MESQUITE, Nev. (Jan. 16, 2017)–If you’re looking for that out-of-town golf adventure–one that is filled with challenges and dramatic views–there’s no better place to be than at Wolf Creek Golf Club in Mesquite, Nev., just an hour north of Las Vegas. But beware: Bring your ‘A’ game when you take on this beauty…it’s that challenging. — By Bill Bowman.
How challenging? We’re glad you asked. Water comes into play early and often (on 10 of the holes, many times both off the tees and guarding the greens). And it’s not just a little pool of water here or there. Its monster-sized ponds as well as wide streams. Add in 96 bunkers (including 9 on the par-4 4th hole) along with severe elevation changes (sometimes as much as 150-feet from tee to fairway as well as a few 50-plus foot rises between fairways and greens). This course gives new meaning to roller coaster ride. Hang on. This ride is going to be filled with chills, thrills…and probably a few spills (as in lost golf balls).
Click here to check out tee times at Wolf Creek as well as some of the other tremendous golf layouts in and around Las Vegas.
But the good news is with five sets of tees, it’s playable for everyone. The further forward players tee it up, the less the hazards and elevation changes come into play.
A couple of highlights include the par-5 5th and the par-4 13th.
The 5th hole plays just 490 yards from the tips and it’s from an elevated tee so it’s definitely reachable in two. But, players must play it smart from tee to green. The fairway some 100-feet below is a severe dogleg left and a stream runs through it. Clearing the stream and landing in the fairway (without running through it and into the desert) takes courage and accuracy. Players need to cut as much of the dogleg off as they are comfortable with to leave a shorter shot into the green. This hole’s one of the best risk/reward hole players will experience.
The 14th plays just 350 yards from the tips. Again, it’s a severe dogleg (this time to the right) with a mountain standing between players and the green. Find the fairway and players will face a severe uphill shot (of course) into the green. Take an extra club because coming up short brings three bunkers into play.
That’s just two of the 18 stunners players will encounter at Wolf Creek. It’s a course where players need to think their way around the course rather than trying to overpower it.