Las Vegas Courses

Hi all

Looking to head over from Australia around early October to spend a week in Vegas. I have time to fit in 3 games , what courses can you recommend , layout, price , condition.

Playing off 13 hcp.

thanks

I've only travelled to Vegas once, but played rounds at TPC Las Vegas, Paiute Wolf and Rio Secco. All three were great, Rio Secco had fantastic views of the city. But if I were going back and could only play one, I'd go back to Paiute. It's a good 30-40 minutes from the strip, but the conditions were fantastic. If I recall, I did a GolfNow deal for around $60 but that was in May. I don't know what October rates would be. TPC LV was $110, Rio $75ish.

Have a great time!

If you do a search here you will find many threads on this. Here is the cliff notes-

Money not a concern
Shadow Creek and Casacata

Next level
What was listed by geoangus above. Plus Bears Best and the Wynn course. Couple private clubs as well if you have connections. You will see those in the search.

Stay away from Walters golf courses. Massively over priced for conditions and to comparable courses in the same price range.

Looking at the VIP Golf site and it seems like September is the worst month to play golf in Vegas as most courses are overseeding. Anyone know what the course conditions are like that time of year in Vegas town?

Vegas courses close for overseeding usually the last week of August and remain closed for 2.5-3 weeks, then expect cart path only for a few weeks after, The rates then go up as we are considered back " in season"

Rio Secco is worth it but I got to say Walters' Royal Links Course is worth it. Look online and you will get a somewhat cheap rate. Its fun if you like the British Open or will never take a trip to Scotland.

I run into the September issue out there often since we head out there most years around then. If Wolf Creek is open, go. It's a ride but a really cool place. Rio is usually open then I think and I like it a lot. Shadow Creek and Casacata are worth it at least one time. Bali Hai is convenient and very nice but also pretty steep. The three Paiute courses are always a good bet. TPC is nice as well.

I'm thinking Rio Secco and Royal Links based on availability,position , price and they seem pretty good .

Play Rio Secco, Shadow Creek and Dragon Ridge.

[quote name='leftie' timestamp='1404247862' post='9618273']I'm thinking Rio Secco and Royal Links based on availability,position , price and they seem pretty good .[/quote]

Good choices. Take any Paiute as a choice as well.

Bears Best and Arroyo Golf club at Red Rock...are two courses design by the best but no clue how much during October because I played when it was 110 during the summer.

2nd tier courses for price would be Paiute, Bears Best, Boulder Creek, Spanish Trail, Angel Park - Mountain, Desert Pines, Royal Links and via GolfNow Bali Hai

was there in 2010 & played Royal Links, TPC Summerlin, Paiute (Snow Mountain), Southern Highlands and Wolf Creek (Mesquite).

Royal Links was okay, but it is apparently a replica course of famous UK & Scotland holes. TPC Summerlin was dull. Southern Highlands was challenging and in great shape. Paiute was fun and not expensive.

But the only one I would really like to play again is Wolf Creek (about a 90 minute drive from Vegas). But I hear it has conditioning issues recently.

If you are up near wolf creek you should play sand hollow instead.

thanks for this thread my brother is heading there in a couple weeks and asked me to look into some courses for him. made it easy for me

[quote name='Go_Time' timestamp='1404248139' post='9618311']
Play Rio Secco, Shadow Creek and Dragon Ridge.
[/quote]

This.

Followed by Wolf Creek or Bears Best for in Vegas. Bali Hai is the worst course in the area.

If you're willing to drive, Coyote Springs, Conestoga and Wolf Creek are your next best options.

A bit further than that and Sand Hollow and Entrada are worth it.

Vegas and Mesquite both overseed at that time. Coyote Springs used to do it earlier and was very playable the end of September. Courses that don't overseed, that I know of, Mountain Falls (Pahrumph), Sand Hollow and most of St. George. I've played the Oasis and Wolf Creek after overseeding and they both sucked. Wolf Creek was cart path only and at 110°, quickly lost all of its fun.

We quit going to Vegas in September, just go to St. George instead, maybe drive down to Mesquite for a little gambling.

If a course is open, good chance it is cart path only.

