JimKinHB

Played Bali Hai on a trip to Vegas. Overall, it was a good day. We were met at the bag drop by staff that loaded our bags. Pro shop team was friendly and efficient. The “driving range” is a large cage, but workable for a warmup.

The course was in very good condition except that the tees were a little chewed up. One of the cart folks noted that it was in very good shape for the time of the season.

Fairways were in great shape. The greens were fast and smooth, but held well struck shots. There was a mix of long and short par fours. Used wedges and hybrids on approaches. A couple of holes look similar. At one point on the back 9, we thought we’d taken a wrong turn and were playing a hole for the second time. Saw the beverage cart twice a side.

Overall, we had a good day. Good course with welcoming staff, with our strip hotel 5 minutes away. What’s not to like?

Played in a charity scramble tournament. Course is fairly long (6400 yards from the white tees). Classic layout with lots of elevation change and mature trees.

Conditions were excellent. Tees were in good shape. Fairways were cut tight and the rough was playable. The greens were smooth and FAST.. Maybe a little too fast. Downhill putts were frightening. We had one uphill putt that we missed and it rolled 15’ back down the hill.

Staff was friendly, though I didn’t have lots of contact with them. If you can score an invitation to Los Coyotes, take it. Just keep the ball below the hole on the greens.

I won a twosome at VCC in a silent auction. Played with a couple of members on a breezy day and had a wonderful time.

The course is over 100 years old and has a look similar to other William Bell courses of the period. Mature trees, elevation changes and greens with runoff areas are all present on the classic layout. The course is challenging due to length as well as greens with undulations and false fronts and sides. Conditions were excellent with close-cut fairways, smooth greens, nice sand traps and deep but playable rough. Downhill putts were scary on the day we played.

Our hosts invited us to lunch in the dining room and the food and drink were top notch. Staff were all friendly.

After lunch we were treated to a round on "the walk", a 6-hole 3 par course. Holes are all in the 50–90-yard range. We walked carrying our putters and a wedge and had a great time.

Virginia CC is a great place to play and spend the day. If you have a chance to play there, take it. Thanks to our hosts for making it such a great experience.

Played Indian Canyons South as a part of a group weekend outing. The course was in good condition, especially for June. The layout was mostly flat with some good three pars. There is room to miss off the tee as fairways tend to parallel each other. Also, there is just enough water to keep it interesting. The course is right up against the mountains, so the scenery is impressive.

The staff, clubhouse and restaurant are all very nice. The starter gave us plenty of information (especially where the rattlesnakes tend to hang out)!

This place is worth a try if you are in the Palm Springs area.

Played the Canyons on a Friday when I was visiting San Antonio. Overall, it was a very nice round. I shipped my clubs, but they were delayed. The pro shop said “we aren’t going to charge you for rentals if they lost your clubs”. I really appreciate their flexibility.

I enjoyed the course. Typical Hill Country layout. You may find a shot that’s well off line, but you probably won’t like it when you find it. Bottom line, near misses are playable, big misses not so much. The course was in very good shape. Fairways provided some roll as well as good lies. Greens were smooth and consistent speed. Only complaint was the insistent sand in some of the bunkers.

Normally, you need to be a member or resort guest to play. My playing partner got us a time and a deal, despite not staying on property. That said. course is still good at the rack rate.

If you are I town and can get on, TPC Canyons is a good option in SAT.

Played 9 holes as a part of our Stagecoach Festival weekend.

Pluses:
- Friendly staff.
- Grass range with short game area.
- Accommodating. We had 7 players and wanted a specific course. The starter fit us in and told us there wasn’t anyone behind us so we played as a seven-some.

Minuses:
- Course conditions are a little scruffy. Conditions are consistent with the price, just don’t expect pristine fairways and greens.
- 2 of our carts broke down during the round. This was an unwanted hassle, but we made it work.

Overall, Indian Palms is an OK place to play as long as you manage expectations about course conditions.

We arrived in the desert for a Thanksgiving vacation and my son and I wanted to play nine. All the 18 hole courses stop play at 2:00 pm. We found this course and gave it a try. We had a blast. Walked with push carts and played two balls chasing daylight as the sun set.

