LAS VEGAS -- Kevin Kallister and Scott Mathes looked entirely out of place dragging golf clubs through the casino of the Aria Resort & Casino.
The truth is the golfers from Peoria, Ill., were the smartest guys in the room at that moment. They had spent the day before at the lush and luxurious Shadow Creek, spending their money wisely, not giving it away amid the flashing lights of the casino floor.
They stayed at Aria for that reason. Only those who stay at MGM International Resorts-owned properties have access to Shadow Creek, a $1,250-a-round playground that continues to be the top splurge in Las Vegas golf.
Both Cascata, a luxury oasis in Boulder City owned by Caesars Entertainment Corp., and at one time, the Wynn Golf Club, developed by casino mogul Steve Wynn right next to his two five-star casino hotels, compared favorably to Shadow Creek. All three sported the bells and whistles of a fancy private club: the slick greens, the caddies, the five-star service in the clubhouse and locker room, the secluded and scenic golf course designed by a big-name architect.
And somehow Cascata and Wynn, before it closed in 2017 and reopened in 2019, could never quite replicate the essence of Las Vegas' original golf Shangri-La. Shadow Creek just feels different. It's got an exclusive vibe that just can't be replicated, no matter how much money is thrown at the problem. That might be why the Wynn (when it was open) and Cascata could be had for less money during off-peak times. Shadow Creek never wavers on its price tag, a cost that keeps its aura alive.
That legend grew hosting The Match: Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson.
"It was utopia, definitely a bucket-list course," Kallister said. "It was a great experience."
During his tenure, Mark Brenneman, the director of golf/general manager at Shadow Creek for 15 years until June 2016, dined on the intimate patio and played golf with former presidents and celebrities. Michael Jordan once moved his Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational to Shadow Creek, allowing the paying public spectators to get a glimpse of the course's eye-candy appeal. Shadow Creek stays sexy by revealing less, not more.
"We are about creating memories," Brenneman told me during a visit in 2013. "See how understated everything is. Being in Vegas, you expect to see show girls and cleavage."
Shadow Creek: The golf course
That Tom Fazio, guided by the wisdom of Wynn (who is legally blind), transformed such a featureless site into a beautiful parkland course ranks among the top achievements of modern golf architecture.
Every detail of the reported $60 million price tag was meticulously planned out before the course opened in 1989. Maybe that's why every hole looks so pleasing to the eye. Every bush, every tree, every mound has a purpose. Wynn sold Shadow Creek to MGM in 2000.
Shadow Creek's best holes showcase man-made water features. The par-5 fourth hole sweeps left, hugging a pond the entire way. A babbling brook zigzags up the left side of the 15th fairway before crossing in front of a tough green. The tiny 17th green sits tucked behind a pond with a waterfall in back.
Judging the downhill drop makes club-selection a real challenge on the 154-yard hole. Risk-reward comes into play on every shot of the finishing par-5 18th hole. How much water do you want to carry off the tee? Can you carry the water to reach the green in two? Where should you layup if you can't? How cool is this place?
"Five of the last six holes are great for match play," Brenneman said.
That's been proven since 2019 when the LPGA Tour began hosting its Bank of America Match Play at the course. Years ago, Fazio lengthened Shadow Creek to 7,560 yards, but that hasn't affected scoring much. Dustin Johnson holds the course record with a 66.
For the rest of us lucky enough to get inside the gates to play Shadow Creek, it doesn't really matter what you shoot. The course does not have a slope or rating. No round can be submitted for handicap purposes. It's all about the experience that matters.
"We are not about volume. We try to get the right people out here," Brenneman said.
I was fortunate to have had the honor of playing that course when Wynn still owned it along with 3 other buddies from different parts of the country. It truly was a memorable round and one I still talk about these days.
Another interesting round recently was playing a practice round @ Tidewater with Golf Advisor's own Tim Gavrich recently in prep for the '18 MB World Am.
I was fortunate to have had the honor of playing that course when Wynn still owned it along with 3 other buddies from different parts of the country. It truly was a memorable round and one I still talk about these days. Had I realized it when I played a practice round with Tim Gavrich recently in prep for the '18 MB World Am I would have mentioned it to him as well.