MyGolfSpy Experiences is nothing if not consistent. The best golf buddy trip, it says here, is the next one.
And if the next one should take you about 80 miles north of Las Vegas to Mesquite, Nev., you will want to check out one of the more decorated public resort courses opened this century: Wolf Creek.
If you scan any online reviews of Wolf Creek, you’ll find adjectives like iconic, stunning and breathtaking. All of those apply, primarily to the incredible vistas. You’ll take a ton of pictures while you’re there and you’ll need to. Sadly, you probably won’t remember a lot of the holes within a few days of leaving.
Don’t get me wrong, Wolf Creek is spectacular. You’ll find yourself muttering “Wow!” dozens of times. But that’s mostly due to the views. The course itself is a lot like that leftover Halloween candy you’ve been chomping on the last couple of days. Wolf Creek is tasty, enjoyable and fun but once you’re done, you’ll remember the views more than the actual golf.
In Halloween candy terms, the best holes are Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups but at least half of them are Almond Joys or, worse, Raisinettes.
Should you make the trip? Let’s dive in and you can make your mind up at the end.
MyGolfSpy Experiences: Wolf Creek
The 80 miles between Las Vegas and Mesquite might as well be on the moon. Once you leave the neon carnival that is Vegas, it’s desolate high desert until you reach Mesquite. The city features a handful of hotels and casino resorts. They’re nice but minor-league compared to Vegas.
There are several very good golf courses within half an hour or so of Mesquite. But since it opened in 2000, Wolf Creek is considered the Crown Jewel. Over its nearly 7,000 yards from the tips, Wolf Creek is the ultimate in golf eye candy. The second tee box, for example, is on an isolated peak 11 stories above the fairway. You’ll find dramatic elevation changes and some of the coolest holes anywhere.
Unfortunately, you’ll also encounter maybe half a dozen holes that are there only because they needed 18 of them.
The course is managed by Arnold Palmer Design and could probably use an infusion of TLC. Wolf Creek’s website lists the course’s accolades but the “Top 100 Best Courses You Can Play” awards end at around 2014. At 23 years old, Wolf Creek feels a little tired.
Granted, this was my second visit to Wolf Creek so I knew what was coming visually (and still went “Wow!” more than a few times) and we did play it in the middle of a history-making heat wave.
But on the drive back to Vegas, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I got more Raisinettes than Reese’s.
Wolf Creek: Inconsistently Glorious
It may be glib but “inconsistently glorious” is an accurate description of Wolf Creek. The first two holes will make your jaw hit the turf. The par-5 first features a stunning peek at what’s to come with a downhill tee shot to an ample fairway followed by an uphill approach to a long, skinny, multi-tiered green. It’s a man-sized 579 yards from the tips and a fun-sized 467 from the whites.
The par-4 second is an absolute stunner. Even if you’re not playing the tips (and if you’re a mere mortal, you’ll have a lot more fun playing from the whites), take some pictures from the black tee box. It’s not very big and will test your balance if you play it but the view is unforgettable.
From the whites, it’s a 385-yard downhill dogleg-left. You’ll need to carry some rocky high desert to reach what looks like a green sliver of fairway but you won’t need your driver. A fairway wood will bite off enough of the dogleg to leave you with a short iron into the green.
Wolf Creek starts losing you on the third hole. If you don’t like uphill par-3s, the third hole here won’t change your mind. It might even reinforce your disdain. It’s mostly carry over a craggy ravine and the only indication that there even is a green is the top of the flag.
The fourth hole is an entirely forgettable dogleg-right. It’s where Wolf Creek starts becoming Halloween candy. It’s spectacular to look at but, within a day or two, you won’t remember most of the holes. Particularly this one.
The Meat of the Course
That said, there is plenty to like about Wolf Creek.
The course redeems itself starting with the par-5 fifth hole and shines for the rest of the front nine. The fifth is reachable in two if you bite off enough. It’s downhill from the tee and an aggressive drive will leave you with a 5- or 6-iron uphill to an undulating green.
The view from the sixth tee box is another stunner as you look over several slivers of green fairway amid the brownish-gray rocks. The seventh is a short par-4 at 302 yards from the tips and 267 from the whites but don’t think about driving the green. It’s elevated and sits on the other side of a pond.
The eighth is a wonderful downhill par-3 with a smallish green surrounded by a delightful little creek. And the ninth plays 390 from the tips but only 271 from the whites. It features another deep, skinny, multi-tiered green. If you’re above the hole, pray for only three putts.
The back nine starts with three holes that range from interesting to spectacular. The par-4 10th is interesting: narrow and straight with a fairway that slopes left to right. The left side of the fairway and green provide an incredible view of the course.
The 11th is a very cool downhill par-3 and the 12th is maybe Wolf Creek’s signature hole. It’s a downhill par-5 with what looks to be a very generous fairway. It tilts almost imperceptibly left, however, towards a large, menacing pond where overcooked draws go to die. Keep it to the right, bro, keep it to the right.