Conditions were good. Greens a bit slow. Got pretty windy. Great value for the money.

We came back a couple days later with the whole family and did it all over again. Great place for the less experienced player to get out and play nine.

Played Sun Mountain as a part of an annual golf outing. Guys at the bag drop were friendly and efficient. The course conditions and layout were excellent. It was windy, which I hear is pretty standard. We had a post round lunch in the dining room which was pretty nice.

Overall, the course and amenities were great. It is close enough to the strip to be well worth the drive. Recommended.

Played two loops of the nine hole layout while on vacation in Ketchum. Walked on as a single at around 8:30 with no wait. Played with different groups each nine.

Course conditions were pretty good with nice fairways and playable rough. The greens had a couple bare patches, but rolled well at a consistent speed.

Pace of play was good at around 4:30. Staff was low key. Only quibble was my cart running out of juice after 14 holes. Was able to get a replacement on the 15th tee.

We played while on vacation in Ketchum. Sun Valley Trail Creek is a tree-lined layout with some water and a nice amount of elevation change. Most of the holes are pretty straightforward though a couple have some surprises. The trees pinch a few of the fairways putting a premium on hitting the driver straight. Fairways, greens and bunkers were all in good shape for our round.

The course is at around 6000' elevation. This is an ego boost when you see how far the ball carries, but can also make club selection a challenge.

They have a putting course that was fun for the family members that didn't play Trail Creek.

The overall condition of the course was good. Staff was friendly and attentive. Grill room was nice. Greens fee was consistent other nice resort courses. Worth a round if you are in town.

The entire experience was iconic. When you pull into town and drive down the street, the entire scene opens up in front of you. We stayed at a hotel a block from the R&A Clubhouse and were able to walk to the course.

My son and I were able to get a time through the advanced ballot thanks to my wife’s great planning. To ensure playing the Old Course, you need to prepay for 2 rounds, with one of the other courses being assigned during your selected period. We played the Jubilee course at around 4:30 on day one, and it was pretty tough. We took caddies which made the entire experience much better.

Day two we had a time around 4:15 pm for the Old Course. We got to the course early and had lunch, rented clubs and hit some balls on the range. To our delight, we ended up with the same caddies as the previous day. By the end of 2 rounds, they knew us well enough to not only help with our games but also have some really fun interaction.

A few things to pass on.
1) Give yourself enough time. The first day, we rented clubs and wanted to hit some balls. We mistimed the shuttle and ended up walking about ½ mile to the range and back (cutting across the Old Course) and were a little late for our tee time. Make sure to be on the first tee of the Old Course a little early. They have a starter there that gives you all the information you need to know about the course.
2) Be ready to walk…a lot. From the first tee of the Old Course to the club rental is over 500 yards each way. That’s before setting foot on the course. They have a few “buggies” (electric carts), but their use is limited to those with a certificate of disability.
3) Don’t expect too much from your game. If you haven’t played true links golf, there is a huge adjustment. When you are 30 yards off the green, and the pin is 20 yards on the green, the caddie is very likely to hand you the putter. Also, nature of the bunkers often results in a sideways pitch out being your only option. If you don’t shoot your handicap, just remember, you’re in Scotland, playing an iconic golf course.
4) Get a caddie and tip them well. Rod and Jarrod made our rounds so much more enjoyable.
5) Scotland has law called “freedom to roam” meaning the course grounds are open to the public to walk. This allowed my wife and daughter walked the last 2 holes with us. They were hanging out watching from the rough and the caddies waived them over. It was very special taking a family photo on the Swilcan Bridge.
6) The starter at the Old Course will check to assure you have an official handicap that is below 25. Make sure you have documentation.
7) Don’t miss the Himalayas, the St. Andrews putting course. This is a great option for kids as well as adults that aren’t playing the “real” courses.
8) Make time to visit the British Golf Museum on the grounds as well. Lots of great golf memorabilia.

After your round, make sure to stop by the Dunvegan, Keys or Criterion Pub (or all three!) for a wee dram of Whisky to celebrate the day.

