(May 2009) Having come from Tampa FL to spend a week in Mesquite playing golf, I was a little disappointed when I stepped up to the first tee at the Palms Golf Club. It brought back so many memories of the type of course I was familiar with: flat and boring with a lot of water, palm trees, and sand. As I played the front nine, this feeling continued however I thought to myself, I know how to play this type of course, I can score well. And I did.

Then I hit the back nine, talk about a surprise. We just went from the sunshine state to barren desert in a matter of minutes - what happened? The front nine allows you to grip it and rip it off the tees; the fairways are wide open and very forgiving. The back nine requires a lot of accuracy off the tees as hitting certain landing areas is essential to shooting a low score. Long drives are rewarded on the front nine; on the back they lead to long lonely trips back to the tee box to hit again.

The Palms Golf Club is the oldest 18-hole course in Mesquite; however it still maintains its reputation as one of the best. It is a William Hull design and plays over 6800 yards from the back tees with a rating of 72.9 and a slope of 125. Lakes, sand traps, and over 200 palm trees create stunning hole layouts. Extended fairways are featured on the front nine, while mountainous terrain characterizes the back nine. On the front side no hole other than a par 3 is less than 400 yards (from the back tees).

Memorable Holes

Number 4: Par 5, 541 yards. The number one handicapped hole and with good reason. You will need a very accurate tee shot to avoid the fairway bunkers on the left and on the right, then as if that's not enough, you will need to avoid the large pond on the right on your layup shot. Long ball hitters will have the option of going for it in two but not without consequences. For the rest of us, a good layup shot left of the pond will leave a short chip to an elevated green surrounded by two bunkers.

Number 8: Par 4, 442 yards. This hole, with its elevated tee box, provides a good warm-up for the back nine. Water off the tee should not come into play (if it does, consult the pro shop for lessons) and the fairway bunker on the left is easy to fly at less than 240 yards form the back tees. You'll want to favor the left side in order to take out of play the four bunkers down the right side. A good drive will still leave a long to mid iron approach shot to a green well guarded by bunkers that eat up many misjudged shots.

Number 10: Par 5, 518 yards. As you make the turn from number nine, you realize that the game just got a little different and things (scores) are going to change. You are faced with a blind tee shot with nothing to aim at but a barber's pole; it becomes a trust issue! Once you get to the top of the fairway, you will find the dogleg, a subtle bend to the left. Long ball hitters should have no problem getting down in two as the green lies well below the fairway. You will need to get to the green via the air mail route however as it is elevated and running it unto the green is not very likely. The green is somewhat small and is protected on all sides by sand. Take a par here and get ready for the rest of this spectacular nine.

Number 14: Par 3, 190 yards. Club choice here is essential as there is literally no middle ground. It is 190 yards of pure carry to a large green that awaits on the other side of a very deep ravine. There is no bailout and over the green is not good as more desert abounds. Par here is a good score.

Number 15: Par 5, 545 yards. Standing on this tee box and looking at the surroundings is very awe inspiring; then you realize you still have to hit a tee shot. The tee box here is elevated over 110 feet from the fairway below and has a short, narrow canal on the left side; right where many golf balls land! Rocky desert terrain awaits errant tee shots to the left while a well placed fairway bunker lies waiting on the right. Actually, bunkers line the right side of the fairway for the entire length of the hole. A good second shot that avoids the natural hazards will leave a relatively short chip shot to a large, slightly elevated green with several subtle undulations.

The Palms Golf Club has a large driving area that will accommodate even the largest outings as well as a good sized practice green and a beverage cart filled with all of your favorite adult beverages. The Palms Golf Club lives up to its billing of "Nine holes of beauty followed by nine holes of sheer terror." Currently, there are some pretty good deals including happy hour golf where you can get a round of twilight golf and two cocktails for just 30 dollars