Las Vegas Golf

Las Vegas may be known for gambling, but golfers who want to get away from it all and play a variety of courses while on vacation love to go to Las Vegas. Outstanding weather combined with beautiful scenery make Las Vegas a golfer's paradise. Golfers can find courses that vary from easy to extremely difficult, and playing golf is a lot safer on the wallet than wiling away the hours in the casino.

This is a great course for the golfer who wants a challenge. Not only is it exceptionally long at 7,600 yards, the greens are not the least bit forgiving. Not only are the greens very difficult to read from a putting perspective, they also will not hold shots unless the golfer uses the utmost care with his wedges. Golfers are advised to bring a full arsenal of wedges when playing the Wolf if they want their approach shots to hold the green.

If you want a glamorous Las Vegas course, take a trip to Bali Hail. Not only are all the appointments in the locker room, dining areas and pro shops ornate and lavish, the golf course gives one the feeling of being in the South Pacific. The course itself is breathtaking, with 100,000 tropical plants and 2,500 trees and spectacular pools serving as hazards. Bali Hai uses Augusta white sand in its bunkers and crushed black volcanic rock combined with the white sand in place of the rough.

This course is an homage to the great courses in Great Britain. Many of the holes mimic the most famous holes at courses such as Turnberry, Royal Troon and St. Andrews. The course is loaded with the deep bunkers that are regularly found on so many British golf courses. Play the famous "Road Hole" from the Old Course at St. Andrews and then have a refreshment in the clubhouse that is fashioned after a British castle.

This is one of the top public courses in Las Vegas and is also among the most challenging. This is a 7,400-yard monster that requires big hitters who can also keep their shots unfailingly accurate. In addition to the length, the course features arroyo, white sand bunkers and desert style holes which will test even the most seasoned golfers. Boulder Creek may be a challenge from a scoring perspective, but it is a veritable bargain at $50 per round for Clark County residents and $75 for visitors. Several discounts are also available.

This course is all about desert golf at its best. Designed by Ray Floyd and Bobby Weed, the course uses the natural beauty of the area and does not disturb it. This course features desert ravines, trees and arroyos that will challenge any golfer. The course is long but fair. Many of the holes are straight, and a big hitter who is at least reasonably straight will be rewarded. However, there are some holes that are quite tricky, including the 381-yard par-4 13th. This dogleg right features a 30-foot gorge that will have to be negotiated if the golfer wants to cut distance off the hole.

• http://www.lasvegasgolf.com/departments/features/vegas-best-courses.htm — Top 20 Las Vegas Golf Courses