By Brian Hurlburt
More and more of us were born and/or grew up in the Las Vegas area, and if that is the case and you are a golfer, you have fond memories of the old Winterwood or Desert Rose golf course. The layout is affectionately and somewhat endearingly known as “The Ditch” due to a flood channel that runs between many of the holes. The Ditch is dastardly and memorable and a local landmark.
These days, the Clark County-owned course goes by Club at Sunrise. New leadership is bringing back the good ole days and embracing the history of the course. Kevin McEvoy, who served as the PGA of America, Southwest Section, Southern Nevada Chapter executive director for several years, is the new general manager. He and his team from Kemper Sports have jumped in with big ideas and a plan to bring a new vibe.
“We are embracing the Kemper Sports ‘best in class’ mentality, so when golfers come to Club at Sunrise, we want to display the best experience of our competitive course set,” McEvoy says. “We are focusing on a service-first mentality, fair and competitive pricing, full-service amenities, good course conditions, and a staff that will make a golfer feel welcome and have fun. We are making sure that we are here to serve the golfing community of Clark County to the best of our abilities.”
Go to TheClubatSunrise.com if you want to play or more info.
The course opened as Winterwood in 1964 and is where many locals grew up playing and learning the sport. Plus, some of the top amateur tournaments were decided there. Former PGA Tour players Craig Barlow and 1990 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Robert Gamez each won the Clark County Amateur at what was then Desert Rose. Other top amateurs and Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame members have also won at the previous Desert Rose.
View this post on Instagram
The course closed in 2012 following massive flooding, but reopened in 2016 as Club at Sunrise. As was noted at the time of the re-opening, the golf course was part of a vital and extensive multi-million dollar flood control project for the area.
Even with the redesign and renovation, some of the Desert Rose and Winterwood mystique remains, including many of the original pine trees, plus some of the holes feel the same. A unique note is the current 9th hole plays nearly the opposite way of what the original first hole was at Winterwood/Desert Rose. Those who know will know when they step to the 9th tee.
The “old” 6-foot ditch was transformed into a massive, winding, grass-banked flood channel. Hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of dirt was removed to create the life-saving flood area.
Upon the Club at Sunrise opening, a new clubhouse came along with it and is a gathering spot for several Southern Nevada Golf Association member clubs and everyday golfers. Recently, the Club at Sunrise also became an official Southern Nevada Golf Association club.
A goal for McEvoy and his team is to embrace to local golf organizations. Plans are to host a Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association tournament in 2025 and an event with the UNLV Professional Golf Management program is in the works. Other amateur events may follow.
“A main focus we have is to ensure our local organizations know we that we want to partner with them and make them feel very welcome,” McEvoy says. “The history of this course prior to Club at Sunrise is that it was always a big part of the community. We want to bring that back.”
A highlight of the reopening of the Club at Sunrise was the implementation of salt and drought tolerant Paspalum greens, the first of their kind in the Las Vegas area when they debuted. Now, the Club at Sunrise greens are recognized as some of the best in Las Vegas. And, recently, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Reflection Bay Golf Club at Lake Las Vegas put in 18 Paspalum greens that also garner positive feedback.
If you haven’t teed it up at Club at Sunrise yet or for a while, now is the chance to relive some history and enjoy a Vegas golf experience with new vibes.
“We want to hammer home that good changes are coming and many have already been implemented in a short time,” McEvoy says. “We are going to impress people with service, solid golf course conditions, fair pricing, and an overall fun experience.”
View this post on Instagram
This is the first in a series of stories about the evolution of Club at Sunrise. And McEvoy urges golfers to be on the lookout for a Player Development Program in 2025 and more good stuff. Club at Sunrise is a Las Vegas Golf Insider partner.