COURSE REVIEW

Lexington course
at Revere is high
and hard enough
to make you dizzy

By Tim McDonald,
Contributor

HENDERSON, Nev. (Sept. 23, 2004) - The Revere Golf Club's two courses wind their way through the rugged Las Vegas foothills, about a thousand feet above the booming city.

Silverstone could become Las Vegas golfing diamond Welcome to Great Britain, Las Vegas Style The Golf Club at Bear Dance Painted Desert Golf Course

Gamble low, golf high..

The courses slither up, down, around and through deep canyons and arroyos, giving up vistas of distant mountains and the city. Most tee boxes are elevated and the views through the clear, mountain air are panoramic. See the smog hanging over Sin City like a condemnation of its wicked ways..

You could walk these courses or drive a cart and the view alone would be worth it..

The Lexington course is one of two at the club, near the master planned, "age-restricted" community of Sun City Anthem, not to be confused with Sun City Alianta or Sun City Summerlin. Thus, the courses are set amidst yet another Las Vegas-area retirement community, but the houses are mostly set back more unobtrusively than similar projects, such as Siena Golf Club..

The houses go anywhere from $250,000 to $750,000. Tony Curtis has a studio here, where he paints the spectacular views, among other subjects..

Don't try any funny business here - Sun City has a security patrol made up of elders who watch the area in radio-equipped patrol cars. They won't swing billy clubs, but they will report you to the cops in a heartbeat. This is when they're not having "unlimited fun" as the brochure promises..

So skip the mischief and stick to golf. The Lexington course at 7,143 yards is a little less forgiving than the Concord. It throws most challenges one would expect from a high and hard desert course - forced carries over craggy canyons, rolling and sharply banked fairways, uphill shots to dramatically elevated greens that drop off sharply to oblivion..

The Revere's theme is based on Paul Revere: "a revolutionary golf experience.".

That's a tad exaggerated, though it made Golf Magazine's "top new course you can play" when it opened in 1999..

"I'd put it in the top 30 percent (of Las Vegas' 60-odd courses)," said Wally Russell, a veteran Vegas golfer. "There are a lot of people who don't like all the forced carries and elevation changes, mostly old farts.".

Billy Casper and Greg Nash designed it, and if you're looking for some tough golf, you can find it here from the back tees. If you don't want such a daunting challenge, there are four other sets of tee boxes..

Many of the fairways are mounded, helping to keep the ball in play. But there are enough hazards and forced carries to keep you digging into your bag of balls.

No. 7 is a doozy. It is a relatively short, 489-yard par-5 that's downhill off the tee and has a long bunker on the left and a deep gully to the right. The second shot is uphill to an elevated two-tiered green guarded by bunkers in front and a waterfall behind. It's reachable in two but requires precision on your tee shot..

No. 10 is tricky, too. "You'll either love this hole or hate it," Russell said..

It's downhill and only 379 yards, but you must avoid the deep arroyo and the bunker complex that guards the green. No. 11 is another downhiller and the fairway twists and turns like a western diamondback. The fairway is vast, but has islands of desert in the middle and other spots that can catch even your good shots.

The verdict

Russell had it about right: This is in the top 30 percent of Vegas-area courses. It isn't overly long, but the scenery is terrific and the course can be very challenging; it's one of the toughest courses in the area, in fact. If you're a fan of target golf, forced carries and serious elevation changes, you'll enjoy the Lexington course..

The views are magnificent and the many houses don't over-impose on the atmosphere, though you never forget you're playing where a bunch of people live. Due to over-seeding, there were some rough spots on the course, which should grow in over time..

One warning: watch out for the goose droppings. They're everywhere.

Places to stay

Henderson is an upscale suburb of Las Vegas, so you have your choice of low to high-end Vegas digs. Henderson itself has a wide range of accommodations if you want to get away from the road-clogging traffic of the city..

You can choose from 5-star hotels like the Green Valley Ranch Resort or the Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas..

Or you can go low: if you pick the Sunset Station Casino, which advertises discount coupons, make sure they have them on hand before you book. Also, you might want to inquire if they have ongoing construction; guests have complained about construction noise in the past.

Places to eat

Tenuta, adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton, features arched picture windows giving a view of MonteLago Village.

Japengo at the Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas has a 10-seat sushi bar and an extensive selection of wines and, of course, saki, if you're feeling cocky.

But your best bet may be the Skyline Restaurant and Casino, where the locals go. It's old and nothing fancy, but the prices are much cheaper -- like the breakfast of eggs, hash browns, bacon and a New York strip -- and the portions larger than The Strip.

Tee times

Las Vegas Golf by PGA Pros:
TravelGolf Vegas - 1-866-456-9912.

For the best golf packages and best rates in Las Vegas:
Las Vegas Golf Travel - 1-866-483-6096.

Las Vegas Next Day Golf >> .

Arizona Golf Packages and Tee Times:
AZ Teetimes - 1-866-444-0992

Fast fact

Special twilight rates begin at 1 p.m. in September; 12:30 p.m. in October and November and 12 p.m. in December.

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.