If you’re a golf lover in Las Vegas, chances are you’ve heard about the prestigious and exclusive Shadow Creek. And this golf club is worth every ounce of the hype, with each of its eighteen holes carved out of the desert into a veritable work of golf art. Designed by renowned architect Tom Fazio and Steve Wynn, Shadow Creek is the most expensive and visually stunning golf course in the area. Located in North Las Vegas, Shadow Creek exists secluded among a barren expanse of desert that makes the lush beauty of the course even more breathtaking when golfers pull up to its gates.
A par-72, 7239-yard shrine of golf, Shadow Creek was once only limited to the ‘whales’ of Sin City, the wealthy, and the famous. Thankfully for the rest of us, however, the course is now open to guests of MGM Mirage resorts. Guests enjoy transportation to the course by private limousine and are greeted upon arrival by a personal caddy. The course still maintains an exclusive and intimate air, however, by scheduling a small amount of tee times daily. Players will often feel like they’re on their own personal golf course out at Shadow Creek.
Service at Shadow Creek is only unmatched by the course’s beauty; sprawled out on a 350-acre piece of land, the course features gorgeous green hillsides, sparkling creeks, lakes, and waterfalls, and over 200 varieties of trees, each precisely positioned for the greatest effect. Word has it that Steve Wynn spent $20 million on the course and an additional $20 million on landscaping, and his money was well spent. The grounds are so lush and immaculately manicured that the only thing to suggest one is in Las Vegas are the mountains looming in the distance, which provide a lovely silver contrast to the bright greens.
The holes themselves are equally impressive, each offering a unique challenge with dramatic green complexes and sculpted tee boxes. Highlights include the par-3 17th, which features an island green bordered by a waterfall, and the par-5 17th, a long dogleg right starting out from an elevated tee. The signature 15th hole is particularly enjoyable yet challenging; players must hit into the mountain on this par-4, which features a creek running down its left side and across the green. And though the wind might make play a little more difficult on certain days, the sun never will – all of Shadow Creek’s holes have been structured so that the sun will never shine directly in a player’s eyes.
Reportedly, Tom Fazio designed Shadow Creek with no budget limit whatsoever, creating what is essentially a golf wonderland. And though playing on this wonderland isn’t cheap, it’s an amazing experience for any lover of the game.
