Bali Hali Golf Club--This 7,002-yard course is a tropical paradise. It boasts more than 100,000 tropical plants and the bunkers contain Augusta white sand. Of course, the mountainous terrain in spots and views of the Vegas Strip remind you you're not actually in the Pacific islands.
5160 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 450-8000
balihaigolfclub.com
TPC Las Vegas--Plan to be hitting out of a lot of desert brush and lose some balls in the canyons. The 7,063-yard course has hosted events on the Senior PGA Tour and can lull you to sleep with its somewhat simple design. After a down-on-your-luck day at the casinos, this rather forgiving course isn't a bad choice.
9851 Canyon Run Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89144
(702) 256-2000
tpc.com/lasvegas
Bear's Best Las Vegas--The concept here is simple yet spectacular. Jack Nicklaus picked the 18 best holes of his more than 270 courses around the globe and stuck them into one course.
1111 W. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89135
(702) 804-8500
clubcorp.com
Reflection Bay--Located on Nevada's largest man-made lake, Lake Las Vegas, this Nicklaus design is purely serene. The course features winding fairways and palm trees for a calm, but picture-perfect setting on the water.
75 Montelago Blvd.
Henderson, NV 89011
(702) 740-4653
lakelasvegas.com
Royal Links--This 7,029-yard links course is the best of its kind in the area. It features more than 100 pot bunkers and, like Bear's Best, takes some of the best holes in the world and sticks them into one course. It offers golfers the chance to play holes from Turnberry and St. Andrews in the same round.
5995 East Vegas Valley
Las Vegas, NV 89142
(888) 427-6678
royallinksgolfclub.com
Angel Park--Hailed as "the world's most complete Las Vegas golf experience," this often-overlooked complex features 36 holes designed by Arnold Palmer. This is a challenging mountain course with views of Red Rock Canyon and the Las Vegas Valley.
100 S. Rampart Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89145
(702) 254-4653
angelpark.com
Desert Pines--Another aptly themed course in Vegas, this one is takes its stylings from Pinehurst. It sports narrow fairways and more than 4,000 pine trees making driving accuracy of utmost importance. It's the only public course on the Strip.
3415 E Bonanza Road
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 388-4400
waltersgolf.com
Sun Mountain at Paiute Resort--Like any good golfer, no trip is complete with 18 holes at a Pete Dye course. This 7,146-yard course is lined with narrow but strategically placed bunkers to bait you into hitting riskier approach shots. The greens here, though, are softer than most and nestled against native vegetation.
10325 Nu-Wav Kaiv Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89124
(702) 658-1400
lvpaiutegolf.com
This probably goes without saying, but maybe you are just in town for a golf weekend. Put the bag in the closet for a day and head over to the sports books at Bally's, the Mirage or MGM. When it comes to laying down bets on one of golf's four majors, make sure to get your picks in before the first tee times on Thursday (Wednesday night is a perfect time to lay down bets to avoid the crowds). And don't just bet on the winner of the tournament, take some head-to-head prop bets, such as who will shoot a lower score--Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson.
Vegas has a dry, deadly heat, but luckily there are plenty of pools on the Strip to cool off. Every resort casino has one, but the Mandalay Bay Beach is one of the best in Vegas with three pools, a lazy river and a good chance of celebrity sightings. The 11-acre area has impeccable cabana service, with a friendly staff constantly making sure your drinks are filled to the brim. And on the real summer-scorcher days, they'll make sure your party has plenty of bottled water. There's also a beach-side casino if you get the itch. And if you're looking for that European bathing experience, head over to the Beach's Moorea Beach Club for some sophistication with day beds and massages.
3950 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(877) 632-7800
mandalaybay.com
