The chances of the average golfer playing some of the world’s most exclusive private clubs are limited, to say the least.
Good luck getting a round at Liberty National without knowing a member or paying the reported $450,000 initiation fee to join, for example. However, some of the most iconic courses on earth are open to the public, giving the perfect “bucket list” opportunity for recreational golfers.
That doesn’t mean the chance always comes cheap, though, with several world-renowned courses setting you back high three-figure sums for the privilege of playing them. There’s one course that stands out for its eye watering green fees, though – Shadow Creek in Las Vegas.
The MGM-owned course was designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1989 as a private club run by casino and hotel magnate Steve Wynn. The reason? So he could invite his friends over for a round!
That arrangement stayed in place until Wynn sold the course to MGM in 2000, when it was made available to a limited number of its hotel guests. Back then, it cost $500, and in the years since, that green fee has unsurprisingly skyrocketed.
Shadow Creek opened to the public in 2000
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The latest hike came in 2023, with the green fee reportedly rising from $1,000 to $1,250, cementing its place as golf’s most expensive. Even then, that’s without factoring in the cost of staying at an MGM Resorts destination, which remains a prerequisite for the chance to play the course.
So, what does the casual golfer teeing it up at the Nevada course get for their money? As well as knowing you will be treading the same fairways as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson did in the 2018 edition of The Match, the course is also extraordinarily beautiful.
It is framed against the backdrop of stunning mountains, while its lush and manicured fairways are set among mature pines. There are beautiful creeks and ponds throughout, too, making it easy to forget that the course was built out of the rugged Nevada desert.
Its signature hole is the par-3 17th, which requires a shot over water to a green guarded by bunkers and a waterfall overlooking it.
Shadow Creek Golf Club’s signature hole is the par-3 17th
(Image credit: Getty Images)
But is it worth the huge green fee? That’s for the individual to decide, but overall, there is no doubt Shadow Creek is not only one of best courses in Las Vegas, but the entire country.
For those whose budget doesn’t quite stretch to a round at Shadow Creek, there are cheaper…
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