It was about a year ago now that the idea of traveling with golf as the focus was born for the two of us.
We’ll admit, we’ve played our fair share of games like Call of Duty together as a way to hang out with 500 miles between us, but no game excited us at launch like EA Sports’s rendition of a PGA Tour game.
The course selection in the game includes major championship venues you’d expect, along with some prominent resort and private courses we hope to play one day, but we’d argue the the course that lent itself most to video game play was Wolf Creek.
The course just screams fun.
Following a few virtual rounds, we knew we had to see this marvel of desert golf architecture ourselves, and our first trip was booked.
Location
Our day at Wolf Creek was the first of our Nevada trip, and started at about 6am.
Mesquite is located about an hour and a half Northeast of Las Vegas and is a well hit 8 iron shot away from the border of Arizona. After getting out of the Vegas traffic, it’s about 15-20 minutes before you’re on a single highway through quite literally nothing but desert.
It’s eye opening how vast and desolate the surrounding area is, and it’s no wonder Area 51 is out here! (shh)
The question “how on Earth can someone build and maintain a golf course out here?” came up several times in our drive to Mesquite, and there’s no sign of civilization let alone a legitimate golf course until the GPS says you’re 5 minutes away.
Alas, after months of anticipation, we pulled up a hilly side street and were met with the driveway into Wolf Creek.
First Impressions
As you pull into the parking lot, you’re met with an admittedly underwhelming irons only range on the right along with a practice green which was busy on this October morning.
We checked in and signed our cart waiver form (yes actually) and got a quick warm up in.
The clubhouse appears a bit dated and is nothing jaw dropping, but it didn’t take long for the first “wow” moment.
The Course
Design: Dennis and John Rider
Year Built: 2001
Yardage: 6939 (Challenger), 6309 (Championship), 5798 (Masters), 5064 (Signature), 4101 (Classics)
Slope: 154 (Challenger), 138 (Championship), 134 (Masters), 125 (Signature), 106 (Classics)
Accessibility: Public
Cost: $260 (October weekday morning)
The Front 9
To start, it’s worth noting that there isn’t a single dull hole on this golf course.
While you won’t find any signs of traditional architecture here, the majority of the tee boxes will have you hitting shots you’ve never hit before and likely won’t again until returning.
Pulling up to the first hole left us with no choice but smile and laugh.
How could you not with this view as your first shot of the day?
Admittedly fairly new in our golf journey, we both agreed we’ve never felt as nervous on a first tee shot as we did on the par 5 1st at Wolf Creek.
For starters, the tee box feels like a launchpad and the wide fairway entices you to bomb away. Not to mention, we had been mentally preparing for the first shot here for months. We wouldn’t be able to live with ourselves if we messed up such an anticipated tee shot.
Fortunately for us, both of our drives were perfect and none of the mishits to follow over the course of the day mattered!
A well hit tee shot leaves you great position to score, but don’t take the first green for granted even if you’re on in 2. We were lucky to avoid windy conditions unlike this unfortunate golfer.
Following an adventurous cart ride up the hill (more on this later) and a few flights of steps, we were met with the par 4 2nd.
From a tee box overlooking the entire property, the par 4 2nd awaits. Needless to say, you can’t miss left on this hole. I didn’t get this memo and carded a double bogey after watching my tee shot ricochet off the boulder. I then remembered the first shot of day and smiled!
The 3rd hole is simply put, a handful.
The listed yardage is 175 yards, but it plays over a little canyon and way, way up a hill. We knew this hole would be interesting but the steepness and height of the hole really needs to be seen in person to be appreciated.
To date it’s the most imposing par 3 I’ve played. I ended up short of the green and played ping pong over the green a few times before settling for a 5. Shayne fared way better and struck his tee shot perfectly for a stress free par.
The grueling 3rd is one of the first holes I think about when reminiscing on the round for better or worse!
The 4th hole is a short par 4 with a dogleg to the right. A hybrid or long iron is all you need off the tee leaving a wedge in over the bunkers. The green has an ampitheater style hill behind the green, and this hole offers a pretty straightforward birdie opportunity.
The 5th is fantastic.
One of the rangers at the course told us of an 18 year old European player that cleared the furthermost left bunker the week prior. We wish we had that distance but the elevated tee shot allows you to be aggressive in hopes of reaching in 2. Just don’t miss left.
Hole 6 is a par 4 that feels pedestrian in comparison to the first stretch of holes. Driver off the tee is a risk as a creek runs across the fairway about 250 yards out, so laying up is preferable unless you can confidently carry 250 yards.
A unique par 4 awaits on the 7th.
Long irons or an easy hybrid are sufficient off the tee as the fairway severely slopes downward to a landing area about 215 yards away.
From there, a short but dramatic approach shot to a narrow green is left, but don’t miss short or the consequences are severe.
The 8th is a beautiful par 3 that’s penal to mistakes.
This hole would be a real beast from the tips measuring 248 yards with a small landing area surrounded by the creek both in front of and behind the green.
