When it comes time to ante up or tee off, no place does it like Las Vegas.  A desert oasis of excitement and entertainment, known as the gaming capital of the world, Las Vegas is also a thriving golf haven.  The courses in Las Vegas are so good, it's sinful.

Las Vegas attracts over 30 million visitors each year and hosts over 20,000 conventions.  But even the brightest lights on the Las Vegas strip can't out pace the action on the golf courses in Las Vegas.  With so many options, golfers don't have to look far to find a premier championship golf course to take their mind away from the tables.

Located conveniently close to the strip, stragecially nestled into the foothills of Las Vegas is one of the most desired real estate developments in the southwest.  A 3,000 acre master planned community, Southern Highlands offers 1.7 million people a sense of reality in a city built on the sensation of fantasy.  One city, two stories. 

The infamous father and son design team of Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Jr. collaborated to create a traditional design featuring dramatic elevation changes, challenging bunker patterns and large contouring greens.  Like many Robert Trent Jones designs, fairway bunkers serve as targets off the tee offering a variety of risk reward options for the longer hitter.  Carry the fairway bunkers and you'll find a realistic chance at birdie.  Opt to play short of the fairway bunker and you find a longer approach to a very undulating green.  

Putting the greens at Southern Highlands presents a variety of challenges.  The mountains influence the subtle breaks making it difficult to get confident over your chosen line.  

We played the course at over 7,000 yards, which felt like a 6,800 yard golf course in the midwest.  The course played very fast giving a little extra roll to a well hit tee shot.  The greens were firm, but received well struck iron shots favorably allowing you to do a little flag hunting when you found yourself with a short iron approach.

The longer hitter is presented a few interesting options during the round.  Starting on the par 4, 5th hole, a longer hitter may elect to fire right at the green.  The 275 yard carry over water to a narrow green with water surrounding the right side of the green and bunkers guarding the left presents an enticing risk / reward opportunity.  

The par 4, 16th hole, (Photo above) presents another decision to the big hitters.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.  This 423 yard hole has a split fairway divided by native vegetation.  Risk a longer tee shot to the landign area on the left side of the fairway and you'll have a short iron or wedge into the green.  Play safe by taking a longer route to the right and you'll face more trouble getting to the green over the greenside bunkers. 

Every March, Under clear blue skies and endless sunshine, the nation's best collegiate golf teams gather at the acclaimed Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas to compete in the Southern Highlands Collegiate Championship.  Host, University of Nevada Las Vegas captured the team title in 2008 with Rory Hie of USC winning the individual honors.  The 2009 championship will be held March 5 - 7.