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 But the frenetic pace of development that is constantly transforming Las Vegas has caught on in Mesquite, about an hour away on Interstate 15. The city now has five golf courses, with another on the way. “If you haven’t been out here in more than a couple of years you wouldn’t recognize the place,” said Randy Tucker, director of golf at Oasis Golf Club. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll see: OASIS GOLF CLUB (888) 367-3386 • www.theoasisgolfclub.com Palmer Course Par: 71. Yardage: 6,633. Rating: 71.7. Canyons Course Par: 71. Yardage: 6,408. Rating: 71.2 Formerly affiliated with the Oasis casino, this 36-hole venue is now a stand-alone golf facility. It includes the original course, designed by Arnold Palmer, which opened in 1995, and the Canyons Course, which opened in October 2005. Even though the newer 18-hole track is noticeably shorter, don’t be lulled into thinking it’s a pushover. The back nine winds through some dastardly canyons and there are plenty of elevation changes and hazards to keep your game honest. “I’d say the courses are pretty close in terms of difficulty but, if anything, the Canyons is a little bit harder. There are some really long holes on the front nine, and the back nine has some real bite,” said Tucker, the director of golf. During peak season, rates are $130-$140 on the Palmer Course and $100-$110 on the Canyons Course. The Palms Golf Course (800) 621-0187 • www.palmsgolfclub.com Par: 71. Yardage: 6,750. Rating: 74.9. Mesquite’s first golf course, this Arnold Palmer-designed track opened in 1989. While there is a noticeable lack of towering trees at most golf courses, the Palms lives up to its name, with more than 200 palm trees swaying in the desert wind. Affiliated with the Oasis casino, the Palms’ design is older and more traditional, head pro Bryan Morgan said. “We don’t have any homes running along the golf course, which is rare for this area. That keeps us wide open and scenic,” Morgan said. Like many of Mesquite’s courses, the Palms is designed with a flatter, more forgiving front nine and a back nine that winds through a spectacular canyon, typified by the stellar 15th hole, which includes a 115-elevation drop from tee to green and one of the best views in Mesquite. “We’re a very user-friendly, non-target desert course with plenty of rolling fairways, water, sand traps and nice elevation changes,” Morgan said. During peak season, hotel guests pay $95 per round on Saturday and $90 all other days and non-hotel guests pay $120 and $110. Casablanca Golf Course (800) 459-7529 • www.casablancagolfclub.com Par: 72. Yardage: 7,041. Rating: 72.5. One of Mesquite’s longest courses from the tips, this club is part of the Casablanca golf resort, which includes a 27,000-square-foot casino, a 477-room hotel and a spa. The Virgin River runs alongside many of the fairways of this Cal Olson-designed track and water comes into play on 13 of the 18 holes. Probably the most authentic resort-style course in Mesquite, Casablanca doesn’t have the extreme elevation changes or precise target requirements that come into play on several of the area’s other courses. With mildly undulating greens and holes that pretty much lay out right in front of you, Casablanca’s combination of different tees boxes and rarely punitive features make it a nice alternative to other, more taxing tracks. The green fees also rank among the most affordable in Mesquite, rarely going over $100 for hotel guests during peak season and maxing out at $120 on Saturdays for non-hotel guests. Falcon Ridge Golf Course (702) 345-2465 • www.golffalcon.com Par: 71. Yardage: 6,546. Rating: 70.3. Mesquite’s newest facility opened two years ago and offers two distinctly different nines. “I’d say the front nine compares with the Palmer course at the Oasis and that it’s very user-friendly,” assistant professional Cody Law said. “But the back nine is like Wolf Creek in terms of difficulty. The front nine will make you feel warm and fuzzy while the back nine will tear you apart. We’ve found that when people play it for the first time they insist on coming back just to tackle the back nine again.” Green fees are $110 during peak season. Wolf Creek Golf Club (866) 252-4653 • www.golfwolfcreek.com. Par: 72. Yardage: 7,018. Rating: 75.4. Make no mistake, Wolf Creek Golf Club is the most challenging course in Mesquite, and