LAS VEGAS -- Spanish Trail Country Club may be just minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, but once golfers step to the first tee, they quickly find themselves a world away from the hustle and bustle of the fast-paced Vegas life taking on a golf course that is tucked into a park-like setting.
A 27-hole Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed golf course, a massive elegant clubhouse, world-class dining, spa options and much more are all right at golfers’ fingertips. Spanish Trail Country Club is a private layout, but some outside play is permitted, as well as some outside tournament play. If you do get the chance to book a tee time at Spanish Trail, grab it.
‘It’s just a really good golf course that people love,’ Head Golf Professional Kevin Paulsen said. ‘There’s a lot of variety on the way people can play most of the golf holes. It’s a very good test for players.’
Depending on the nines players tackle, the course will play around 5,800 yards from the forward tees to about 7,100 yards from the tips. But no matter which tees players choose, they will definitely find a course to test their game. And the tree-lined and water-laden design is a throwback to golf courses of old.
‘We’re definitely a traditional course -- one of the last courses that aren’t desert golf or target-golf courses,’ Paulsen said. ‘Plus there are plenty of trees and lots of water that add to the beauty and the challenge of course.’
On the course, players will find three distinct nines -- Canyon, Lakes and Sunrise. By the numbers, Spanish Trail features 15 lakes along with 120 bunkers. Add in well-manicured, true-rolling greens and elevation changes, and players will find a well-rounded golf course.
The Canyon nine is the longest of the nines and features a finishing stretch of three holes that will really test players. The seventh is a par 3 that reaches 215 yards with bunkers and desert landscaping. The eighth is a 567-yard par 5 that features water in play on the second shot (as well as the approach shot to the green), and the ninth hole is just 421 yards, but an elevated green makes club selection for the approach shot critical.
On the Lakes nine, water comes into play on six holes. The second hole, a par 5 stretching to more than 600 yards, and the third hole, a par 3 at 180 yards with two ponds guarding the green, garner much of the accolades as being the best holes -- as well as the most challenging -- on this nine.
The Sunrise nine features a waterfall that feeds a pond along the signature ninth hole, a 409-yard, par-4 beauty that is a great finishing hole.
As for his pick as one of the top holes on the course, it’s an easy one for Paulsen. ‘No. 2 on the Lakes,’ he said. ‘It’s a 600-yard par 5 with water at the green. There is water short and water on the right. It’s definitely a three-shot hole, and the second and third shots are tough. There’s also a gorgeous waterfall behind the green -- it’s just a great golf hole.’
Henderson resident Debbie Headley recently played the course for the third time.
‘It’s very fair -- especially for women,’ she said. ‘But you have to hit the fairways because the rough can be tough. It’s just a beautiful golf course.’
For Las Vegas’ Chris Ambula, it’s about the challenge the course provides.
‘You’ve got a lot of variety in the distances on just about every hole so you’re hitting a lot of different shots,’ Ambula said. ‘Plus it’s always in great shape.’
In the Spanish Trail clubhouse
The Spanish Trail clubhouse oozes elegance from the time you step inside.
At 50,000 square feet, it’s got everything, from banquet rooms, fine-dining and casual dining spots along with men’s and women’s locker rooms that will cater to your every need.
Also, whether it’s a quick warmup before your round or an extended driving range session, the practice facility at Spanish Trail will let players stretch out and hone their skills. There’s also a chipping/bunker green as well as a putting green for that well-rounded experience.
Spanish Trail Country Club: The verdict
The three nines available at Spanish Trail Country Club give players plenty of variety on the golf course, something golfers relish.
Las Vegas is known for its world-class, over-the-top experiences -- from entertainment to dining to shopping. You can add golf at places such as Spanish Trail Country Club to those experiences.
