Las Vegas / Nevada

Must play

Shadow Creek

Designer: Tom Fazio
Year: 1990
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,560 yards
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: Ultra-premium MGM guest access; verify current hotel/access requirements and rate directly. Budget cash separately for caddie and driver gratuities.

Shadow Creek is less a golf course than a Las Vegas magic trick. It is spectacular, artificial, expensive, and memorable. Which is to say: very Vegas. Play it once if the budget and access mechanics work. Do not pretend it is value golf just because the limo is included.

Strengths

Luxury theater
Conditioning
Seclusion
Service
Memorable Vegas identity

Weaknesses

Extreme cost
Artificial setting
Access friction
More spectacle than organic landscape

Must play if accessible and budget fits

0/5

Signature holes: 1, 13, 17, 18

#74GD Public

4.6(581)

1 Cascata Dr, Boulder City, NV 89005, USA

(702) 294-2005

Must play

Cascata

Designer: Rees Jones
Year: 2000
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,137 yards
Difficulty: High
Green fees: Ultra-premium public/resort rate; verify current pricing and caddie/forecaddie policy. Call before booking and ask directly about current green conditions.

Cascata is the cleaner luxury answer for many groups. Dramatic, polished, and expensive enough to make everyone behave like they read the confirmation email. Cabot's management involvement raises the long-term ceiling, but this is still a course where current conditioning matters at the price.

Strengths

Dramatic elevation
Polished service
Mountain-desert setting
True luxury-public identity

Weaknesses

Expensive
Punishing for casual players
Less convenient from the Strip

Must play luxury public

0/5

Signature holes: 3, 6, 14, 18

#67GD Public

4.5(139)

3131 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA

(702) 770-4653

Strong play

Wynn Golf Club

Designer: Tom Fazio
Year: 2005; redesigned/reopened 2019
Par: 70
Yardage: Approximately 6,722 yards
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: Ultra-premium resort rate; verify current Wynn guest/public availability and pricing.

Wynn is the ultimate convenience splurge. If the group is staying there and wants golf without logistics, fine. If the group wants the best golf, look harder. The lack of a real full driving range is a real knock at these prices.

Strengths

Strip convenience
Luxury service
No driving headache
Polished resort experience

Weaknesses

Very expensive
Limited pure-golf value
More convenience splurge than architecture must

Strong luxury convenience play

0/5

Signature holes: 9, 14, 18

4.7(2,095)

10325 Nu-Wav Kaiv Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89124, USA

(702) 658-1400

Must play

Paiute Wolf

Designer: Pete Dye
Year: 2001
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,604 yards
Difficulty: High
Green fees: Public daily-fee rate; strong value versus Strip luxury, but verify current seasonal pricing.

Wolf is the serious public answer. It is out there, windy, and much more golf-forward than most Strip-adjacent options.

Strengths

Best public-golf answer
Pete Dye strategy
Scale
Value against Strip luxury

Weaknesses

Exposed wind
Long/difficult
Outside the nightlife corridor

Must play public

0/5

Signature holes: 8, 15, 17, 18

Strong play

Paiute Snow Mountain

Designer: Pete Dye
Year: 1995
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,146 yards
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: Public daily-fee rate; verify current Paiute pricing.

Snow Mountain is often the smarter second Paiute round. Less macho than Wolf, still plenty of golf.

Strengths

Strong Paiute companion
Mountain views
Balanced routing
Good 36-hole pairing

Weaknesses

Less headline value than Wolf
Still exposed
Requires leaving the Strip

Strong play

0/5

Signature holes: 5, 9, 16, 18

Strong play

Paiute Sun Mountain

Designer: Pete Dye
Year: 1996
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,112 yards
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: Public daily-fee rate; verify current Paiute pricing.

Sun Mountain is playable, solid, and useful. Paiute as a complex is the best public golf answer in Vegas.

Strengths

Most broadly playable Paiute option
Scenic
Good mixed-group fit

Weaknesses

Less distinctive than Wolf/Snow
Wind exposure
Lower brag value

Strong play

0/5

Signature holes: 4, 12, 16, 18

4.6(892)

9851 Canyon Run Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89144, USA

(702) 256-2000

Strong play

TPC Las Vegas

Designer: Bobby Weed / Raymond Floyd
Year: 1996
Par: 71
Yardage: Approximately 7,104 yards
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: Premium public daily-fee rate; confirm current pricing.

TPC Las Vegas is one of the cleaner public answers when the group wants real golf without Shadow Creek or Wynn pricing. Not cheap, but useful.

