Wynn Golf Club: The only golf course on the Las Vegas Strip
During our recent visit to Las Vegas we decided to splurge and treat ourselves to the most expensive golf experience the city has to offer, The Wynn Golf Club. At a price of $500 per round, the price tag is sure to make most golfers think twice. Vegas is for high rollers and the same is true of the Wynn Golf Club, only those willing to part with a pocket full of cash should book a tee time. Let’s take a close look into the experience which some say might have its days numbered if Steve Wynn follows thru on plans to develop the land into another hotel, convention center, and a 40-acre lake. The Wynn Golf Club opened in 2005, this golf club has deep roots dating back to the days when it was the Desert Inn Golf Course which opened in 1952 and played host to the PGA Tour for several years.
Located directly behind two Steve Wynn properties (Wynn & Encore) on the Las Vegas strip, Wynn Golf Club is the only golf course located directly on the Vegas strip. We wanted to dig a little deeper and give the Wynn Golf Club credit for everything included in their $500 price tag. For starters, if you’re in town and didn’t bring any golf gear they’ll provide you with any equipment you need including top of the line clubs and golf shoes. In addition, they throw in a forecaddie, shoe cleaning, and an engraved bag tag. If you think about the price for an average club rental ($60), shoe rental ($15), and forecaddie ($50) that’s a value of $125. If you factor all that in, you’re down to a round which is costing you about $375. Now if you’re like us and show up with all your own gear that value goes to the wayside and doesn’t help much to justify the expense.
Getting to the Wynn from any hotel on the strip is a breeze. Located near the North end of the Vegas Strip chances are you’ll leave your hotel and head north, depending on traffic you’ll be there in just a few minutes. When arriving at the Wynn, we recommend using the valet to park your car and they’ll be more than happy to take your clubs to the clubhouse. As you walk into the lobby of the Wynn, you’ll have a small journey ahead to reach the pro shop. You’ll need to walk thru all the casino tables and slot machines past the shops and restaurants before finally arriving. The high roller experience begins here as you’ll find a nicely appointed pro shop full of lovely items but all with a price tag to match, the average price for a hat was $40. If you aren’t willing to pay $40 for a hat that’s probably an indicator, you’ll want to leave the Wynn off your Vegas golf itinerary.
You can’t beat the view or the food at the Country Club Restaurant
We highly recommend having lunch or breakfast at the Country Club Restaurant during your visit. We had a tee time around noon and arrived early and decided to have breakfast at the restaurant. We sat outside on the patio and had a wonderful view of the 18th hole. One thing we took note of besides the exceptional condition of the course was the limited number of people out on the course, during our breakfast we only noticed two groups. This could be due to the fact that Vegas is the city that never sleeps and who wants a morning tee time, but in general the Wynn doesn’t get a ton of play and will almost always have a tee time available no matter what time of year you visit.
After breakfast, we checked in and headed to the locker room. It’s a nice locker room but it didn’t live up to our expectations. At the end of the day, it was your typical country club locker room but with a very attentive locker room staff ready to help you with anything you might need. After changing shoes, we headed out to the practice area where our forecaddie was already waiting for us. The course is located on some of the most expensive real estate in the world, so as you might expect they didn’t allocate a lot of room to the practice facility. If you want to hit your irons and driver, you’ll be doing so into a practice net, this practice area will accommodate about six golfers at one time. Located behind the practice net is a chipping area that offers three target greens to help get your wedges dialed in, this area is the highlight of the practice facility and something I wish more courses made available. Walking back from the chipping area you’ll find a small practice green that allows you to warm up the flat stick. Now you’re ready, it’s time to hit the first tee and experience the course!
Throughout the round you’ll notice one thing over and over again, the course is kept in phenomenal condition. When it comes to maintenance the Wynn doesn’t cut any corners, the fact that the course doesn’t get a ton of play also helps. As you make your way around the course, you’ll often look up and realize you’re on the Las Vegas strip. I know it sounds trivial, but there is a certain cool factor that sets in as you look up and realize you’re playing golf alongside the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas Strip. Outside of the cool factor and the fabulous course conditions reality sets in that it’s just a golf course which happens to be on Strip. Outside of the waterfall behind the 18th green there won’t be many course features that stick out in your mind.
A look at the Signature Hole: Number 18 Par 4 – 448 yards
Wynn Golf Club Course Rating (3.5 out of 5)
When we calculate course ratings at Golf Aficionado we don’t factor in the cost of the round, if we did the Wynn rating would have suffered. At the end of the day, we’re glad we got to experience the Wynn Golf Club especially since its days might be numbered due to the future plans for this property. However, even with all the glitz and glamor the course scored low in several rating categories including; course difficulty, shot making, and overall hole variety. While we wouldn’t be in a hurry to play the course again it is a nice item to check off the bucket list, especially if its days are truly numbered. Our advice is if you find yourself in Vegas without any golf gear and suddenly have the urge to play, the Wynn is a great option; the location is ideal, their always going to have a tee time available, and they’ll outfit you for no additional fee. On the other hand, if you’re planning a Vegas Golf trip with your buddies then we would recommend skipping the Wynn Golf Club at $2,000 a foursome. Other options are close by and chances are you’ll be happier spending that cash elsewhere in town.