Las Vegas, Nev. (Nov. 19, 2016)–The readers have spoken: again. Highland Falls Golf Club, one of three courses that make up the Golf Summerlin family, has been named as the readers’ best golf course for 2016 by the Las Vegas Review Journal. It’s the second straight year that the course has earned the top honor and the third time overall, the first time coming back in 2011. –By Bill Bowman
“We’ve made a lot of renovations that have really improved the course,” said Donny Long, Director of Golf for the Golf Summerlin properties. “We added a brand new driving range and all new bunkers. We re-shaped some of the bunkers and took a few out. It’s made a big difference.”
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Highland Falls was designed by Billy Casper/Greg Nash. The duo also designed the two other Golf Summerlin layouts: Eagle Crest and Palm Valley.
Highland Falls opened in 1993 and plays 6,512 yards from the tips. But what the course may lack in distance, it more than makes up for in challenges and views.
Ah yes, the views. Start with one of the best anywhere–from the tee box on the par-3 14th. The tee box is elevated on this 206-yard hole with a dropoff some 40 feet to the green. But it’s the view behind the green that is breathtaking with the entire length of the Las Vegas Strip sitting front and center.
The finishing stretch of holes 14-18 are an impressive grouping. Take the par-3 17th and par-4 18th as examples. The 17th plays 168 yards from the tips but a pond on the right and bunkering on the left side put a huge emphasis on accuracy.
The 18th reaches just 387 yards and is a finishing hole that gives players plenty of choices. Do I hit driver off the tee (risking bunkers and desert coming into play if the shot is off-line) and have a flip-wedge in? Do I hit a hybrid off the tee for control (taking much of the risk of a wild shot out of play) and have a longer club in? Whatever the choice, the large, undulating green will also put an emphasis on putting if players want to end the round with a birdie opportunity.
Long gives the golfers who frequent Highland Falls all of the credit when it comes to the course being honored. “We have a good loyalty program so we get a lot of repeat customers,” he said. “But we also want to get new customers out. Because we’re in Sun City, a lot of people think it’s private. But we want everyone to check out it. We are definitely a hidden gem.”