LAS VEGAS, NV (Jan. 6, 2021)–With 54 holes of golf to choose from, picking out favorite holes at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort would seem like an easy task. But, it’s tougher than it looks as the Snow Mountain, Sun Mountain and Wolf courses–all three Pete Dye masterpieces–offer holes that are stunning as well as challenging. Picking two favorites from each one is tough, but we’ll give it our best shot.–by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider staff
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SNOW MOUNTAIN
Let’s start with the original course, which opened in 1994, and pick the 16th hole as one of our favorites. The par-3 hits 198 yards from the tips.
The tee shot (from the back) is all carry over water. In other words, don’t be short. Bailout is a little right but a bunker can come into play. Needless to say, accuracy is a must.
Add in the par-4 18th, an impressive closing hole at 445 yards, and you’ve got a closing stretch that can make or break a round. The dogleg left hole has water left from tee to green. In other words, stay right off the tee and with your approach. Your golf ball supply will thank you.
SUN MOUNTAIN
Opening a year later, this doubled the resort’s number of holes to 36 and gave players that much more variety.
Our favorites list adds another par-3 to the choices with the fourth hole. Stretching to 206 yards this one offers players everything they look for in a par-3…and more. From the tips, it’s all carry and if you play a draw, you’ve got to start the shot over the water and hope it comes back. But there is a bunker short that can help save players.
The 18th, similar to the closing hole on the Snow Mountain course, also makes the list. The par-4, 404-yard hole is a finishing hole that again makes tremendous use of bunkering, water (it’s everywhere) and sightlines.
The dogleg left hole is shorter than the Snow’s finishing hole giving players the chance to take less than driver off the tee to set up a better angle. But don’t be fooled into relaxing, players will still face a daunting approach shot.
WOLF
That brings us to the third course, Wolf, and its legendary layout. Opened in 2001, the layout has drawn rave reviews with its challenging layout.
Two of the holes late in the round are a pair of favorites.
The first one, the par-4 14th, stretches out to a stout 492 yards. That’s PGA Tour-length for a par-4. Add in narrow landing areas, a severe dogleg to the right and a green surrounded by bunkers and you’ve got the makings of one of the toughest tests around. This hole is the only one of our favorites without water present, but the desert surroundings come into play. And that’s especially true off the tee as players need to try and cut as much of the dogleg off as possible to shorten the approach shot. The good news here is golf balls are findable–and playable–in the waste areas.
And then there’s the 15th. C’mon, you didn’t think we would leave out the famed island green did you? At 200-plus yards from an elevated tee this par-3 hole is an impressive sight…unless you’ve got a golf club in your hands and trying to find land on this narrow green.
It’s one of those golf holes that will have players holding their breath until their golf ball comes to rest…hopefully on the green.
There you have it, six impressive golf holes (with another 48 that will be on other peoples’ lists) that will impress players with their beauty as well as their toughness.
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