i am heading to Vegas in a week, and since there are golf courses galore, it is becoming hard to choose. any ideas? please don't say the Wynn, i am looking for a golf course, not an expensive show.

(i made sure to check the forum for other Vegas topics, please excuse if i mis-posted)

-a.

I was out there the last weekend of March for a five day bachelor party/golf trip. We played the following courses:

- Lexington at The Revere: This was actually the least expensive course we played ($135) but it was my second favorite. Nice layout, decent greens, didn't try to rape you on anything price wise. Only one bad hole (#10). Other than that, it's well worth the cash.

- Cascata: In the early spring, when everything is overseeded with triple the amount of rye as anywhere other than maybe Augusta, it was worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY of the $550 greens fee. The fairways were probably rolling about seven and the greens were rolling at 14 when we started and 13 or so when we finished. I never saw another person on the range or the course other than our group. The caddie was outstanding, and the course layout is just fantastic. I am not sure if I'd pay that to play it now that the Bermuda is up, but I will play Cascata EVERY TIME I go out to Vegas in the early spring and I know it's overseeded. Every single time. It's phenomenal.

- The Falls at Lake Las Vegas: Unless the price has gone down (was $350 in April), save your cash unless you like playing through a housing development on the front nine. Wacky golf on the back nine. I thought this was the least interesting course we played out of the four rounds. Just stupid if you ask me. If I hadn't started drinking before the first tee, I would have been pissed

- Bear's Best: Good track at a decent price. It was $100 more than Lexington when we played it, but not really worth that much more. The greens were slow and it actually felt like more of a "golf factory" than any of the other three courses.

One thing about that trip though...it was just too much golf when trying to do the other stuff Vegas has to offer. The next time I go back it will be for four days, and I'll only play every other day. One round at Cascata, and one round somewhere else...maybe Shadow Creek. I'd much rather be catered to for two rounds for the same cost as the four where only one of them was something I'll remember for the rest of my life. But that's just me.

I like Revere Lexington, nice elevation changes. If you get a rental car, make the drive North to Mesquite and play Wolf Creek (definately worth it, but will be a 5-hour minimum round). You could check out Silverstone (which I just joined). It has 27-holes and boasts the longest hole in Nevada.

I haven't played it yet, but a lot of people like Primm Valley. The Paiute courses get a lot of endorsement as well. A good course at a low price is Boulder Creek (I liked it a lot, also 27-holes).

I agree with your assessment of the Wynn, way overrated. Shadow Creek is the place to go if you spend top dollar.

I'm actually most likely heading out to vegas this fall and would like to get a round of 18 in while I'm out there. Which one of the courses mentionened is the closest to the strip? Idealy, I would like to find a course relatively close to the strip, under $175 for a round, and one where I can find some transportation there since I won't have a car. I couldn't imagine playing any course out there in july or august though, 120+ degrees!

There was a recent post on how Bali Hai was offering rounds at $165 in the paper. My guess is that for that price, it is going to be a afternoon tee time when it's the hottest part of the day and no one will be on the course so it's a way of getting some revenue.

It's not a bad course, but way overpriced. I played it a couple of years ago and paid $295 plus caddie fees. That will be your best bet as far as keeping it close to the strip; otherwise, you could check sites like golfnow.com and others to get discounted times. However, those times again are either early in the morning or in the afternoon plus they are far enough from the strip where your best bet is to rent a car since taxi fare will be close to $100.

Your best bet is to rent a car then you can drive to courses where you can find $25-$35 rounds like Black Mountain in Henderson (27 holes), or Boulder Creek which will be higher but way under $175.

I will staying at the Wynn in Vegas and noted that they have a golf course

Has anyone played the course??

I haven't played it, but I'm sure you saw that it's $500 to play a round. For that much I would make the trip over to Shadow Creek which is the #1 rated course in the area.

TRUE Shadow Creek is the choice if you want to pay that much, if not try Primm Valley (same designer of Shadow Creek)

Shadow Creek would be the experience of a lifetime, if you can shell out all that money. Otherwise, get a casino host, and put that $500 down on the tables and let it go to work for you. It may get you free rooms and a free rounds... if you can stomach it.

Otherwise, I played Rio Secco, which is a Harrah's course. Nice elevation changes, well maintained, challenging layout. I don't remember how much we paid, but it would probably be between $150 to $200 for regular folks. We were guests of the hotel, so it was like $49 to play.

It's where Butch call home (at least a few years ago when we were there), and it was a memorable place to play. I definitely would go back to test my new and improved skills.

ok so here is my 2 cents. I will be there on August 2-6th anyone want to join me?

Last time I was there I played The Badlands (very tough) Also, played Revere Lexington, Loved it! TPC@ Canyons Loved it!..this time around I am playing Summerlin!

Is it possible to play at Cascata if you're not a hotelguest of Harrah's?

I think it's also not possible to play at Shadow Creek if you're not a MGM Mirage hotelguest?

Can someone confirm this and compare the Cascata and Shadow Creek as they both ask +500$ to play...

500 to play @ shadow creek? i will be stayin at the mirage the first week of August.

Yes, on Mon-Thur. I've not played Shadow Creek, so I can't really compare them, but like I said, Cascata is the only course I've EVER thought was worth every single penny of what was charged for the greens fee. It is fantastic in every single way from the water fall that goes THROUGH the clubhouse, to the greens that are running at 13+!!!

wow I thought my club was fast, we keep ours at an 11

How much were the caddie fees? I would definitely play there again if I knew they had caddies. For me when I meet friends out there I usually arrive a day or two early anyway and it makes for an easy round. What I (over)spend on greens fees vs driving somewhere I make up for in convenience and not needing a car.

If you check their website you can input your date and see what the @ cost will be.

http://www.balihaigolfclub.com/bali-hai-golf-rates.asp

i am going to be staying at the mirage what course is associated wsith that hotel if any? And are they worth playing?

I had the opportunity to play there on mgm's expense through a close friend. The only awesome experiences was being chauffeured there and the course was in immaculate condition. We pretty much had the whole course to ourselves.

pm sent daidee