Bali Hai Golf Club
Play away in the Pacific. Like any of the six Walters Golf courses in Vegas, the 7,002-yard Bali Hai has a theme all its own. While some themes feel out of place under the Vegas sun, this tropical course fits right in with more than 2,500 arching palm trees and seven acres of clear, see-yourself-in-the-reflection waters. Stay in the fairways and you'll be fine, but if your drives or approach shots find their way off the beaten path, be prepared to hit your next shot on foreign soil. Bali Hai hasn't hosted a PGA Tour event, but when you step up to the tee on the par-3, 141-yard 16th, you'll surely have an audience looking on from the Cili Restaurant. Good luck holding the island green under the pressure of hungry eyes.
Bali Hai Golf Club
5160 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(888) 427-6678
balihaigolfclub.com
Royal Links Golf Club
Another of the Walters Golf courses, the 7,029-yard Royal Links is a true British Open experience in Las Vegas. It transplants historic holes, such as the "Road Hole" and "Hell Bunker" from the Old Course at St. Andrews and plops them dead center into the heart of the Vegas terrain. There are also holes from Royal Troon and Royal Birkdale, among others. The desert disappears in this wide-open, greens-as-far-as-you-can-see design. Everything is replicated with precision, from the 108 pot bunkers to the Old English castle serving as the clubhouse. There's even an isle water hole inside the clubhouse, Stymie's Pub. Royal Links is located just 20 minutes away from the Vegas Strip.
Royal Links Golf Club
5995 East Vegas Valley
Las Vegas, NV 89142
(888) 427-6678
(702) 450-8123
royallinksgolfclub.com
TPC Las Vegas
While the Walters Golf courses transport you to a different place with its designs, the Tournament Players Club Las Vegas plays to the natural terrain and desert surroundings. Often referred to as "Desert Elegance," this 7,063-yard course is perhaps the toughest test of golf in the region---or any region like it. While your clubs won't get wet, muddy or clunky, they will surely get temporarily stained with dried chunks of clay and dirt if you miss off the tee. The course plays fairly straight, with flourishing fairways, isolated greens and holes with up to 40 feet of elevation changes.
Tournament Players Club Las Vegas
9851 Canyon Run Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89144
(702) 256-2500
tpc.com/lasvegas
About The Author
Sean Quinn is a writer and editor based in New York City. He has spent the last decade covering major sporting events from the NFL playoffs to the U.S. Open. He has written for the Kansas City Star and ESPN, among others. He is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