If money is no object, Shadow Creek, Cascata, Wynn. If a good value is what you are looking for, Paiute, Primm, Rio, Wolf Creek to name a few. If you have access to private clubs, Southern Highlands, Southshore, and Dragon Ridge are a good place to start.

Shadow Creek, Cascata and the Wynn are nice but really expensive ($300 - $500 per round.) if you are willing to drop that kind of dough for 18 holes, play Shadow Creek , but you'll need to stay at an MGM affiliated hotel to play there..

If that level of green fee is too rich, then I'd play the three Paiute courses (located 25-30 minutes from the strip) or the two Primm Courses (located 45 minutes from the strip)

Of the other Vegas courses mentioned, I like Dragon Ridge and Bear's Best the best. Royal Links is about as similar to Scotland as the Venetian Hotel is to Italy. In other words, its nothing like the real deal. Rio Seco and TPC are okay but not my favorites I'd play Paiute or Primm before playing Rio Seco or TPC. Boulder Creek and Rhodes Ranch are a couple of good lower priced options

Some of the best choices that have already mentioned are further away from Vegas:

Coyote Springs is about an hour North.

Wolf Creek and Conestoga are in mesquite which is a little more than and hour's drive. Someone mentioned the conditioning issues at Wolf Creek. Those have been fixed. They mis-used a chemical last winter that killed the greens. They re-did the greens in February and they should be fine now.

Sand Hollow and Coral Canyon are about a half hour further (don't forget that you lose an hour when you cross the border.)

Mountain Falls in Pahrump is about an hour away.

Here's a link to photo tours to 18 coourses in the area: https://www.flickr.c...57631988064259/

Have fun.

LV Paiute Snow Mountain #10 from clubhouse rev

Paiute Sun Mtn #17 par 3 b139 r

Las Vegas Paiute Wolf #8 par 3 don't miss right rev

Primm Desert 1 (3rd hole)

Primm -Lakes 11 (2nd hole)

Wolf Creek - #17 from #2 tee

Sand Hollow #12 b - from tee zoomed r

Conestoga #12 view back toward tee r

Coral Canyon - 5

The Chase at Coyote Springs #2 par 5 from tee rev

Dragon Ridge

Mountain Falls #9 view back 69 r[

Mountain Falls #9 view back 69 r

Rhodes Ranch #3 par 3 - 230 from tips r

Thanks for the pics. I will have done a far bit of driving before we get to Vegas , so will only want to venture to courses within 30 mins of the strip

[quote name='leftie' timestamp='1404882414' post='9664459']
Thanks for the pics. I will have done a far bit of driving before we get to Vegas , so will only want to venture to courses within 30 mins of the strip
[/quote]

Then Shadow Creek (they'll take you out in a limo), Dragon Ridge, Rio Secco, or Bear's Best....in that order, imo.

Just a heads up, Shadow Creek won't be open in early October. They usually open around mid-October and their first weekend back is their Member-Guest tournament. You can call and see what they're schedule is, but they're rarely open on October 1, usually the 10th-ish.

I just got back from a week in Vegas (july 1-8) played Boulder Creek, Rio Secco, Bears Best, TPC las Vegas, Paiute Wolf and Paiute Sun. Bears Best bunkers were hard and rocky. TPC Las Vegas bunkers were also concrete hard and basically small gravel/large grit sand. At least Bears Best will be redoing their bunkers starting in August for the front nine and the back nine in January. TPC has no plans for doing anything. You can actually hurt yourself in the bunkers, they are that hard.

Rio Secco was in fantastic condition as were both Paiute courses. Boulder creek was decent but a bit gravelly in the bunkers. Bears best was ok except for the bunkers which are going to be redone later this year and next. TPC was fair condition but the bunkers were just beyond belief. On one hole, I actually thought the cart path was softer than the bunker when I walked from the cart path to the bunker. I really wouldn't recommend TPC to anyone right now.

If money is no object then of course, Shadow, Cascata and Wynn are the choice (or Southern Highlands - private). I played with a couple that had played Cascata the day previous to the one we played and they said Cascata was in fantastic condition.

Normally Bears Best is a bit too pricey. Rio charges less if you go to their website and get a tee time there versus calling for a time.

