The Skinny

As you pull into the parking lot at Wolf Creek, you are immediately met by an attendant who greets you and asks your tee time. He will then direct you to the pro shop and, when you emerge from there, he will direct you to the driving range and practice facility.

Although the driving range is surrounded by a large net that rises about 100 feet from the ground, you are still urged to not hit driver off the practice tee. You see, beyond the driving range is an airport and, apparently, they have lodged several complaints about errant golf balls. I don't know about you but I have yet to hit an airplane from the practice tee or anywhere else; in fact, it seems to me that you are more likely to hit them with a sand wedge or other highly lofted club. But I digress...

If you are passionate about your game, get ready for the round of your life. Not only is this the most aesthetically beautiful golf course I have ever played, it is also like a trip to the amusement park. Few roller coasters I have been on have as many twists and turns and ups and downs of the cart paths. The cart paths are too narrow to pass even your playing partners, so you are somewhat at their mercy on the hills.

The course possesses no shortage of wildlife; desert tortoise, jack rabbits, road runners, gila monsters, coyotes, and Mexican wolves call the landscape around Wolf Creek home.

Most of your tee shots are downhill from elevated tee boxes, some offering a good hike from the cart path. There are uphill tee shots on two holes; the one I recall vividly is on number 3, a 175 yard par 3 that plays over 200 yards straight uphill. You can only see the top of the flagstick from the tee box.

Awards

• Voted "America's Best New Course" by Golf Digest when it opened in 2000
• ranked 22nd in the digest's 2003-04 "America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses,"

Memorable Holes

Number 1: Par 5, 504 yards. Stand on the tee and take it all in; this par 5 gives you a great look at things to come. The elevated tee plays down to a wide fairway some 50 feet below, and the second and third shots play uphill to the three-tiered green. The green is guarded by bunkers and water on the right that starts at the 150 yards marker. Eleven bunkers come into play on the first hole and on number one as throughout the round, positioning on the green is critical.

Number 5: Par 5, 469 yards. This tee box may well offer the best view of the course. From here it's possible to see most of the other holes as well as the city of Mesquite. That being said, the par-5 fifth is also one of Wolf Creek's best. The fairway lies some 100 feet below the tee, and a stream meanders across it, daring players to cut the corner. Once you have navigated the creek, the rest is fairly easy, play straight up the chute to an elevated green. The green is long and narrow so being on the right tier of the green with your approach shot is essential to a low score on this hole.

Number 10: Par 4, 446 yards. Although the tee shot looks quite intimidating from the bluff, there is actually a lot more of a landing area than you might think, even if you push your shot right. Your approach shot will play slightly uphill, so be sure to hit enough club. The green is kidney shaped and is flanked by bunkers both left and right with the trap on the right being fairly deep.

Number 13: Par 4, 341 yards. How often do you have the opportunity to shorten a dogleg by fading a ball around a mountain? That's exactly what number 13 affords the golfer, a chance to do the unimaginable. Although the hole plays just 341 yards (a lot less if you successfully manage to trim the dogleg), the fairway is wedged between two canyons. The dogleg is more like a right turn and whether you hit driver or a lesser club around the corner, you will have a relatively short approach shot to a very narrow green that slopes severely from back to front. Keeping the ball below the hole here is important for a low score.

Number 17: Par 5, 527 yards. Number 17 is a true risk/reward hole although this really only applies to long ball hitters. The rest of us need to rely on a solid approach shot! This hole is target golf at its finest. Keep left off the tee to avoid the rather large, well placed fairway bunker on the right. From there you will have a layup shot that needs to clear a creek and yet be short of a pond that guards the front and right side of the green. The green is long and guarded by a bunker on the right.

All golfers have their "must play" courses and surely Wolf Creek needs to make any golfer's list. Many courses can brag about having a great view from one hole, maybe two, or three. But Wolf Creek offers tremendous views from sixteen of its 18 holes.

Perhaps being featured on EA Sports Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 2009 has increased Wolf Creek's popularity; I played with a guy over the Memorial Day weekend who drove from Los Angeles, CA to play the course because it was on his video game. As a matter of fact, he recognized most of the holes from the game and commented that they were well done on the game. He too around the mountain on number 13, just like he does regularly on the video game!

Wolf Creek has teamed up with the Eureka Casino and a couple of other local courses to offer Red Carpet Packages make it even more attractive to tee it up at this highly-rated layout as well as other popular nearby courses. The one-night package includes an advance tee time at Wolf Creek along with lodging at the Eureka Casino Hotel where the players win. The two-night package adds a round at Falcon Ridge Golf Club while the three-night includes The Palmer course at Oasis Golf Club. Prices range from $215 for the one-night package to $585 for the three-night package for a single player.