Las Vegas/Mesquite/St. George, UT
Wisconsin is an amazing state for golf, and we are very lucky to have access to so many amazing courses. I’ve also been fortunate enough to play in some amazing places outside of Wisconsin that are famous for golf in my life, including many popular golf-trip locations like Las Vegas. Here you will find some of my favorites in the Las Vegas/Mesquite/St. George UT area. I look forward to adding to this list and sharing my thoughts here.
1. Cascata – Boulder City, NV. About 30 minutes south of the Strip, Cascata truly takes your breath away. Stunning elevation change that includes a stream that flows from the highest point of the course down into and through the clubhouse. This place is 5-star all the way. Even if it’s optional, I highly suggest a forecaddie, as there are blind shots and visually challenging shots that are going to make one helpful. Finally, where else in the world are you going to have Bighorn Sheep wandering around on the driving range as you warm up?
2. Black Desert – Ivins, UT. One of the trendiest golf trip locations in the country is near St. George, Utah, and Black Desert Resort is a big reason why. The course, which recently (October 2024) hosted Utah’s first PGA tournament in decades, is a visual overload. Built in a lava field, black rock frames nearly every hole, with the pop of the red rock in the background, making every hole feel like a signature hole. You’ll need to make sure you keep the ball in play, because you won’t be able to play out of 99.9% of the lava fields, and venturing to even look for it could result in an injury. Your greens fee includes a forecaddie, which is very helpful when trying to determine where to play to, as well as a putting course. Expect to hear more and more about Black Desert, but don’t wait to long to get there, as it is rumored to be going private eventually.
3. Wolf Creek – Mesquite, NV. Mesquite is about 90 minutes northeast of Vegas, but it’s an easy drive through the desolate Nevada desert. Once you’re there, be prepared for a dramatic landscape. Colors pop amongst the rocky background, and the views you’ll have from the many different heights you play from will amaze you. The course is challenging because of all the elevation change and super quick greens, but you’ll hardly notice it as you admire the many postcard views. A must play.
4. DragonRidge Country Club – Henderson, NV. DragonRidge is a private club in Henderson, about 20-25 minutes off the Vegas Strip. I’ve been fortunate to play it due to personal connections I have, and it is possible to play through certain properties in Las Vegas. It is worth the trouble to play this course. Pristine conditions and a beautiful combination of typical desert golf and resort golf. I was lucky enough to make my first hole-in-one at DragonRidge on a trip to Vegas in 2015. It will always be a special place to me.
5. Coyote Springs Golf Club – Moapa, NV. If you’re a fan of uneven lies and undulated greens, Coyote Springs is the course for you. Along with the challenge that awaits on seemingly every shot are tremendous views of the surrounding desert and outstanding conditions. Located about an hour north of Vegas, you will feel like you’re in your own world and wonder how a golf course got to such a desolate locale. Prepare yourself for a three- to four-minute cart ride to get to an expansive practice area and the first tee.
6. Paiute Golf Resort – The Wolf Course – Las Vegas. Built on Native American land 25 minutes northwest of the Strip, Paiute uses its water usage rights to its advantage, creating a stunning oasis in the desert. Pete Dye designed all three of the courses at Paiute – The Wolf, Sun Mountain and Snow Mountain. I have only played The Wolf, but the consensus from people I have asked is that it is the best of the three. If you play there, pray for a calm day, because the entire property lacks any real protection to the wind, so it can get howling out there. Pun intended.
7. Reflection Bay Golf Club – Henderson, NV. Built on Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Reflection Bay offers a more tropical feel than your typical desert course. The course offers wide fairways, but if you stray too far off them, desert terrain will make it tough to play your ball. The fairways are fast, and the rough is very light, so it can be difficult to keep your ball under control. One thing that I personally struggled with was the grass, especially around the greens. It was very sticky, making chips more challenging, and gauging the speed on putts nearly impossible (for me).
8. Siena Golf Club – Las Vegas. Siena is a classic desert resort course, and it’s located less than 20 minutes from the Strip. It has all the picturesque holes you’re looking for when playing in the desert, but offers a lot of playability. While nothing in Vegas is cheap anymore, a round at Siena can be had on the more affordable side, and has everything you would want in a round of golf.
9. Rhodes Ranch – Las Vegas. One of the best values I’ve found in Vegas, Rhodes Ranch left me so impressed. The picture below says everything that needs to be said. It’s playable track that isn’t going to beat you up, but there’s definitely enough challenge out there. Greens fees come in around $100, and at just over 20 minutes from the airport, it’s a great option as a last round before you get out of town, especially if you left too much coin on The Strip.
10. TPC Las Vegas – Las Vegas.
11. Arroyo Golf Club – Las Vegas.
12. Bear’s Best Golf Club – Las Vegas.
13. Stallion Mountain Golf Club – Las Vegas
Other courses I still want to play: Shadow Creek, obviously. Looks phenomenal, but with greens fees checking in at $1250, it might take a special day at the casino in order to make that happen. Wynn Golf Club has hosted a couple of The Match events recently, and it shows off on TV. It holds the title of the only course on the Las Vegas Strip. Sun Mountain and Snow Mountain at the Paiute Golf Resort look to be very nice, and if there’s an argument that either is as good as The Wolf course I have played, then I would love to check them all out. Southshore Golf Club is part of the family of courses that DragonRidge belongs, and I have heard it is outstanding. Like DragonRidge, it is private, but you can get on if you stay at certain hotels. Rio Secco appears to look much like DragonRidge, its Henderson neighbor, and is touted as one of the best courses in Nevada on a yearly basis. Sand Hollow is just over the Utah-Nevada border (with a short drive through Arizona) in St. George, but it is very high on my list. Reminiscent of Wolf Creek, it offers stunning views and dramatic holes. Next time I go to Sin City, I will try to fit in the two-hour drive from Vegas to play there.