More Raisinettes
The rest of the back nine – except for 17 – trends toward disappointing. The par-4 13th is another short, blind dogleg while 14 and 15 are what MyGolfSpy Experiences will officially classify as “What the f**k??” holes.
Wolf Creek’s website says 14 is its most photographed hole and that may be true. But it’s a contrived, tricked-out downhill-uphill par-4 with bunkers and a cliff on the left and a curling, sloping, artificially undulating fairway. It’ll make you hate golf.
But at least it’s picturesque.
And the only thing you can say about the par-3 15th is that it’s short. It’s there only because they needed 18 to make it a real course and they didn’t have room for anything else.
Wolf Creek redeems itself on 17, a longish, risk-reward par-5 with an awesome downhill tee shot. A bomb off the tee will give you delusions of going for it in two but the shot will test your testicular fortitude. The green is protected by water in front and on the right, with precious little bail-out room. You either hit the green or go directly to double-bogey jail. The smart play is to lay up with a mid-iron and pitch onto the green.
I’m sorry but 18 may be the worst, most disappointing finishing hole in destination golf. It’s only 307 from the tips and 278 from the whites but it plays uphill to a landing area that’s wider than it appears. The green is ridiculously sloped from back to front to the point that an uphill putt that’s a wee bit short might roll all the way back and wind up farther from the hole than when you started.
For a course that considers itself high-end, it’s an entirely anti-climactic and unsatisfying finish.
It’s Not the Heat, It’s the … Heat
While you’re reading this just a couple of days past Halloween, MyGolfSpy Experiences visited Wolf Creek in late July. It was hot, record-breaking hot. The kind of hot that makes you wonder what the hell you’re doing on a golf course. It was 92 degrees when we teed off at just past 8 in the morning and it sweltered from there.
As you can imagine, the course wasn’t crowded and good on the staff at Wolf Creek for taking care of the few brave (crazy) souls who decided to play. At the halfway snack shack (located where the sixth and 12th holes meet), they restocked our cooler with bottled water and ice and made sure we had plenty of chilled towels. There was water available throughout the course and staffers made the rounds throughout the day just to make sure no one was passed out.
It was a “dry heat” so it was tolerable as long as you stayed hydrated (Nuun hydration tablets saved the day). And those cold towels were a blessing.
On the drive back to Vegas, I checked the car’s outdoor temperature gauge: 117 degrees.
But no matter the weather, there are a couple of things you do need to know about Wolf Creek. First, the range is irons-only. It’s almost as though they forgot they’d need one and shoehorned it in after the fact. There’s a small chipping area next to it, and a large putting green nearby.
The pro shop is stocked as you’d expect and there were some closeout bargains, as July was Wolf Creek’s off-season. The Terrace restaurant served perfectly fine pub grub in a pleasant atmosphere.
MyGolfSpy Experiences: Is Wolf Creek Worth It?
After playing Wolf Creek twice, we don’t need to go back again. But for buddy trips to the area, it should definitely be part of the rota. Conestoga, also in Mesquite, is a superior course as is Sand Hollow in nearby St. George, Utah. Those two, plus Wolf Creek, are a solid lineup.
Wolf Creek pricing, however, is borderline schizophrenic. Greens fee will vary depending on the time of year but Wolf Creek takes it to a new level. We played in July for $130. Right now, it’ll cost you $260 through Nov. 12. Then it jumps to $330 for just one week and then drops back down to $260 through Dec. 3. The price drops again to $175 through the middle of January before jumping back up to $220 through Feb. 4. For the following week, it’s $390 and then drops to $360 through March 12.
Confused yet? There’s more.
March 13 through April 7? $390. Then it drops to $260 through May 5. From there it’s all summer rates into September, ranging from $130 to $200.
At $130, Wolf Creek is a decent golf trip value. At nearly $400? MyGolfSpy Experiences has its doubts. But if it’s part of a Mesquite/St. George package and you’re happy with the total price, then by all means give it a go. The vistas alone will be worth it.
If you’re not scratch, play the whites. It’s only 5,800 yards but it plays longer than that and you’ll enjoy the experience. The whites slope out at 137 while the tips reach the maximum slope of 154. I’m not sure if either is totally legit but they look good on the scorecard.
What Are Your Thoughts?
Have you played Wolf Creek? We’d love to know your thoughts. And where would like MyGolfSpy Experiences to visit next?
Matt Wiseley
6 months ago
I played Wolf Creek this past May. 2 rounds on back to back days.
I thought this review is a very fair assessment of the course but you left out one negative.
The course makes all people riding in a cart sign a waiver due to all the steep slopes you drive down. One of their employees told us they rarely go a week without someone wrecking a cart.
On the par 5 5th hole driving down from the tee box, with both back tires locked up from trying to break, we hit the speed bump and my $400 range finder fell off the cart and did a series of cheerleader cartwheels for about 100 feet. I have one of those magnetic holders and it didn’t hold on. Word of warning- don’t use anything magnetic on the carts. And NO- I wasn’t drinking and was going as slow as possible. Driving down some of those hills can be an adventure that isn’t fun.
Otherwise….loved the course! Very fair review.