Strengths

Credible public option
Good desert test
Easier logistics than Paiute from some areas

Weaknesses

Can be pricey
Less memorable than Paiute/Cascata
Not a headline luxury play

Strong public play

0/5

Signature holes: 6, 13, 18

4.5(211)

2851 Grand Hills Dr, Henderson, NV 89052, USA

(702) 777-2400

Strong play

Serket (formerly Rio Secco)

Designer: Rees Jones
Year: 1997
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,332 yards
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: Premium public rate; confirm current pricing.

Serket is the former Rio Secco, now under the Cabot-managed Las Vegas umbrella with Cascata. It remains a legitimate golf option that can make a Vegas itinerary feel less like a casino add-on. The name changed; the Henderson/canyon logic did not.

Strengths

Real golf value
Canyon routing
Rees Jones structure
Henderson-area fit

Weaknesses

Can feel stern
Less luxury than Cascata
Not as distinctive as Paiute

Strong public play

0/5

Signature holes: 6, 11, 18

4.5(1,044)

75 Montelago Blvd Suite 101, Henderson, NV 89011, USA

(702) 740-4653

Strong play

Reflection Bay Golf Club

Designer: Jack Nicklaus
Year: 1998
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,261 yards
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: Public/resort rate; confirm current pricing.

Reflection Bay gives Vegas a different look: more resort-lake than Strip spectacle. It works best when the group wants a break from the casino corridor.

Strengths

Lake-resort look
Nicklaus design
Good escape from Strip energy

Weaknesses

Route-dependent
Not essential if staying central
Less serious than Paiute/Cascata

Strong play if routing fits

0/5

Signature holes: 8, 17, 18

4.2(469)

5160 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USA

(888) 427-6678

Strong play

Bali Hai Golf Club

Designer: Brian Curley / Lee Schmidt
Year: 2000
Par: 71
Yardage: Approximately 7,002 yards
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: Premium location-driven public rate; verify current pricing.

Bali Hai is convenient and very much a Vegas product. Use it when logistics beat purity.

Strengths

Strip-adjacent logistics
Social feel
Easy group fit before/after nightlife

Weaknesses

Location-driven pricing
Artificial tropical aesthetic
Weak serious-golf value

Convenience play

0/5

Signature holes: 9, 16, 18

4.5(661)

11111 W Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89135, USA

(702) 804-8500

Strong play

Bear's Best Las Vegas

Designer: Jack Nicklaus
Year: 2001
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,194 yards
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: Public/resort rate; verify current pricing.

Bear's Best is fun if the group buys into the concept. It is not where architecture arguments go to become serious.

Strengths

Fun concept
Playable variety
Easy group entertainment

Weaknesses

Replica-hole idea can feel thin
Not essential
Less serious than top public options

Supporting play

0/5

Signature holes: 5, 12, 18

4.7(443)

1700 Village Center Cir, Las Vegas, NV 89134, USA

(702) 256-0111

Strong play

TPC Summerlin

Designer: Bobby Weed / Fuzzy Zoeller
Year: 1991
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,255 yards
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: Access-dependent; private club / TPC network / hosted access should be confirmed.

TPC Summerlin matters if access works. If it does not, Vegas has enough public golf that nobody needs to fabricate a path.

Strengths

PGA Tour credibility
Good Summerlin setting
Solid desert tournament test

Weaknesses

Access can be restrictive
Less dramatic than Cascata/Paiute
Not a casual public assumption

Access play

0/5

Signature holes: 2, 13, 17, 18

Full course library

Where to stay, eat, and stray

Lodging

Where to stay

Wynn / Encore

Wynn is the best if convenience and polish matter more than price. It also makes the Wynn golf decision easier to justify.

MGM / Bellagio / Aria corridor

This is the core Strip luxury setup. Use it if the group wants Vegas first and golf second.

The Venetian / Palazzo

Good for groups that want room size and easy Strip access without making the golf base the whole story.

Dining

Where groups actually eat

SW Steakhouse

Use SW when the group wants a premium dinner and is already leaning Wynn. It is the obvious expensive answer, and sometimes obvious expensive works.

Bavette's Steakhouse & Bar

Bavette's is one of the cleaner steakhouse picks for a golf group that wants a real dinner without going full spectacle.

Carbone

Carbone is the scene play. Great if the group wants that. Annoying if the group just wants pasta and sleep.

Things to do

Beyond the golf

Golden Knights / T-Mobile Arena

Sphere

Best for: First-time Vegas groups and premium entertainment nights Our take: Not cheap, not subtle, and absolutely the kind of spectacle Vegas does better than anyone else. Pair it with a lighter next-day tee time.

Red Rock Canyon

Best for: Recovery morning or non-golf outdoor time Our take: The only wholesome thing on this itinerary, so do not overuse it. Good for a half-day reset, especially if staying Summerlin/Red Rock.