We loved this scenic hole and were happy to avoid the trouble that we could’ve found!
The final hole on the front 9 is a short drivable par 4 playing uphill towards the clubhouse. A large bunker defends the right side in front of the green, but this hole can be taken advantage of and is a sigh of relief headed to the turn.
The Back 9
The 10th is a par 4 that plays flat but has an unforgiving fairway with trouble on both sides.
A lake and bunkers guard the left side with a hill of desert rock and bushes to the right.
Dramatic tee shots with elevation changes return on the 11th in the way of a severely downhill par 3 onto a circular green.
I took the adventurous route on this hole by banking it off the rocks on the right over the path and rolling it down the slope to about 10 feet. Just how I drew it up of course.
This hole (and many others) also features a white knuckle experience on the cart paths. I’ll touch on the riding experience in the final thoughts but the 11th had me gripping the side of the cart for dear life!
The 12th is an attackable par 5 that is reachable in 2 with a strong drive.
The fairway slopes generously downhill and right to left, so avoiding on the water on the left puts you in a great position to score.
Hole #13 is a unique short par 4 with a risk reward option off the tee.
The fairway runs behind the boulder jutting out on the right side, with the green reachable with a well played high fade.
I had zero confidence in my driver on this day so I laid up to the left. Shayne joined me with the safe play while one of our buddies attempted to go for the green. His ball joined the many plugged into the rock, but hey at least he tried for glory.
One of my favorite tee shots at Wolf Creek is the 14th.
A dogleg left par 4 with six bunkers lining the left side of the hole and an elevation change pictures can’t describe. You really do feel a mile in the air on this tee box.
We found that to be the case with many of these holes and think you’ll agree after playing the course yourself.
I wish I had the driver dialed in on this afternoon. While I’m happy the first tee shot was great and can’t be taken from my memory, the driver was in timeout by the turn and I went with 3 wood for most of the remainder of the round. Shayne’s drive looked amazing from this vantage point and my 3 wood just didn’t have the wow factor. Next time!
The 15th is the easiest hole on the course. This par 3 playing about 115 yards can only go awry missing left into the deep green-side bunkers.
We all stuck it on the green then put on a “how to not birdie an easy hole” display with the putters, but we were happy to all walk away with par together.
The tee shot on 16 is daunting but really picturesque.
I gave the driver one more opportunity to redeem itself on 16 and cleared the canyon despite not hitting it well. Poor low contact worked out well though as my ball got a ton of roll on the fairway, but that was it for the day for the big stick.
The 17th is likely our favorite hole on the course. On a course filled with memorable tee shots, this is perhaps the best.
This is the last elevated tee shot on the course so take a minute to look around and soak it in. This fantastic par 5 has the perfect balance of layout, scenery, and challenge.
It’s tough to bring the creek separating the fairway into play off the tee so driver is perfectly fine here. You can go for the green in two with a good drive but laying up will be the smarter play for most players with the lake guarding the front of the green.
I settled for par after a poor 3rd shot, but Shayne played this hole perfectly en route to the first of back to back birdies for a memorable end to his round.
The finishing hole is a short par 4 that shows its teeth on the approach. The narrow green is tucked away with deep bunkers on the right, a false front and several rocks in front, and the cart path hugging the left side. The green is two tiered and funnels hard from back to front. A fun finishing hole that can get ugly quickly with a poor approach shot.
Final Thoughts
There’s truly no place we’ve been like Wolf Creek.
While lacking the aura of tradition and history of a classic private club, Wolf Creek is undoubtedly an experience that’s worth seeking out.
As we briefly mentioned, the cart paths are treacherous, and that’s putting it lightly.
A waiver form for cart liability is signed at check in and it’s easy to see why. We can’t imagine how many sets of brakes Wolf Creek has in their inventory, and I’d love to know how many carts have rolled over going too quick down the bends over the years. If the tee shots don’t get your adrenaline going enough, the cart paths certainly will.
We loved our time at Wolf Creek and are eager to take it on again. You can count the number of non memorable holes on one hand, and the elevation changes truly need to be seen in person to be believed.
This is the epitome of fun golf, a playground for us who enjoy unique experiences of the game, and a course that’s absolutely worth seeking out. Go play it!
Pros
-Unforgettable shots are common one hole after another
-Solid conditions and very unique layout
-Fairly priced and pro shop credit included with the round, great pro shop stock
Cons
-Peak pricing in excess of $375 is a little steep
-Cart paths are very dangerous, use caution
-Remote location, need to rent a car to get there if traveling
Favorite Holes
Mike: #14, #17
Shayne: #17
What Would We Pay?
This is a tricky one. We felt $225 ($35 pro shop credit is included in the $260 paid and not an option to remove) was very fair. If push came to shove, I think it’s worth paying the peak price to experience the course for the first time while not baking in the desert sun like we did.
Final Score
8
See how we score here
We’d love to hear about your experiences playing this wild ride. What did you think of Wolf Creek? Let us know below!