Badlands Golf Club

By Dave Scott, TravelGolf.com Reader Review

LAS VEGAS, NV - Las Vegas is one of the few places where playing golf saves you money. No matter how high the green fees - and they can get pretty steep here - being on the golf course probably is cheaper than sitting in a casino.

Perhaps that's the reason that golf in Sin City is flourishing. There may be almost as many courses as pawn shops. According to one industry figure, the number of courses in the greater Las Vegas region has boomed to 41 from 16 during the past five years.

And most of these new ones are spectacular. The phenomenon of lush green grass in the middle of the stark desert is astounding enough, but when you add in canyons and boulders, all with a rugged mountain backdrop, Las Vegas golf can be breathtaking - especially for any of us visiting from the flat prairie of North Texas.

The Badlands is a prime example. The original 18 holes opened in 1995 (another nine was added later) and the enthusiastic response to its dazzling layout is credited with sparking much of the ensuing development. Former PGA Tour superstar-turned-television analyst Johnny Miller embraced the craggy terrain to create a course a daredevil could love.

It seems as if all the holes teeter on the edges of gorges and ravines. These hazards were especially daunting to us. And after a few shots were lost into the chasms, we figured out why. While it's one thing to stand on the tee box and to see to a lake or a thick of grove of trees, it's another to stare down into the mouth of the monster that hungrily awaits your doomed ball.

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Each of the three sets of nine holes has its own name: Desperado, Diablo and Outlaw, with the first two being the originals and the ones that we played.

The Badlands' personality emerges in earnest at No. 6, with a steep ravine lining the left side. No. 7 is a short par 4 that doglegs right into a hidden and narrow green.

Then comes what is probably the signature hole: a moderate length par 3 with a gaping and picturesque rift cutting across diagonally that forces a long carry to safety. The green itself is long and curled. On our visit, the pin was tucked in its farthest and most treacherous position. Club selection is tricky and pivotal. No. 9 then plays on the other side of the canyon.

The back nine winds closer to the scenic Red Rock Mountains and culminates with two holes played up a chute between the hills.

If purists insist on finding fault with the course, they may not like several of the blind shots that arise early in the course. Any course that attracts a lot of first-timers should go easy on blind shots or at least provide a sharply defined target zone.

But this is nitpicking to be sure. These Badlands have been made into good golf lands.