Golf is the smart play in Mesquite and Summerlin.
HOW ABOUT A LITTLE COMPETITION?
Okay, so Mesquite isn’t the Monterey Peninsula, and nobody is going to confuse the rotation of courses used for the CasaBlanca II-Man with those used in the
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. But to those in the newly expanded field of 150 two-person teams, the event probably means just as much as Pebble means to Bill Murray. Now in its fifth year, the II-M takes place Nov. 12 – 14 and showcases the joys of competing on three distinct layouts in the Mesquite region. The tournament opens with a two-man scramble at the Palms Golf Club just over the state line in Littlefield, Ariz. Day two brings you to Conestoga Golf Club at Sun City Mesquite for a best-ball competition. CasaBlanca Golf Club hosts the final day’s modified alternate-shot event to decide the champions. Open to men and women, the handicapped event will feature up to six gross and net flights, depending on the number of teams that enter. Each flight will compete for $6,000, with daily skins games available. The $425 per player/$850 per team covers the golf, welcome pairings party and the Sunday night awards banquet in the CasaBlanca Grand Ballroom. Players also receive discounted rates at the CasaBlanca Resort & Casino. casablancaresort.com/ii-m
STAY AND PLAY
The walkable 7,011-yard Cal Olson layout at CasaBlanca Golf Club takes in sweeping desert vistas, water features and views of the Virgin Mountains. In addition to clean-air gambling, the CasaBlanca Resort & Casino features a lagoon-style pool, co- ed spa and dining at Katherine’s Restaurant. casablancaresort.com
FRONDS FOREVER
A 10-minute drive across the Arizona border from Mesquite lies the co-host of the first two rounds of this year’s Nevada Open (Nov. 9-11). Debuting in 1990, the Palms Golf Club boasts dramatic back-nine elevation changes, including a 114-foot plunge from tee to fairway on the par-4 15th. palmsgolfclub.com
ONE-STOP SHOPPING
Golf Mesquite Nevada builds a golf trip that hits the sweet spot between your budget and your appetite for great golf. Relationships with golf facilities (Oasis Golf Club’s Palmer and Canyons courses, Coyote Springs Golf Club, Falcon Ridge Golf Course and Consestoga Golf Club) and lodging partners like the 60-acre Eureka Casino Resort—which features the righteous Gregory’s Mesquite Grill— ensure you’ll get the best possible deal. golfmesquitenevada.com
Designed by Kelby Hughes and Cresent Hardy, Falcon Ridge Golf Course winds through the hills and canyons of Northwest Mesquite. This 6,569-yard par-71 desert layout boasts spectacular elevation changes, numerous water features and high- mesa views along with numerous teeing areas that make it playable for all levels. golffalcon.com
COYOTE PRETTY
Tucked between two picturesque mountain ranges in the high desert 50 miles from both Mesquite and Las Vegas, Coyote Springs Golf Club offers a breathtaking setting accented by native grasses, cacti, sage and other indigenous plants, sapphire skies and 360- degree mountain views—including those of the snow-covered Sheep Range during winter. Planned as the first of a series of courses in the Coyote Springs community, the par-72 Jack Nicklaus Signature design debuted in 2008 and measures between 5,349 and 7,471 yards. Eleven lakes come into play. The 19-acre practice facility gives you opportunities to work on every type of shot. coyotesprings.com
HITCH ’EM UP
Named for the wagons that once carried settlers westward on the Spanish Trail, Conestoga Golf Club invites cart-riding pioneers to traverse the myriad arroyos, ravines and bluffs and bunkers that marble its fairways. Golf and Golfweek rank the 7,232-yard Gary Panks layout among the top 10 public courses in Nevada. After 18 holes, hit the 1880 Grille and pair the enormous signature 1880 wings or 1880 Burger with private- label 1880 Lager, a red beer available only on tap in the grille. conestogagolf.com
OASIS CONCERT
Oasis Golf Club features the Palmer Course and the Canyons Course. Designed by Arnold Palmer himself,
the par-71 distinguished itself during Golf Channel’s Big Break Mesquite in 2007. The Canyons rates as more difficult. It has distinct front and back nines. The front plays like the Palmer course because Palmer designed it; the back, demands length and precision to hit narrow targets. theoasisgolfclub.com
A SUMM OF THREE
Less than 10 miles from the Strip, you can enjoy the same valley views and playing conditions without the big-city sticker shock. Set at the base of the Charleston Mountains in the affluent community of Summerlin community (home of the TPC that annually hosts the PGA TOUR’s Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open), lie three golf courses designed by Billy Casper and Greg Nash: Palm Valley, Highland Falls and Eagle Crest. Of the three, the par-72 Palm Valley is the oldest (1989), longest (6,824 yards) and most challenging, with deceptive greens and 68 bunkers. The most scenic is the par-72, 6,512-yard Highland Falls, which moves from the rolling hills of the front nine to steep elevation changes on the back. The visually spectacular par-60, 4,067-yard Eagle Crest is the quickest to play. Golf Summerlin operates the courses and combines them with the resort excitement of the nearby Suncoast Hotel & Casino (as well as Mandalay Bay, Hard Rock, Green Valley Ranch and Aliante in Las Vegas) into one the most affordable stay-and-play packages in the Las Vegas area. golfsummerlin.com
OUT AND ABOUT
Downtown Summerlin hums with activity, but it also leads to spectacular hikes in the 10,000- acre Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, as well as the award-winning, constantly expanding Summerlin Trail System, which will eventually connect to 2,000 miles of regional trails. summerlin.com
YUM IN SUMM
Summerlin’s restaurants hit every cuisine and price point, but two come most highly recommended: Marché Bacchus (marchebacchus.com), an exquisite French bistro and wine shop on Lake Jacqueline that does a great brunch; and Vinter Grill, an American eatery with a heady Mediterranean food accent. vglasvegas.com
Read more in the 2021 Fall Getaways Guide:
These articles were also featured in the Fall 2021 Issue of Colorado AvidGolfer.
Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.