxing stream. This exclusive championship course features dramatic scenery throughout, including the 3600-foot peak at Red Mountain, luxuriant fairways, sparkling lakes, and crystal streams.
On the Cascata golf course, players are accompanied by a tour-class caddie. The 37,000-square-foot opulent clubhouse offers guests world-class amenities, and the professional staff ensures unmatched service. Players will have personalised lockers for the day, full use of the practice facility, and receive a personalised bag tag and complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages from the beverage cart.
Designer: Rees Jones
Opened For Play: 2000
Location: One Cascata Dr, Boulder City
2. Las Vegas Pauite Resort - Wolf GC
One of several excellent golf resorts in Las Vegas the Las Vegas Pauite Resort has 54 Holes of Championship golf. The newest and most difficult of the three is the Wolf course, measuring an incredible 7,604 yards from the back tees it is not only the longest course on-site – in fact, it’s the longest course in Nevada. The course almost looks as though it has been carved out of the surrounding landscape, to the eye a relatively flat course, not tin fat the case as it has severe undulations and alternative landing areas from all of its five tee boxes. The Signature hole is the par 3, 15th Hole with an authentic island green and at 182 yards quite a test onto the three-tiered green—great course and easily the three courses’ best.
Designer: Pete Dye
Opened For Play: 2001
Location: 10325 Nu-Wav Kaiv Blvd, Las Vegas
Shadow Creek Golf Club was when it was built the most expensive golf course built at around $60 million and rated in the Top 10 in the USA, just after its opening… some acclaim for a new course, launched amongst major hype and credit for just how good the course and the Shadow Creek experience was to be.
The golf course location is two miles north of downtown Las Vegas and is breath-taking with the majestic mountains as the backdrop. The scenery is second-to-none, the course has a mixture of Bermuda grass summer fairways and Winter Ryegrass ensuring its playing surfaces are stunning year-round.
The only way to get to play Shadow Creek Golf Club, is to pay the green fee of $500 as a guest at the MGM Mirage, (most of the Casino high-rollers get invited to play). You are taken by Limousine from the hotel to the golf course, you overnight at one of their luxury suites and the next morning a limousine takes you out to the golf course. Shadow Creek is the epitome of how good golf can be and its exclusivity means, since its opening in 1989 it has never been featured on TV? Let’s see if you agree with our No.1 choice once you take the Shadow Creek golf experience for yourself.
Designer: Tom Fazio
Opened For Play: 1990
Location:3 Shadow Creek Dr, North Las Vegas
Las Vegas is an incredible golf destination offering more choice and selection of courses as many golf destinations across the USA, yet the added bonus of the famous Las Vegas Strip – tempted? I know we are always ready to re-visit the glitz, glamour, and golf that Las Vegas Golf has to offer. For more information on USA golf breaks see here
FAQS
How many golf courses are there in the Las Vegas area?
There are 70 golf courses, and 22 golf resorts in and around Las Vegas and the surrounding area.
Does the famous Las Vegas Strip have any golf courses?
The 7,002 yards par 72 Bali Hai Golf Course is adjacent to The Las Vegas Strip, it has 7 acres of water features, 4,00 trees including 2,500 towering palms and over 100,000 tropical plants and flowers.
Which is the best golf course in Las Vegas?
Shadow Creek is generally considered to be the best golf course in Las Vegas and some of its exclusive members Matt Damon, Sylvester Stallone, Wayne Gretzky, Derek Jeter and Michael Jordan would all tend to agree with you.
Can I play Shadow Creek & how much is it to play?
Technically Shadow Creek is a public golf course, you have the opportunity to play on Monday – Thursday’s, you need to stay at one of the MGM Hotel’s, the green fee which is $500, this includes return limousine transport, golf cart, caddie and rental clubs (if required). The Caddie gratuity is then extra around $75 as a minimum.