Howling Fun

Had Salvador Dalí designed a golf course, it might resemble Wolf Creek Golf Club, where the surreal meets the sublime in the sunbaked moonscape of Mesquite, Nevada. Along the course, jagged escarpments appear to melt into sandy pools of glacial white and flow into emerald ribbons that curl around lakes and streams. It’s literally the EA Sports video game come to life. But reality came first. No VR goggles required. Just bring your clubs and camera.

And don’t forget your A-game. The golf world has howled about the Wolf since the homespun architectural effort by the father-son team of Dennis and John Rider earned Golf Digest’s Best New Course in 2002. It has resided permanently on the rosters of America’s 100 greatest public courses—as well as on most golfers’ bucket lists—ever since. The professional-use-only Challenger tees stretch the course just shy of 7,000 yards, but at a 138 slope and 6,309 yards, the blue Champions tees hardly dilute the experience. From the very first shot, holes plunge and squiggle through canyons, disappearing behind buttes and reappearing as you wind along precipitous cart paths. Abundant ball-hungry bunkers and waste areas dictate strategy, as does water, which divides fairways, forces carries and factors mightily into the closing holes to each nine.

A must-play in the golf-rich Mesquite/St. George region, Wolf Creek enjoys a stay-and-play relationship with Eureka Casino Resort and packages vacations with such area courses as Conestoga, Coyote Springs, Falcon Ridge, The Ledges, Oasis and Sand Hollow—most of which also participate in golfmesquitenevada.com. The lunch fare in the club’s plush Terrace Restaurant pairs perfectly with views of the verdant lushness rippling through the sere landscape.

Wolf Creek Golf Club Photo Gallery (click for larger image)

golfwolfcreek.com; 702-346-1670

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This article appears in the Winter 2016 issue of Colorado AvidGolfer. Subscribe today!

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