3 minute read
Las Vegas High Desert: Paiute Golf Resort
www.BlackhawkLivingCA.com @BlackhawkLivingCA #BlackhawkLivingCA
By Chuck Fox, Owner, Quintessential Golf, Resident since 2012
Over seventy-five golf courses entice visitors around Las Vegas, despite the summer heat and lack of water.
The venerable architect Pete Dye passed away in January 2020. Only one course has his name associated with it, the Paiute Golf Resort. On high desert terrain, it’s the ancestral home of the Paiute Indian Tribe.
There are no structures outside of the resort itself, making views of distant mountains and idyllic desert more impressive.
Railroad Ties Frame Bunker
Here on the 3,800-acre Snow Mountain Reservation, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe created a world-class golf destination. Players have three championship golf courses to choose from, all designed by Dye. A 50,000-square foot clubhouse is the center of this desert oasis. Reminiscent of old private clubs, it sports a cozy cigar lounge with a view of the golf course. Located just 30 minutes northwest of the Las Vegas Strip, it is easy to find with an interchange on Highway 95., At an elevation almost 1000 feet higher than the Strip, enjoy cooler golf and a welcome escape from the urban noise and bustle. They allocate a significant amount of land to the resort, so two large practice ranges are available.
The Wolf course is the most challenging and ranked the highest at the resort. It is the longest course in the state of Nevada and promises a challenging golf experience. Five sets of tees are available, ideal for the higher handicapper. The Snow Mountain and Sun Mountain courses are the most scenic and most docile. The Snow Mountain course is the original course and opened in 1996. Pete Dye integrated eight significant lakes over three courses providing water hazards on one-third of the golf holes. Pete’s signature railroad tie and deep bunker design elements intensify the experience.
The Wolf course ranks #10 in the state according to Golf Magazine’s 2016-17 rankings.
Colossal Water Features
Sun Mountain Course
We enjoyed the Sun Mountain course with its rolling terrain and native desert landscaping but without the usual Pete Dye severity. The fairways are generous. Two Par 4’s less than 330 yards provide birdie opportunities. The course allows you to take in the solitude with a peaceful walk. Firing a 78 with six bogeys, it was a fast and fun round. The first hole illustrates the nature of Sun Mountain. A medium length Par 4 with wide fairways, limited bunkering and expansive views of the desert and distant mountains it represents a typical hole. Hole #5 provides a stunning tee shot over water with mountains towering in the distance.
Pete Dye’s use of railroad ties in golf course design is legendary. On the Sun Mountain course, sloping faces of bunkers embed the railroad ties. Bentgrass greens are large, undulating and firm. The first cut of rough is harmless. But the second cut is the sandy and scruffy desert where big scores can start. Fortunately, there is plenty of area around the greens for pitch shots helping to make this course friendly to the high handicapper.
The Sun Mountain course is a perfect introduction to the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort. Exceptional conditioning exists on all three courses. Dye emboldened Wolf course with the most ferocious teeth, but all three are worth playing when in Las Vegas.
See high resolution photos and course profiles on my website at https://www.quintessentialgolf.com/destinations/ paiute-golf-resort-sun-mountain/
Watch Out for Snakes
If You Go:
Course Info – Paiute Golf Resort (www.lvpaiutegolf.com) is a high-end public golf resort developed by the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe. Located on the reservation are three golf courses – Wolf, Sun Mountain, and Snow Mountain.
Location - Twenty-six miles northwest of the Las Vegas Strip only 2 miles off Hwy 95.
Lodging – Plentiful hotels on the Strip, downtown or north and west of Las Vegas.
Quintessential Golf (https://www.quintessentialgolf.com) A source of golf travel inspiration, Quintessential Golf online magazine spotlights the most spectacular, enduring and scenic courses, resorts and golf adventures. Written from a player’s point-of-view, articles include magnificent high-resolution course images. Brought to you by Chuck Fox, single-digit golfer, writer and photographer based in Danville, California, he is fulfilling his passion and dream to play, photograph and share the romance and beauty of golf throughout North America.