Paiute Wolf is back into excellent shape after the flood last year as is Paiute Sun.

Boulder Creek is about 30 minutes out as well and I haven't seen it mentioned a lot. Very reasonable prices considering everything.

Cascata is top of list for me. I was not a fan of Dragon Ridge. A friend of mine is a member at Paiute and I've never had a bad round there.

[quote name='leftie' timestamp='1404882414' post='9664459']
Thanks for the pics. I will have done a far bit of driving before we get to Vegas , so will only want to venture to courses within 30 mins of the strip
[/quote]

Do you know where you are staying? A lot of times the hotel concierge will have arrangements with local courses and have deals, especially if you need rental clubs. Not sure what you want to spend, but a cheaper option that has a little history is Las Vegas National. Older style layout, but personally I like that; I don't enjoy the target golf of some of the desert courses. Neat clubhouse with some Rat Pat stuff, and about a 10 minute drive from the strip. I was out there last winter and got 18 holes w/ cart, range balls and rental clubs (nice Callaway set) for about $50 I think. Again, nowhere near a nice as some of the other options mentioned, but it is a close and affordable option near the Strip.

[quote name='Jolly Golfer' timestamp='1405188109' post='9687213']
[quote name='leftie' timestamp='1404882414' post='9664459']
Thanks for the pics. I will have done a far bit of driving before we get to Vegas , so will only want to venture to courses within 30 mins of the strip
[/quote]

Do you know where you are staying? A lot of times the hotel concierge will have arrangements with local courses and have deals, especially if you need rental clubs. Not sure what you want to spend, but a cheaper option that has a little history is Las Vegas National. Older style layout, but personally I like that; I don't enjoy the target golf of some of the desert courses. Neat clubhouse with some Rat Pat stuff, and about a 10 minute drive from the strip. I was out there last winter and got 18 holes w/ cart, range balls and rental clubs (nice Callaway set) for about $50 I think. Again, nowhere near a nice as some of the other options mentioned, but it is a close and affordable option near the Strip.
[/quote]

Most likely the Venetian, I'm going to bring my clubs with me

I've been going to Vegas annually for about 10 years (usually 2 rounds/trip) and here's my take on courses I've played.

Cascata: top notch but very expensive. Worth it if cost not an object.

Paiute: I go there almost every year. I love the secluded feel of the facility and all three courses are excellent. Very reasonably priced.

Bears Best: It was nice but I didn't consider it as memorable as some of the others.

Primm Valley: I liked the Lakes course (never played the Desert). Something a little different since it doesn't have the desert feel of many other courses in the area.

Revere Lexington: While not as highly rated as some of the others, I found it very playable and interesting. Some of the holes on the back nine were really unique. Within a housing development - a bit of a negative.

Wolf Creek. A long drive but definitely a unique experience. More wow factor than most any course you'll play anywhere. I wouldn't want to play it every day, but I'm glad I had the experience.

Eagle Crest: A pretty nice executive course if you have a limited amount of time for an extra round.

Note: I played on the two courses at Lake Las Vegas multiple times. Too bad it's closed - but I hear that at least Reflection Bay will be reopening

[url="http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/958463-vegas-baby-photos-added/"]http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/958463-vegas-baby-photos-added/[/url]

Check this out from my 3 week trip earlier this year.

Thanks Benny, Cascata looks fantastic

I was in Vegas two weeks (during heat wave) and played every day that I was there. Paiute courses and Rio Secco were in great shape. Boulder Creek was fun and in pretty good shape although bunkers needed some work. Bears Best also was in good shape except for the bunkers (lots of gravel and hard pan). They are totally redoing the bunkers starting in late August/September - front nine this year and back nine next year. TPC las vegas seriously overpriced with concrete gravel and hardpan for bunkers. Had aerated some time before and still had major holes in fairway and some greens. Would not recommend them at all to anyone.

My recommendations are the three Paiute, Rio Secco and Boulder Creek of the ones that I played.

I heard fantastic things about Cascata while I was at Rio Secco by a couple that had played it the day before. Shadow Creek is always great but pricey and hard to get on.