Las Vegas, Nevada (June 5, 2010)–Golf once again is one of the main centerpieces of a major Las Vegas event. Five individuals and a fighting family were inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, June 4, at a ceremony at the Orleans Arena. Earlier Friday, Las Vegas golf course Highland Falls Golf Club played host to a golf tournament bringing together friends and families of those involved along with community leaders.–by Bill Bowman.
The Hall of Fame inductees include: One of UNLV’s all-time top basketball players, Freddie Banks; Rebels’ longtime PA announcer Dick Calvert; coach/official James Bayne; youth baseball official Fred Darling; baseball coach Ralph Meder (deceased) and the UFC’s first family, the Fertitta’s. All of them shared the spotlight at the event as well as at a golf tournament that helped kick off the festivities.
Joe Kelly, treasurer of the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame as well as the Director of Golf at Golf Summerlin, said the golf tournament is a great one. “It’s 140 players and a lot of fun,” Kelly said. “It’s a lot of people in town who have done a lot to support the community. People like Lon Krueger (UNLV men’s basketball coach), Cliff Findlay (Findlay Automotive Group), Steve Stallworth (GM at SouthPoint Arena), Pat Christenson (President of Las Vegas Events), Bobby Hauck (new UNLV football coach)…and many more. It’s just fun to get all these people together in one setting to help raise money for sports groups in our community.” It’s also a special time for Kelly as Calvert is his father-in-law. “It’s a real good time for the Kelly and Calvert families,” he added.
The golf tournament was held at Highland Falls Golf Club, one of three layouts in the Golf Summerlin family along with Palm Valley and Eagle Crest. All three are Billy Casper/Greg Nash designs. Highland Falls is a par-72 layout that tips out at 6,512 yards. But while it may not have length, the course still offers players plenty of challenges and stunning views. Elevation changes and picture-perfect bunkering add to the test and the beauty. The course finishes with one of the top 18th holes in Vegas, a 387-yard, par-4 that doglegs right with water running all along the right side. Bunkers also guard the green on the left side with a glass-like pond awaiting errant shots on the right.
Palm Valley was the first of the Golf Summerlin designs. The par-72 course reaches 6,580 yards from the tips with a pair of lengthy par 5s to open and end your round. Eagle Crest is a par-60, 4,067-yard executive course with championship-style attributes with 12 par 3s ranging in length from 112 yards to a knee-knocking, hold-your-breath 224 yards. With its executive length, Eagle Crest is also an ideal course for those looking for that quick round.