READER MARSHAL REVIEW

Lake Las Vegas is a fantasy world

By Jon Bloom, Reader Marshal

Having already been placed on many of the “Top Golf Resorts in America” lists even before Tom Weiskopf joined the party with The Falls in 2002, and the expected arrival of a Tom Fazio design in the near future, Lake Las Vegas Resort not only has enough golf to keep you occupied for awhile, but it has everything you need to get away from reality and live in the fantasy world for as long as you desire. Let's be honest, when Las Vegas is in the name, that fantasy world is implied right off the bat. After taking the half-hour drive from the Strip, however, you enter a totally different environment at the resort.

The Falls

The newest addition to the Lake Las Vegas family is a par-72 resort layout that takes you through unimaginable rugged mountain and desert terrain which begs the question: “How the heck did they build a golf course here?” Somehow, Tom Weiskopf designed a challenging and dramatic 18-hole layout and did so making it seem like it actually belongs there.

The front nine takes you along the desert floor with several forced carries necessary over desert washes while the back nine at times will remind you of that roller coaster you dreamed of as a kid with elevations changes of over 300 feet. The only difference is you are surrounded by gorgeous mountains and plush fairways and greens rather than screaming kids with stuffed animals.

In addition to the beauty of the course's surroundings which include breathtaking waterfalls measuring over 150 feet on both the 11 th and 17 th holes, the par-5 12 th hole offers up a tremendous view of both the resort and the Las Vegas Strip which sits 17 miles to the west. It's a good thing there is such a fine view because the hole is extremely treacherous with a blind second shot coming before an approach to a well- guarded green.

Even Weiskopf himself would have to break a sweat to play under par at this 7,250-yard par-72 monster. It features several narrow landing areas and sneaky hazards that come into play. In fact, I dare you to find a better example of how important club selection can be when it comes to the game of golf. Those factors, along with the course's condition and its aesthetic beauty make it a must-play for both the weekend hacker and the aspiring pro.

The Falls is also accompanied by one of the more stunning clubhouses I've ever seen. It was created to emulate and old winery in the classic Tuscan-style and also includes a 60-foot tall bell tower which will unobtrusively let you know just how long that round is taking as you make your way around the course.

Reflection Bay Golf Club

It says something when Jack Nicklaus takes enough time build not one, but two golf courses on the same piece of property. After designing the private SouthShore Golf Club which opened back in 1995, “The Golden Bear” returned to finish off what many believe to be one of his finest efforts with Reflection Bay . It is the first resort course he designed in Nevada and it has understandably been the talk of Las Vegas golfers for the past six years.

The former host to the annual Wendy 's Three-Tour Challenge tournament has been topping all sorts of charts since it opened in 1998 and it is easy to see why. Nicklaus has come up with a severely challenging yet playable layout that is as visually stimulating as it is mind-boggling to believe that there is actually a large body of water sitting in the middle of the Las Vegas desert.

The first piece of advice when it comes to Reflection Bay is to make sure you get yourself in a practice bunker and keep yourself there for awhile to prepare for the experience that awaits you. Even the most accurate players will likely dig in to at least a bit of sand before the day is done.

Nicklaus did a fantastic job using the already existing topography to fit the holes like a jigsaw puzzle into a great piece of land. You will follow a cascading stream with waterfalls from the practice green to the first tee where the stream opens into a four-acre lake. The opening holes on each nine mirror each other in an uphill fashion before the eventual turn downwards which is accompanied by vistas of the 320-acre body of water aptly named Lake Las Vegas , which comes into play on both the par-3 eighth and 17 th holes.

Reflection Bay stands out for a number of reasons, but what differentiates it from the rest of Las Vegas golf is the water. Only five of the 18 holes bring water hazards into play, but the fact that you are playing a resort course in the desert that happens to sit along a lake supplies you with a very unique experience.

Now once your round is over there is a wide array of choices presented to you at Lake Las Vegas Resort. You can go right back to work on that game at the highly regarded Jim Flick Golf School, enjoy a great meal at one of the several top-notch restaurants, or lay your head on a pillow at the 496-room Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas Spa and Casino or the 350-room Ritz Carlton at the adjacent MonteLago Village. All in all, I can't imagine finding a more all-inclusive resort experience that includes the type of championship golf Lake Las Vegas has to offer.