The third day of your Las Vegas vacation is best spent on the golf course. Two days into a bachelor or bachelorette party, it becomes apparent that you could use some sunlight. The mirror reflects a zombie, a not so subtle hint to take a breather from the high-octane casinos, dance clubs, and pool parties. Nurse yourself back to health on the greens at these resorts… until your second wind kicks in and it’s back to the club for some golf in Vegas.
Head north to desert elegance
View from the TPC course. Photo by Mikey V CC BY
Situated between Red Rock National Park and the famous Last Vegas Strip is a golfer’s delight. Legendary golf course architect Bobby Weed designed the TPC Las Vegas par 71 course with the help of World Golf Hall of Famer Raymond Floyd to plot out 7,081 yards of meandering greens. A brief respite at the JW Marriott Resort & Spa should do the trick to fix your slightly wobbly orientation of the world.
Photo by JW Marriot Las Vegas Resort & Spa
The breathtaking 18-hole experience
Practice grounds at the Cascata. Photo by Cascata Golf
Caesars Palace isn’t synonymous with golf. Probably because high stakes Texas Hold’em, the shows, the decadent rooms, and the restaurants are headliners for your Vegas weekend. On the off chance that you need to recharge your batteries, staying at Caesars Palace gives you access to two premier golf courses: Cascata & Rio Secco. The Cascata course was ranked second in Golfweek magazine’s “Best Golf Courses in Nevada” list. The Rio Secco, on the other hand, is even closer to the Strip if you’re after convenience and an 18-hole gem that blends the desert’s natural beauty with a challenging course that separates the amateurs from the pros.
Photos by Caesars Palace
The Vegas Strip has a golf course?
Wynn Golf Course, designed by Tom Fazio and Steve Wynn. Photo by Wynn Las Vegas
As a matter of fact, the Encore Resort at the Wynn Las Vegas has the only golf course attached to a resort on the Las Vegas Strip. Steve Wynn and Tom Fazio are the masterminds behind the architecture of this 7,042 yard, par 70 course beaut. By booking a room at the Encore, guests can reserve a tee time up to 90 days in advance while others only have a 30 day window. And for the eco-conscious putters amongst us, the Wynn Golf course is the ninth course in Nevada to receive an environmental sanctuary certification.
Photos by Wynn Las Vegas
Gamble at the resort or on the greens
No. 18 is a par 5 that can play up to 515 yards @ Royal Links Golf Club. Photo by Royal Links Golf Club
Registered guests of the MGM Resorts International, like the Mirage, are driven in a limousine to a golf course of their choosing. There’s the Shadow Creek, Bali Hai, Royal Links, and Desert Pines. Once you’re at the golfing grounds for your reserved tee time, the VIP treatment doesn’t stop there. The MGM arranges for a caddie to greet and guide you through the challenging links that is sure to be one of your best golfing experiences ever, all while your hangover subsides.
Photos by MGM Resorts International
*Cover image by Dan Perry