Picture what an upscale golf course located on the Strip in Las Vegas might look like and odds are you have a picture of the Bali Hai Golf Club.
Any championship golf course located in the middle of the gaming capital of the world would have to be an oasis of sorts.
That is exactly what Walters Golf and course designers Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley have created at Bali Hai.
Opened in 2000 and located just past Mandalay Bay and across the street from one end of McCarran Airport, Bali Hai has seven acres of water features, 2,500 palm trees and 100,000 tropical plants to create that South Pacific feeling.
If that were not enough, the bunkers and waste areas throughout the course are covered with white sand with accents of black, volcanic rock-cropping’s. The course is in a valley of sorts, with berms built up on the outer edges to isolate the golfers from the surrounding mayhem that is Las Vegas.
Customer service is a point of pride for Walters Golf and there was no shortage of attention paid to our group as we arrived for our round. In fact, three different people were involved in taking us from our car to the pro shop to check in.
My one drawback from the experience was, due to the popularity of the course, it was busy at 7 a.m. on a Thursday. You can get the feeling that you are in an assembly line, as the staff pushes to get golfers checked in and out on the course. We were close to an hour early, but felt rushed to get out to the first tee.
With the serene South Pacific setting, feeling rushed is a drawback. But once out on the course, it is as sensory a golf experience as you will find in the greater Las Vegas area.
Gracious landing areas throughout make the course a pleasure off the tee.
By the 3rd–a 468-yard, par 4–the golfer gets the Bali Hai feel in-full. A lake is along the left side of the tee box and a stream flows from the lake across the fairway and down the entire right side of the hole.
Another lake lands right behind the green and while not necessarily in play, it does provide some visual intimidation for approach shots.
The 5th–a 392-yard, par 4–is another stunner. Another lake greets the golfer about two-thirds down the hole and the green creeps out into the lake, giving the hole the name “Peninsula”.
With water, right, a huge bunker in the back and another bunker front left, the approach is a tough one, but the sheer beauty of the hole makes it memorable.
The front 9 ends with a brilliant par 3 that plays right to the clubhouse. At 208 yards, the shot becomes a tough one, with water short and left and sand right and long.
There is a bailout area short right and, depending on pin placement, it may not be the worst play.
I really liked the two-hole combination that is the 11th and 12th. You start with No. 11, a 190-yard, par 3 that has a lake down the left side of the hole. Where the lake ends, a beach (waste-bunker) –not a trap–begins and runs right up to the green. Once again, there is a bail-out area short right and, when you are standing on the tee, it can look tempting.
No. 12 is called “Temple” and you cannot help but wonder if it comes from the aiming point, which is the pyramid of the Luxor that sits between towers of Mandalay Bay. At 440 yards and a par 4, the hole does feature one of the most generous landing areas on the course.
The 16th hole is arguably one of the signature holes. The 144-yard, par 3 features an island green with a severe back to front slope. The distance is benign, but the visual intimidation standing on the tee is something you will take away from your round.
After the round, when you are not feeling rushed, take a stroll through the pro shop –one of the best anywhere. The shop is equipped to accommodate Vegas tourists– offering both rental clubs and shoes.
Bali Hai is everything you would expect from a resort course, including the price tag, as a round will set you back over $200, depending on the season and any online specials you can find.
It is not designed to beat anyone up or slow down play. The golf purist may find the entire experience somewhat glam, but it is one course everyone should play to escape from the bustle of “Sin City”.
For more information, please visit: http://www.balihaigolfclub