I played late on a Sunday afternoon. Teed off around 3:15 as a single and was done before 6:00 pm. To add a little more detail...

The pro shop and restaurant are nothing to write home about, but they have everything you need and are staffed by friendly people.

I arrived around 3:00 having been told that the last tee time was 3:20. I paid and hit a few balls on the grass range and a few chip shots in the short game practice area before heading out. Range balls were included in the greens fee.

The layout of the course is pretty nice There is a good mix of longer and shorter par 4s. The par 3s are manageable distances. There was water in play, but nothing overly daunting. Most of the fairways are lined with houses, but there is room to miss. In fact, since most of the homes are elevated above the fairways, you tend to get the "members bounce" when you miss left or right. Like a lot of desert courses, wind can be a factor. During my round, it got pretty breezy on the back nine, making club and shot selection a challenge.

Course conditions were very good for my round. There were very few thin spots in the fairways. The rough was playable. The greens looked and felt like they were a little slow, but they putted true and consistently for speed.

Overall, this is a nice course. Between the layout, conditions , pace of play and the staff, I had a great day.
The only limitation is the lack of a nice lounge for a post-round cocktail. I recommend this course, and will probably play it again when I have a chance.

Played Primm Lakes course on the way home from a Mesquite/Vegas golf outing. The staff was friendly. The layout was good, taking advantage of the elevation changes they have. The conditions were very good for August in the middle of the desert.

The only downside was the number of mosquitoes. They'd buzz in your ear, or fly in your eyes while making a swing. A couple days later, my arms and legs were covered in bites. It was so bad that I quit after 9 holes.

I didn't have any bug repellent in my bag. If you choose to play Primm Valley, make sure you have something to ward off the bugs.

We played the Desert Hawk/Eldorado Valley nines at Boulder Creek on a recent group outing in Las Vegas. The course is about 45 minutes from the Strip. The course is very nice, despite being pretty much in the middle of nowhere. We paid $80, which is well worth it for this course.

The staff at the bag drop and clubhouse were all pleasant. The pro shop is nice as is the restaurant/bar in the clubhouse. Boulder Creek has an excellent practice area with a grass driving range along with a couple of short game greens with bunkers.

The course is actually pretty tough. Though the fairways are relatively wide, the hole routing is not always clear, making it a little uncomfortable from the tee . It didn’t help that the GPS in the cart was almost too dim to see. This is definitely a course I’d play better after a few rounds.

Conditions were good, but not great. The greens had recently been punched, so they were a bit bumpy and speeds were a little inconsistent. The fairways and rough were in good shape and very playable. We had a lot of wind on the Eldorado Valley side which made things even tougher.

Pace of play was an issue for our threesome. We had to wait on the foursome ahead of us on every shot. I don’t recall seeing a marshal to help speed play.

Overall, I enjoyed the course and the amenities. The staff was helpful. I’m sure that once the greens recover, conditions will be better. My only issue was around pace of play. It would have been nice not to have to wait on every shot. All that said, I’d be willing to try this course again.

We played Highland Falls on a recent golf outing in Las Vegas. The course is in Summerlin, an easy 30 minute drive from the strip. Greens fees were around $80, which is very reasonable for the Vegas area.

Similar to many other courses in Las Vegas, Highland Falls winds through a master planned community. There are no areas where two fairways run side by side. Highland falls is laid out on a slope, with almost 400’ of elevation change from the highest to lowest point on the course. This means holes run up and down hill. The design takes this into account avoiding long par 4s that run uphill. The 14th tee features an outstanding view of the Las Vegas valley. The fairways are wide enough to accommodate the occasional wayward drive. The greens are generally large and have some not-so-subtle slopes that keep putting interesting.

The course conditions were good for our round, though the greens had recently been punched. The fairways were in good condition. Winds in the 15-30 mph range on the day we played made the course play a little tougher. Pace of play was OK, though we had to wait for the group ahead of us on almost every shot.

The staff was helpful and the clubhouse has a nice pro shop and restaurant. Overall, our group enjoyed the day at Highland Falls enough that we are planning to return to this course on our next trip.

