With so much to do and see in Las Vegas, golf may not be your first thought when planning a trip to Sin City. I’m telling you, it is one of the best golf trips you can take with your buddies. The lowest average temperature in December through February is 60 degrees, and the highest June through August averages close to 100. If you tee off early or drive up into the mountains where many of the courses are located it is much cooler. The other months in Vegas average in the 70’s and 80’s. With great weather, combined with endless golf and entertainment, you can’t go wrong.
I play in a Pro-Am event every March with four local businessmen from the Lake of the Ozarks and we have a blast. Four days of golf, great food, great sites, and plenty of laughs. We stayed at Park MGM this year, but with so many great lodging options available you can stay on or off the Strip. Most of the golf courses are a short 20 to 40 minute drive off the strip, but several are close enough you could hit drivers to them. One of these is Las Vegas Country Club, which offers a rich history of hosting PGA tour events. Some of the most famous celebrities like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr made the course their home back in the early days of Vegas. Another is Bali Hai Golf Club, which is right next to the famous Las Vegas welcome sign and the Wynn Golf Club. Bali Hai also has fabulous flyovers as the flight path for Harry Reid International Airport comes right over the course.
I have played a lot of golf around Vegas and this past spring we played four great venues. First we hit Reflection Bay Golf Club, situated in the resort residential community of Lake Las Vegas. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, this beauty opened in 1998 and has been host to the Wendy’s 3 Tour Challenge. Plenty of challenges await as well as breathtaking views of Lake Las Vegas. The wind was whipping the day we played which brought an extra element to contend with.
Day two brought us to Dragon Ridge Country Club. Located in Henderson, the course is situated in the McCullough Mountains and provides spectacular unobstructed views of the famous Las Vegas Strip. This par-72 layout was in great condition and was a lot of fun to play for the first time. The views from several of the tee boxes overlooking the course and skyline of the strip were breathtaking.
Day three found us at Rio Secco Golf Club. One of my favorites to play, this gem was built among the canyons and plateaus of the Black Mountains of Nevada in Henderson. This Rees Jones design is always in top notch condition. Being elevated in the mountains it blesses you with more stunning views of the course, surrounding area, and the skyline featuring the Las Vegas Sphere.
We finished our trip at Cascatta. A renowned facility in the area and the country, this course sits 3,200 feet above the Las Vegas Desert in the River Mountain Range in Boulder City. Another Rees Jones design, this course provides stunning views, towering red mountain peaks, and is home to a large herd of Big Horn sheep. The sheep were on the back of the driving range when we arrived, and we saw them again grazing on one of the hillsides during our round. Located just 30 minutes from the strip, your round will feature tour caliber caddies, delicious food and beverages, and exceptional personal service.
There are so many great venues around Vegas you can’t go wrong with any of them, and there is a price point to meet any budget. Don’t forget about the hundreds of shows, restaurants, nightlife, and entertainment that is at every turn. Alternatives to traditional golf are also prevalent here. Top Golf Las Vegas sits one block off the strip, and Tiger Woods’ PopStroke is located at Town Square on the Las Vegas Boulevard. PopStroke offers indoor and outdoor dining, two miniature golf courses, Jumbotrons everywhere, and an ice cream parlor. It was packed the evening we tried to go, so we found an alternative and hit Swingers Crazy Golf inside the Mandalay Bay Resort instead. This 21 years of age and older night club, restaurant, and crazy mini golf was fun for everyone. It also featured classic arcade games like Skeeball, Pop-A-Shot, and Down the Clown. No trip to Vegas is complete without going to Freemont Street to enjoy live music on three stages, street performers galore, zip lining, and more. The best part of it is the live music is free of charge. Who says nothing is free in Vegas.
Vegas isn’t for everyone but the golf is fantastic, the people watching is out of this world, and there is so much to do besides gamble. If you play your cards right you may actually come home with some cash.