one of the most challenging in the state and country. It’s also one of the most visually captivating. The Doug Clemetson course opened in October 2000 and immediately drew raves for its gorgeous scenery and imposing design. One national magazine ranked it as the best new public course in 2000. From the 579-yard, par-5 opening hole to the multiple water hazards, forced carries, 98 bunkers, elevation changes and unpredictable canyon wind, the course is a challenge for the best of golfers. As long as high handicappers pick the right tee boxes “they can enjoy the views and still be challenged as far as their skill level goes,” assistant golf professional Darren Mata said. “We kindly suggest they use the appropriate tee boxes and if they follow that rule of thumb they will have a very memorable experience.” The course is quintessentially canyon, with many elevation changes and forced carries over streams and ravines. Some national publications have placed Wolf Creek as high as third in the country in terms of difficulty, and it is a genuine test. Wolf Creek also features perhaps the best on-course dining in the area at the Terrace Rest-aurant. Green fees at Wolf Creek are by far the highest in Mesquite: $180 during peak season. Where to stay The two biggies in Mesquite are the Oasis and Casablanca resorts, which offer rooms at substantially lower rates than Las Vegas hotel/casinos. Oasis Resort (800) 21-Oasis • www.oasisresort.com The Oasis is a 930-room hotel and casino with a spa and all the other amenities those familiar with Nevada accommodations are accustomed to. Lighted tennis courts, a fitness center and close affiliations with the Palms and Casablanca courses serve all athletic needs, and the full-service spa and casino offer plenty of alternative diversions. Casablanca Resort (800) 459-7529 www.casablancaresort.com A bit smaller than its sister property, Casablanca offers 477 rooms, a full-service spa, a 27,000-square-foot casino and a less frenetic pace than similar casino-hotel properties. Eureka Hotel (800) 346-4611 • www.eurekamesquite.com Located a mile from Wolf Creek, this hotel has fewer rooms and amenities than the bigger casinos in town, but it’s also much quieter. Even its casino is separated from the hotel, making it genuinely family friendly. Falcon ridge Hotel (866) 374-6659 • www.falconridgehotel.com Recently opened, this Disney Design-inspired hotel is the best appointed in Mesquite. It is located near the town’s casinos, so it offers elegant accommodations and a much quieter pace. Three for the road If your memory reaches into distant history — like maybe three years ago — you may remember scattered heckling in some quarters about whether the Internet truly would usher in a commercial and communication revolution. Those voices aren’t speaking loudly in Las Vegas golf these days, as the courses know full well that the Internet has more than lived up to its potential. Aliante Golf Club, which celebrates its second anniversary this month, said online tee times have increased by 40 percent since it opened. Now Aliante, along with sister courses Angel Park and Legacy Golf Club, is joining forces on one of the most aggressive online tee time services in the region. The three courses, all operated by OB Sports Management, will offer their best prices online, as well as 120-day advance tee times and a no-hassle, 48-hour cancellation. “Hotels have done this kind of thing forever, but I think it’s new for golf courses and that’s why we’re testing it out,” said Gary Ault, Aliante’s director of golf operations. “Booking online is the simplest and least expensive way for golfers and courses to handle tee times, and this now rewards golfers who do so.” During the weekend, Aliante’s rack rate is $135, but if booked online, the rate drops to $100. “So far it’s working very, very well and I’m not sure if the corporate office is going to expand it, but right now it’s catching on,” Ault said. “Everyone goes to a website nowadays and looks at everything from rooms and cars to computers.” Having three courses share the wealth also helps OB Sports brand its properties with the same marketing brush. “I think that’s part of it. We want people to come out and play all three courses,” Ault said. For more information about the online program, visit www.aliantegolf.com, www.angelpark.com or www.thelegacygc.com. |
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