Mesquite is a town of around 15,000 about 80 miles north east of Vegas. A straight shot on interstate 15, There are some pretty mountain views along the way but not much else to look at as you drive through the desert.
In order to get both rounds in I had to book an 8am tee time at Wolf Creek. That meant a pre-sunrise wake up call in Vegas to let me make the drive up to Mesquite. A good thing this was my first day in Vegas and my body was still on Central time, so the early wake up really wasn't so early.
Wolf Creek opened in 2000. While not the first course in the area, it was the one that really put Mesquite on the map as a golf destination. There are now something like 16 courses in the area of Mesquite and nearby St George, Utah, just a little further up the road. Everything I have heard about all of the courses are highly touted. It would be very easy to spend a week in this area and be difficult to get around to all the courses. For my day trip I wanted to make sure I hit Wolf Creek, and then chose Conestoga as my second round of the day.
Wolf Creek course was designed by Dennis and Jon Rider. It is in the upper third of the 100 best public courses in America from Golf Digest. And it ranks in the top few spots in Nevada behind some of the $500+ courses in Vegas. The course offers 5 sets of tees, from the tips it plays at 6,939 yards down to 4,101 yards at the forward tees. Here are the specifics of the tees:
| Tees | Yards | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger (Black) | 6,939 | 154 | 75.4 |
| Champions (Blue) | 6,309 | 138 | 70.9 |
| Masters (White) | 5,798 | 134 | 68.2 |
| Signature (Yellow) | 5,064 | 125 | 65.7 |
| Classics (Red) | 4,101 | 106 | 61.0 |
One thing that surprised me is that Wolf Creek is it is essentially right in town. From the looks of the course I always thought it was off into the desert. The course is largely house free, though a couple are creeping near, like on the second hole.
Pulling into the parking lot, the club house is just a few steps from the bag drop. The club house features a small but nicely stocked pro shop and a large dining/bar area.
Back to the right, across the lot is the driving range. The range is an irons only setup that I used briefly just to get in the groove and get the 90 minute car ride out of my system.
The wall in the distance is maybe 220 yards max from the teeing area. I mostly focused hitting mid irons to get ready.
Heading back passed the clubhouse you round the corner and get your first glimpse of the fantasy playground that will be your host for the next few hours. The first tee is elevated above the opening par 5. The view here is tremendous but just one of the first that you will have during your round. Make sure your batteries are charged for your camera/phone as you are going to need it. I ended up taking over 300 pictures during my round, there are just so many beautiful vistas.
I do believe that this is the first golf course that I have played that is also featured in the Tiger Woods golfing video game series. I can see why, because this place is just amazing. As I climbed atop many of the tees and looked out at the emerald fairways nestled into the white and red cliffs I constantly kept thinking of the game Candyland. You see that is what Wolf Creek is. It is the the golfing equivalent of Candyland.
Wolf Creek- the Candyland of Golf.
From left to right: The 17th green, 18th fairway, 9th hole, and back up the 1st hole.
Everything here is over the top. The views, the verdant grass in the middle of the desert, the water features, it all boggles the mind. I hear talk that courses like this offend golf purists. As if all courses need to be wind whipped links hanging on for dear life so they aren't swallowed by the raging North Sea. I know I ran into that sentiment in Ireland after telling people I played Old Head. Typical responses were something like: "Old Head? That is not a golf course!"
Wolf Creek is not a traditional course, by any means. What it is, is shear unadulterated fun. Playing here you will have views like nowhere else. Have to hit shots that seem ill advised, and you will do it smiling and snapping pictures all the while.
A surreal masterpiece.
One thing to note about Wolf Creek. It is strictly a riding course. Not taking carts here would seem to me to be impossible. I love to walk courses and riding is not my preferred operandi, but with all of the constant elevation changes- climbs to tees perched atop the cliffs, and steep descents down into the lush valleys; anything but a cart would be far too impractical.
Lets get onto the course!
Wolf Creek Hole 1-3
Wolf Creek Hole 4-6
Wolf Creek Hole 7-9
Wolf Creek Hole 10-12
Wolf Creek Hole 13-15
Wolf Creek Hole 16-18