Planning mechanics

Logistics

Flights, driving, walking

Flights

Flights are easy. Getting eight people from hotel rooms to golf bags after a late night is the hard part.

Ground transportation

Do not rely on casual ride-share for all golf days. Paiute, Cascata, Serket, Reflection Bay, and some Summerlin/Henderson courses need proper transportation. Black car or arranged group transport is often worth it.

Walking

Vegas is mostly cart/resort golf. Shadow Creek/Cascata/Wynn may include or require caddie/forecaddie service depending on current policy; verify directly.

Weather

When the trip works best

March-May

Best spring window.

June-August

Very hot; only for heat-tolerant groups chasing value.

September

Improving but still hot early.

Planning ranges

Cost and value levers

Shadow Creek / Wynn / Cascata

Ultra-premium - Luxury access and experience pricing.

Paiute courses

Strong public value - Best serious public-volume option.

TPC Las Vegas / Serket / Reflection Bay

Premium public - Useful middle tier depending on base.

Itinerary builder

Build your itinerary

The sample on the right is an illustrative Streamsong example.

It is meant to show the depth and shape of a real plan. Build your own around your group, dates, rounds, lodging, dining, and travel timing.

Build my itinerary

Illustrative sample output

Streamsong in 3 Days: 4 Rounds, Mixed Group

3 nights at Streamsong Lodge covering all 3 courses plus a repeat of whichever lands best with the group. With a mixed-skill group and a social thread running through the trip, the sequencing matters: start approachable, build toward bold, and protect evenings for the group to decompress together.

Recommendation

Start with Red to set the right tone for mixed players, not Black. Black's scale can deflate weaker players early and that poisons the rest of the trip.

Day 1

Morning: Arrive, check in to Streamsong Lodge, and get settled without rushing. Arrival timing is unknown, so do not force a same-day round.

Afternoon: If arriving early-to-midday, use the practice facilities to shake off travel; skip forcing an afternoon round on an unknown schedule.

Evening: Make this the nicer dinner night. Gather the group, debrief the plan, and use the evening to build energy for the heavy golf days ahead.

Insider note: Day 1 is the setup day, not a golf day. Burning a round here on travel legs is the most common mistake groups make at Streamsong.

Day 2

Morning: Tee off on Streamsong Red first thing. It is the most balanced course and the right anchor for a mixed-skill group on fresh legs.

Afternoon: Afternoon round on Streamsong Blue. It is more open and wind-affected, which rewards better players while staying manageable enough for the group.

Evening: Keep dinner casual and on property. Two rounds is a full day and the group needs to recover, not power through a production.

Insider note: Red in the morning lets the group settle in before Blue asks harder questions in the afternoon wind.

Day 3

Morning: Play Streamsong Black. Use it as the bold contrast round the guide describes, not as the centerpiece, and set expectations accordingly for higher-handicap players.

Afternoon: Replay the course that resonated most with the group. Red is the likely call for mixed groups, Blue for stronger players who want another look.

Evening: Final evening on property. Keep it relaxed since departure timing is unknown and no one should be grinding through dinner logistics.

Insider note: Black is the experience round, not the best round. Frame it that way for the group before the first tee so no one is quietly disappointed by the rougher edges.

Tradeoffs

Four rounds in two full golf days is aggressive but workable at a comfortable pace. The plan keeps Day 1 golf-free to protect legs and group cohesion rather than chasing a fifth round nobody would enjoy.

Black is scheduled for Day 3 morning rather than being skipped. It adds useful contrast and a memorable moment, but it was deliberately placed after the group already has two courses under its belt rather than as an opener.

The nicer dinner was placed on Day 1 rather than a golf day. This protects energy on the days that matter and gives the group something to build toward without splitting a long golf day around a formal meal.

Book first

Book all four tee times at Streamsong before lodging fills. The property manages its own tee sheet and availability tightens fast in peak season.

Confirm Streamsong Lodge rooms for all three nights in a single block. A small group of 3-4 makes this manageable, but winter weekends can still book out early.

Arrange caddies for at least Red and Blue if the group is open to walking. First-time looks benefit significantly from local knowledge on both courses.

Watchouts

Two rounds on Day 2 is the heaviest ask of the trip. If anyone in the mixed group is a high-handicapper or infrequent player, build in flexibility to skip the afternoon Blue round rather than grinding through it.

Streamsong is genuinely remote and there is no nightlife option off property. Groups expecting energy beyond the lodge bar will be disappointed, and that expectation gap kills trip morale faster than a bad round.

Black's scale and difficulty can frustrate less experienced players, especially after already playing 36 holes the day before. If the group's weakest player struggled on Day 2, consider swapping Black for a Red replay.

