I had the chance today to drive down from Las Vegas to play Laughlin Ranch. It is a 90 minute drive, but worth every minute of it! Some of you had asked me in a previous thread about good, affordable golf close to Vegas, and this course certainly fits the bill.
If Dave D. is reading, I want to say congratulations on a job well done. There are a lot of good golf holes down there. The first hole is a downhill par 5 that swings right to left and then abruptly uphill for a nice partially blind approach, where the green actually backs up very close to the eighth green. A nice opener! Next hole is a strong short uphill par 4, that leaves enough room in front to go for it, and then has collection areas behind for shots that go long. These collection areas are noted throughout the course and really make the desert style courses so much better to play around the greens. Number 4 was probably my favorite hole. A long rolling par 4 (478yds) which ends with a huge "punchbowl" like green complex! There are large bunkers with fingers of grass (Thomas) also throughout the course. The start to the backside 10, 11, 12 is particularly strong. A 447yd par 4 uphill with a killer green, followed by a 650yd uphill, that's right, uphill par 5, followed by a blind par 4 with what looks like a "cliffhanger" green. The view to the east while chipping up to the long 11th is rolling desert hills all the way to the mountains. I hope that view will be preserved, as it doesn't look like any real estate is planned there.
Number 15 has been written about here before, but when I played it today, I must say that I didn't really think the left fairway was in play. It is completely blind from the Gold (Tips) tees, and my GPS said it was a 292yd carry to reach it. That is out of reach for almost everyone, although I don't know what the yardage to reach was from the other tee boxes.
All in all a great course with some solid holes and strong architectural features, including a "Dell" type par 3.
For anyone planning a trip to Vegas, I would now consider it a very strong recommendation. As it matures, I think it will be a must-play. The whole experience at LR is first class, with nothing spared in creating a world-class clubhouse, locker room, pro shop. I didn't want to leave the grill as I watched college BB on the flat screen plasma's!!
Congrats again to David D., and let me know your thoughts on my comments.
(By the way, weather was in 70's, with not a breath of wind!!)