Las Vegas Paiute

STORY BY CARL MICKELSON

I know it’s different for locals, but there’s no arguing that, for visiting guests, the Las Vegas Strip is the heartbeat of this destination city with never-ending attractions, adventures, and chances to make a varied and storied array of memories.

ven just now, a fast-flashing highlight reel of my own uniquely Vegas moments has started to play in my head. Like helping break up what would have been a nasty fracas between bawdy comedy quasi-legend Andrew “Dice” Clay and the wiry opening road comic who had just soundly outclassed the Dice Man on the stage. Being pelted by the projectile tears of a stranger, a young woman who was emotionally overwhelmed and entranced by the opportunity to hug a dolphin at the Siegfried and Roy Secret Garden zoo at The Mirage, also stands out. Then, there was an epic 36-minute run at the craps table that ended with an uncommonly fashionable young Armenian gentlemen grabbing my face in his hands, kissing my cheek and shouting, “Hot Hands, you just bought my girlfriend a new f--ing car!” I had wagered significantly less, apparently. That night continued with witnessing a wheelchair-bound, cross-dressing dead-ringer for Fred “Rerun” Berry perform the most spinetinglingly brilliant karaoke version of Prince’s “Purple Rain” at the now long-gone dive, the Laughing Jackalope. I could go on (and on),

but we’re here to talk golf, right?

Sometimes, though, the greatest Vegas memories are made when you venture from the strip and discover the region’s natural wonders. Those wonders are thankfully and graciously on full display at the Las Vegas Paiute Resort, the 54-hole oasis where Pete Dye fittingly carved out an unforgettable collection of thrilling risk/reward holes 25 minutes northwest of the flashing-neon risk/ reward capital of the universe.

There first thing that stands out about the three golf courses at Paiute is that each hole, each vista and everything as far as the eye can see is undisturbed by houses or other manmade infrastructure. The serenity of the land and its surrounding pairs well with Dye’s Snow Mountain, Sun Mountain and The Wolf courses, which each provide a challenging, finely manicure and always-engaging experience.

This is upscale daily-fee golf in a setting the feels like a private club or boutique resort with superb playing conditions and the world-class shot value Pete Dye-designed courses aways deliver.

It all began for Paiute in 1995 when the country’s first master-planned multi-course resort took shape on the Las Vegas Paiute Native American tribe’s land with the opening of the Snow Mountain course. Paiute’s original course stretches to 7,164 total yards from the tips. With generous rye grass fairways, seven holes with water hazards, a layout with no parallel fairways, this is a pure golfing journey. Featuring traditional Dye railroad tie-decorated bunkers and demanding dogleg finishing holes, some golfers still consider the original is the signature experience at Paiute. The 16th, a par 3, is a nervy tester of a par three with water down the left and fronting the edge of the green. The 18th, which flanks the impressive 50,000-square foot clubhouse, provides a final chance for glory or humbling defeat with water hazard down the left side and daring you to take on the day’s final pin placement with a gutsy swing.

Sun Mountain, plays to a pleasing 7,112 total yards and is the tamest of the courses. A gentler more “in front of you” Dye design, Sun Mountain showcases natural rolling terrain and enchanting scenery thanks to elevations of 2,800 feet. Playing this course makes you feel on the edge of nature as you play away from the clubhouse and deeper into the desert. The wonderfully framed long uphill par-four 12th shows off a backdrop of the majestic Spring Mountains, indigenous desert landscape, and sloping landscapes that epitomizes the grandeur of this desert setting. This a fun, cerebral lay- out with no shortage of dogleg holes, carries over hardscrabble desert and tempting angles into the greens that beckon you to fire away at some pins.

The Wolf is Paiute’s newest and most-difficult layout, playing a daunting 7,604 yards from the back tees. In fact, it’s the longest course in Nevada. The WOLF delivers showstopping shot values along with the unfettered beauty of the surrounding desert. Everyone remembers the island-green 15th hole. Playing 182 from the tips, it’s a mega-sized version of the famous 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass and every bit as nerve-rattling. Notably, Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb officially opened the course by competing in Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf and shot 65 and 64, respectively. Choose the proper set of tees when you take on The WOLF and you’re guaranteed a fun ride.

Ancestors of the Las Vegas Paiute tribe, the Tudinu (or Desert People) occupied the territory encompassing part of the Colorado River, most of southeastern Nevada and parts of both Southern California and Utah. Being on this land, you still get a sense of the wildness, the freedom and the sense of wonder that must have filled these intrepid natives.

Those of us who are passionate about golf have a cheat code of sorts. We learn how to gravitate to places like Paiute to escape the air-conditioned, spinning-ball distractions in the hearts of our cities and find a respite in nature. That being said, the 50,000-square-foot clubhouse at The Las Vegas Pauite Resort is full of great reasons to chill out inside for an extended while. The casual and fine dining alone are worth the drive out to Paiute, but the cigar lounge takes things to the next level as does the array of options in the clubhouse’s pro shop which was twice been named “Best Pro Shop” by VegasGolfer Magazine. Relaxing, imbibing, and indulging were never better than with an alluring mountain view to take in as you reflect on the best shots of the day along with the ones that got away.

The Wolf is ranked among the Top 15 in Golf Digest’s List of Best Golf Courses in Nevada, while The Wolf, Sun Mountain and Snow Mountain rank 10th, 11th and 14th, respectively in Golfweek’s list of Best Public Courses in Nevada.

A subtlety of the playing experience at Las Vegas Paiute Resort is the excellent playing conditions derived from the use of rye grass, which reduces the need to overseed and facilitates top-tier turf interaction and playing conditions all year long.

It’s the attention to detail, the boldness of Dye’s design and the richness of the the overall setting that elevate this golf resort - which has Stay and Play options available through a host of MGM properties – to must-play status. Do a little research and plan a couple of days at this desert gem at LVPaiuteGolf.com