LodgingExpand

Stay where the group wants to spend the nights. Vegas lodging is not just a bed; it dictates transportation, dinner, nightlife, and how much morning chaos you have to absorb.

Luxury Strip resort

Wynn / Encore

0/5

Best for: Wynn Golf, premium groups, easy high-end dining

Cost: Ultra-premium Strip pricing; event weekends can spike hard.

Wynn is the best if convenience and polish matter more than price. It also makes the Wynn golf decision easier to justify.

Pros

Best Wynn Golf convenience, luxury service, strong dining, central enough for premium trip

Cons

Expensive, not the best value, still Strip chaos

Luxury casino resorts

MGM / Bellagio / Aria corridor

0/5

Best for: Shadow Creek access path, premium Vegas trips, central Strip energy

Cost: High; resort fees and events matter.

This is the core Strip luxury setup. Use it if the group wants Vegas first and golf second.

Pros

Strong dining/nightlife, central Strip, MGM ecosystem can matter for Shadow Creek

Cons

Expensive, large-casino friction, morning logistics can get messy

Large Strip resort

The Venetian / Palazzo

0/5

Best for: Big groups wanting suite space and central Strip access

Cost: High but suite layouts can help groups.

4.6(28,145)(702) 607-7777

3325 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA

Good for groups that want room size and easy Strip access without making the golf base the whole story.

Pros

Large rooms, dining, central location, group-friendly

Cons

Huge property, Strip logistics, not tied directly to a golf anchor

Off-Strip resort

Red Rock Casino Resort / Summerlin

0/5

Best for: Golf-first groups playing TPC Las Vegas, Bear's Best, Summerlin-area golf

Cost: Often better value than luxury Strip, but event dates vary.

4.5(33,337)(702) 797-7777

11011 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89135, USA

Monday: Open 24 hours

Red Rock is the smart off-Strip answer if the group wants golf and sleep more than casino-floor theater.

Pros

Easier west-side golf logistics, calmer than Strip, good resort amenities

Cons

Less Vegas nightlife, farther from Strip dinners/shows

Resort / lake-area lodging

Lake Las Vegas / Henderson hotels

0/5

Best for: Reflection Bay, Serket, Cascata-ish routing, calmer trips

Cost: Varies; often lower chaos than Strip luxury.

4.2(3,677)(702) 567-6000

101 Montelago Blvd, Henderson, NV 89011, USA

Use Henderson/Lake Las Vegas when the group wants a golf-resort trip near Vegas, not a Vegas trip with golf.

Pros

Better Henderson/east-side routing, calmer, good for couples/mixed trips

Cons

Far from Strip nightlife, can feel removed from Vegas

Group house

0/5

Best for: Milestone or bachelor-style dinner

Use this when dinner is supposed to be part of the entertainment, not just fuel.

Pros

Big Vegas energy, distinctive, event dinner

Cons

Expensive, long meal, can wreck early tee-time discipline

Thai / off-Strip classic

Lotus of Siam

0/5

Best for: Food-focused group dinner

4.3(2,583)(702) 735-3033

620 E Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USA

Monday: 11:30 AM – 10:00 PM

Lotus is the "we actually know where to eat" choice. A nice break from steakhouse autopilot.

Pros

Legit Vegas food institution, less steakhouse predictable, strong value relative to Strip fine dining

Cons

Requires transport, reservations matter

Arts District Italian

Esther's Kitchen

0/5

Best for: Food-focused groups that want off-Strip credibility

4.6(4,851)(702) 570-7864

1131 S Main St, Las Vegas, NV 89104, USA

Monday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 – 11:00 PM

Esther's is the smarter Italian answer when Carbone feels too scene-heavy. It lets the group eat well without paying the full Strip-tax toll.

Pros

Better value than Strip Italian, excellent pasta/bread program, good before a downtown/Arts District night

Cons

Requires transport, reservations still matter

Cocktails / steakhouse bar

Herbs & Rye

0/5

Best for: Late-night food and drinks after a calmer golf day

4.7(5,571)(702) 982-8036

3713 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89102, USA

Monday: 5:00 PM – 3:00 AM

Herbs & Rye is the "we know Vegas" move. Great after golf. Dangerous before Shadow Creek. Act accordingly.

Pros

Classic cocktails, strong steak value, proper Vegas industry feel

Cons

Off-Strip, busy, not the right call before a dawn tee time

Casual / flexible

Sportsbook / casual resort dining

0/5

Best for: Games, tired groups, and nights before early golf

Often the smarter golf-trip dinner than the place requiring a jacket and a second mortgage.

Pros

Easy, flexible, low logistics, better for tee-time discipline

Cons

Not special