Private Courses

Anthem Country Club: $$$, 9, 20 min. A good all around Keith Foster design that puts a premium on iron play and the short game. Large, undulating greens allow for many three and four putts. Wide open off the tee, though. Another classy, well run place.

Canyon Gate Country Club: $$, 7, 20 min. A very good course that makes full use of the property it sits on. It's also an affordable club, so if a membership opportunity were to open up to you, my advice would be to take it.

Las Vegas Country Club: $$$, 9, 15 min. The oldest club in the valley remains so for a reason. This Ed Ault design is one of the better ones in the city: an honest, straight-forward challenge. I badmouthed it previously by saying the bunkers were bad, there was no elevation change, and it drains poorly. And while it is relatively flat, the bunkers are a little inconsistent, and it has some bad drainage spots, the course overall is a gem. In fact, the whole club is a classy joint.

Los Prados Golf Club: $, 8, 20 min. This is probably the shortest Par 70 track you will ever play. Short, simple, honest course that is a lot of fun to play. Not a true country club; it's more of a homeowner's playground that lets any old fool with a little money play a round of golf.

Red Rock Country Club: $$$, 5, 45 min. Two Arnold Palmer courses dot the Northwest side of the valley. I lied earlier by saying that these were going to be built on great property. I had assumed that such namesake would suggest that these courses would be built a little closer to Red Rock, which is pretty country (worth the drive). But these courses are in the Summerlin area, and though the views aren't that bad up there, no where near as spectactular as where I thought the course would be. And you something, the course is the same way. 18 holes are currently open, and while a few are worth a picture, the rest become monotonous. While I haven't played it yet, those who have tell me that the course is a little lame, but the "club" is not, so a social membership might be the way to go.

Shadow Creek Golf Club: $, 10, 30 min. The holiest of holy golf courses in Southern Nevada, I'm not so sure that Steve Wynn's (the owner of the course, as well as Mirage Resorts, Inc.) mother could play this track. But, for a $1000, one can stay at one of Wynn's suites, get limo service to the course, and play a round of golf. Ranked in the top 20 in the nation, this Tom Fazio masterpiece is easily the best course in Nevada, as well as the most exclusive.

Southshore Golf Club: $ (with purchase of land and home, which can be very expensive), 8, 45 min. The first Jack Nicklaus course in Southern Nevada, Southshore is an architectural marvel. Looking at the property, it is a miracle how Jack found room to build 18 holes. For the past 2 years, but not this year, for it will go to Reflection Bay (see "Resort"), the Wendy's Three Tour Challenge (one of the "silly season" events in November and December) has been held here. What's unfortunate is that the players in that tournament have to walk. I seriously demand using a cart on this side-of-the-mountain challenge. The course itself is a jewel to look at, but near impossible in the wind (and the wind will blow out there). Awesome views and perfect conditions are this layout's highlights. The hardest part about this course besides the wind is that the greens are difficult to read, though fair.

Spanish Trail Country Club: $$$, 9, 15 min. This 27 hole facility is one of the best in town. Most of the local celebrities such as Andre Agassi, Greg Maddux, and Mike Tyson have their homes built on the course. It's an overall excellent track, my sources say, even though I haven't played it yet. Get with a member, and the guest rate is fair.

Stallion Mountain Country Club: $, 5, 20 min. (Note: I use "North," "South," and "West" to denote the names of the courses. This facility just changed ownerships and used to be Sunrise C.C. These course names have changed, but I don't remember nor do I care what they changed them to.) This club offers 54 holes, but only 18 of which are really worth giving a damn about. Chip Beck shot his famous 59 on the South Course here, (and not to take credit away from the fine player and gentleman that Chip is) but any halfway decent club pro could shoot 59 on that course. The South Course is a waste of time. The front nine is a flat piece of property consisting of grass, sand, and boredom. The back nine is the same with a splash of water. However, the Webmaster did shoot his best ever competitive round on this course. The North is not that much different. I've heard it's even easier than the South. The West course is by far the best course with some flavor the other two don't have. By far, the only reason to join this "club." I use the quotations because the club has such a loose guest policy that it hardly is a club. Just to give an idea of how happy the members are, every morning in the Las Vegas Review Journal Classified Ad section, I find at least 10 people trying to sell their memberships.

Sunrise Vista Golf Club: $, 4, 30 min. I'm not so sure this course falls under the "Private" category, because of the course's nature, but I am. This is built right on Nellis AFB, and it serves as a club to the military men stationed there. It's treated just like a municipal, with that type of conditions. Although the webmaster can tolerate it, many people will be distracted by the constant taking off and landing of jet fighter planes (many of the holes get as close as possible to the runways). Again, super-lenient guest policy which is why I was reluctant to put it under "Private."

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