Played LVCC on a Thursday afternoon during recent group outing to Las Vegas. A couple folks in our group were staying at the Westgate which gave us access to this otherwise private club. Greens fees were around $80, which very reasonable for Vegas. It ended up being a great day.

The course is a classic parkland design in an area where desert “target golf” style courses abound. Several of the tree lined fairways are pinched with bunkers in the landing areas. The 3 pars all have water fronting the right side of the green. There are a couple of par 5s that are shorter, but have water in front of the greens making it a risky proposition to go for the green in two.

Course conditions were great. Fairways were cut just right. Greens were not horribly fast and were consistent in how they received approaches. Bunkers had plenty of sand, which is not always the case at courses in Vegas and the sand was consistent in how it played.

The driving range features turf mats but otherwise is fine for a warm up. There is a nice putting green and short game practice area.

The staff was pleasant and welcomed us with all the information we needed. The pace of play seemed fine, though a couple of members in a hurry (in their custom carts) played through. The clubhouse has a small food counter, but no bar for a post-round drink that I could find. Guests are segregated from members in some areas, but that’s their prerogative as a private club.

Overall, we had a nice afternoon at LVCC. I have played several courses in Las Vegas, and the overall experience here ranks right up there with the best. If you can get access to the course, try it out.

Oak Creek is a nice course. The day I played, the course was somewhat empty, and I got a great deal. The routing keeps it interesting with elevation changes, water hazards and arroyos. Choose your tees carefully as the blues and blacks play much tougher than the whites.

The course conditions were good, with a couple of exceptions. Some places in the fairways were cut pretty close, making for tight lies on approach shots. Same goes for some areas around the greens. Also, one bunker I found was wet to the point of being muddy. On the plus side, the greens were in great shape. Also, the sand in the fairway bunkers was not a fluffy as those green side, which gives you a fighting chance.

The greens are all large and have a lot of humps and bumps. Subtle, hard to read breaks abound. I had a couple putts that I totally misread.

Oak Creek is a nice track if you can get it for a reasonable price. Staff was attentive and friendly. They have a nice grill room. Overall, this is a nice place to spend a day.

I hadn't played Skylinks in quite a while, so this was a good chance to get back and see an old friend. I played on a Friday in early January just after daybreak.

The course was wearing its "winter coat" meaning that the fairways and rough were dormant and brown. The lies weren't terrible, particularly if you consider that most of the rest of the county is under many feet of snow. The main problem for me was that the green speeds were very inconsistent. Some were faster than others and with the slopes and grain, it made putting difficult.

The course is pretty flat, but they get a lot our of the land with the routing. There are holes that dogleg in both directions. A couple of the par 3 holes are pretty long. The bunkers are well placed and some are pretty deep.

Overall, Skylinks is a good muni track if you can get a deal. The rack rate is a little steep, but you can usually find deals in Golf Now. I'll probably try it again in the spring or summer to see how it plays when conditions are a little better.

We played this as a foursome for an annual Christmas round. This is an "executive course" that plays to a par of 62. Par 4s are in the 250-280 yard range. There are no par 5s.

Baker attracts a lot of beginners and casual golfers. It can play slow and the conditions are far from pristine. There were ball marks all over the greens. (Though maybe the twosome we saw driving a cart across the green were trying to smooth some out). The fairways were baked out in some spots, and very wet in others.

If you are just starting out, or teaching a son or daughter to play, this is not bad. Just don't expect too much.

I booked a 7:45 time midweek in late December. It was cold and we had a frost delay that put starting times back about 90 minutes. The staff did a great job reorganizing tee times and got me out only 45 minutes after my reservation.

Since we were in the early groups, pace of play was fantastic. We finished in 3 and 1/2 hours.

The course was in good shape. Fairways were nice. The greens putted pretty fast, but still held approach shots.

Be warned, the course it actually pretty tough. It was windy, which is typical based on the few times I have played here. There are lots of trees. The most difficult feature is the greens. They have A LOT of slope, humps and tiers. There are many places where a putt of chip that comes up short will roll back to your feet. My only qualm about condition was the number of un-repaired ball marks.

Overall, I had good time despite the weather and difficulty of the course.