As if you didn’t need another excuse for a golf weekend to Las Vegas, Michael Jordan’s coming to town to play a little golf and he’s bringing a few friends.
We’re talking about the 12th annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, which will be conducted at Shadow Creek for the third year in a row.
Celebrities over the years have included the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Kenny G., Sugar Ray Leonard, Greg Maddux, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jessica Alba and many others from the sports and entertainment world. The tournament, which is sponsored and hosted by Aria Resort & Casino, will be played April 4-7. The 36-hole, two-person scramble tournament has raised in excess of $6 million over the years as celebrities and spectators alike enjoy a relaxed, fun atmosphere on what Jordan calls ‘one of his favorite courses.’
It’s a chance to see the basketball legend and other celebrities play this very exclusive club, but it’s also a chance for a whole lot more. Because, after all, once you watch Jordan and company hit a few shots, you’re going to want to hit a few of your own.
Your turn to play golf in Las Vegas
While Shadow Creek is among Las Vegas’ most elite venues, there’s plenty of other good golf to be played. As a special incentive, those who buy a ticket for the Jordan celebrity event can get a $50 resort credit for the three golf courses owned by Walters Golf: Bali Hai Golf Club, Royal Links Golf Club and Desert Pines Golf Club.
The courses are all in great shape and very unique. Bali Hai, located right on the Las Vegas Strip, has a tropical Pacific theme. Royal Links is inspired by the very best of the British Open rotation courses. And the Dye-designed Desert Pines features thousands of imported Carolina Pines and beautiful bentgrass greens.
That money can be used for anything on the course, including food and beverage, merchandise or the newest line of Callaway Golf rentals.
But even if you don’t book one of those courses, there’s plenty of other great golf in Las Vegas, and this is the best time of year to play, as temperatures and course conditions are near perfect.
Beyond golf: The Aria Resort & Casino in CityCenter
Of course, golf isn’t the only game in town. Guests can stay at the luxurious Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas’ CityCenter. Aria includes world-class dining such as the new American cuisine at Shawn McClain’s Sage, Spanish tapas at Julian Serrano, and steaks and seafood at Jean Georges Steakhouse, for example.
Entertainment options are also plentiful at Aria. Take in its high-energy nightlife at the celeb-studded super-club Haze. And the morning after, you can hit up Todd English P.U.B. for a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar. There’s also Cirque du Soleil’s Zarkana, an acrobatic rock experience that blends circus arts with the surreal to create a world where physical virtuosity rubs shoulders with the strange.
And for relaxing, there’s Aria’s spa, which features the country’s first metabolism-boosting Japanese Ganbanyoku stone beds, the city’s first co-ed spa balcony featuring an infinity-edge therapy pool and a Shio Salt Room. There’s also lagoon pools and fabulous shopping at the Shops at Crystals, next to Aria. Among the highlights are the largest Louis Vuitton store in North America and the only Tag Heuer location in North America.
For ticket information to the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, see mjcigolf.com.
