COURSE · RESORT · BUCKET LIST · TIER A
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States · The only golf course on the Las Vegas Strip
A desert oasis carved from the Strip — where Tom Fazio's fairways meet waterfalls, koi ponds, and a skyline unlike any other in golf.
01 · Overview
~2 min read
Wynn Golf Club occupies a genuinely improbable piece of ground: eighteen holes of resort golf tucked inside the Las Vegas Strip, hemmed in by casino towers, the MSG Sphere, and a skyline that would distract even the most focused ball-striker. Designed by Tom Fazio and reopened in 2019 after a brief and costly flirtation with redevelopment, it is the only golf course of consequence remaining on the Strip itself.
The land beneath the fairways has a longer history than the current layout suggests. A course first opened here in 1952 as the Desert Inn Country Club, becoming a celebrated championship venue that hosted the Tournament of Champions annually through 1966 and, later, a round of the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational at which a young Tiger Woods recorded his first professional victory. Steve Wynn acquired the property in 2000 and replaced the old Desert Inn with the resort bearing his name. The present course opened in 2005, was briefly shuttered in 2017 for a development scheme that never materialised, and was restored by Tom and Logan Fazio before reopening in 2019 with revised teeing areas and reworked holes.
On the ground the course plays as a fully immersive resort experience rather than a stern examination of shot-making. Seven thousand transplanted mature trees line the corridors and provide an almost convincing seclusion from the city; streams and koi ponds thread through the property; and a 35-foot man-made waterfall frames the par-3 eighteenth with theatrical conviction. The routing plays to a par of 70, with an unusual six par 3s across the eighteen holes — a decision that keeps the round brisk and emphasises precision at the expense of long-iron grinding.
What makes Wynn genuinely difficult to play well is the same thing that makes it enjoyable to walk: the environment rarely lets you concentrate entirely on the golf. The Strip's ambient noise gives way to birdsong on the middle holes, but the Sphere looms over the back nine, and landmark buildings serve as aiming references that can play tricks on alignment. Green complexes are guarded with Fazio's characteristic bunker shaping — elegant in profile, punishing in play — and the course rating of 71.1 over 6,722 yards from the tips is honest for a resort course at elevation in the Nevada desert.
THE SETTING
Seven thousand transplanted trees and a network of streams create a surprising seclusion, yet the casino towers and the MSG Sphere are never truly out of sight — a tension unique to this property.
THE DESIGN
Tom and Logan Fazio's 2019 revision emphasises accuracy over raw distance. Strategic bunkering, multiple par 3s, and well-guarded greens reward placement rather than power.
THE WATER
Water is both hazard and theatre here. Streams cross several fairways, koi ponds appear throughout, and the signature 35-foot waterfall frames the finishing hole with unambiguous spectacle.
THE GREENS
Several greens sit above approach level with backstop contours, demanding high, soft-landing shots. Fazio's sculpted surrounds make a misread chip more damaging than a missed fairway.
02 · The Holes
5 of 5 · tap any hole to watch creators play it
Six holes carry more of the course's weight than the other twelve combined — and the creator vlogs that prove it.
HOLE 18 · par 3 · 249y
The longest par 3 on the course and the one most visitors come to see. A 35-foot man-made waterfall cascades behind the green while a large lagoon guards the left. A $20,000 hole-in-one prize adds a Vegas flourish to every tee shot.
249 yards · At 249 yards, one of the longest finishing par 3s in American resort golf.
HOLE 10 · par 3 · 233y
The back nine opens with a demand most resort courses don't make: a wood or long iron to a well-defended green. At 233 yards it sets a serious tone after the turn and immediately separates ball-strikers from those simply enjoying the scenery.
233 yards
HOLE 11 · par 5 · 591y
The longest hole on the course stretches nearly 600 yards from the back tees, with the MSG Sphere looming prominently in the background. Koi ponds line portions of the corridor, turning a grinding par 5 into something unexpectedly scenic.
591 yards · One of the few holes on any Strip-adjacent course where the Sphere fills the entire horizon.
HOLE 9 · par 4 · 464y
A long, demanding par 4 that closes the front nine at the Tee House refreshment station. At 464 yards it asks for a full two-shot effort and rewards those who manage position off the tee rather than forcing distance.
464 yards
HOLE 6 · par 4 · 375y
A shorter par 4 that plays less to power and more to placement, with views of the Las Vegas Sphere dominating the skyline. The hole rewards a controlled draw off the tee and a precise iron to a green that punishes the greedy approach.
375 yards
05 · In Their Words
6 on-camera verdicts · spoken while filming here
The greens are very firm out here.
This course is going to be awesome for the individual because if you are playing well, you can go shoot a number out here.
Thank you so much to the Wynn for having us. This is going to be so exciting.
We are here at the nicest public course in potentially the world.
The nicest public course in potentially the world. Definitely America.
If you didn't know, it is the nicest public golf course in the USA.
06 · How to Play Here
4 routes to a tee time
Wynn & Encore Guest Priority Booking · hotel package
Guests staying at Wynn Las Vegas or Encore have priority access to tee times and can book up to 90 days in advance. Bookings are made via the golf concierge or by phone.
Green Fee (approximate) $450–$750
Non-Resort Guest Booking · single
Public players not staying at the resort can book tee times up to 30 days in advance, subject to availability. Bookings are handled exclusively by phone.
Green Fee (approximate) $450–$750
Stay & Play Packages · package
Multi-day golf packages that typically include 3 nights and rounds at Wynn Golf Club and sometimes other local courses like Bali Hai. These packages are often handled via the Wynn room reservations or specialized golf tour operators.
Package Price (starting from) From $1,099
VIP Golf Services · external
Third-party luxury golf concierges and booking agents often provide access to Wynn Golf Club for groups and corporate outings.
Market Rate Inquire for pricing
07 · History
10 moments · 1952–2023
1952
Lawrence Hughes designs the Desert Inn Country Club, which opens as the Strip's premier golf destination and becomes a haunt for the Rat Pack generation.
1953
Al Besselink wins the first Tournament of Champions at the Desert Inn. The course goes on to host the prestigious event annually through 1966.
1963
Jack Nicklaus wins the first of two consecutive Tournament of Champions titles on the site, cementing the course's reputation as a championship venue.
1996
The Desert Inn serves as one of the venues for the Las Vegas Invitational, where Tiger Woods records his first professional victory on the PGA Tour.
2000
Steve Wynn purchases the Desert Inn for $270 million, closing the resort and golf course ahead of a total redevelopment of the site.
2005
Tom Fazio and Steve Wynn open the redesigned course with seven thousand transplanted trees and a signature 37-foot waterfall framing the 18th hole.
2017
The course is shuttered as plans emerge to replace the fairways with a $1.5 billion lagoon and convention centre. The project ultimately does not proceed.
2019
After the closure proves costly, Wynn commissions Tom and Logan Fazio to restore and revise the layout. The course reopens with new teeing areas and reworked holes.
2021
The course hosts Capital One's The Match, pitting rivals Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau against each other in a high-profile head-to-head broadcast event.
2023
Wynn Golf Club hosts the first live sports event produced for Netflix — a crossover tournament featuring Formula 1 drivers competing alongside PGA Tour professionals.
08 · Common Questions
7 questions · sourced from 8 vlogs
Tee times are booked exclusively by phone through the Wynn Golf Club. Guests staying at Wynn Las Vegas or Encore can book up to 90 days in advance; non-resort guests may book up to 30 days out, subject to availability. There is no online booking portal.
Green fees run approximately $450 to $750 depending on the season, day of the week, and tee time. Stay-and-play packages starting from around $1,099 are available through the resort and partner golf tour operators, often bundling multiple nights with one or more rounds.
No. The course is open to the public, though hotel guests at Wynn Las Vegas and Encore receive priority booking access. Non-guests are welcome to reserve a tee time as long as 30-day advance availability permits.
The course operates daily but typically closes briefly in late September or early October for overseeding — a standard desert-climate maintenance procedure. It is advisable to confirm availability directly with the club around that period.
Harry Reid International Airport is approximately five miles from the course — a 10 to 15-minute drive under normal traffic conditions. Taxis, Uber, and Lyft all serve the Strip. Wynn does not operate a hotel airport shuttle, but private sedan services can be arranged through the resort.
Both, in honest measure. The course rating of 71.1 over 6,722 yards is a fair test, and the six par 3s — including a 249-yard finisher — demand real precision. Fazio's bunkering around the greens is not forgiving. That said, the resort experience is front of mind throughout: the environment is immaculate, the pace comfortable, and the theatre of the setting hard to ignore.
Wynn Golf Club offers a $20,000 cash prize to any player who makes a hole-in-one on the par-3 18th hole, which plays to 249 yards and is framed by the resort's signature waterfall. Specific terms and conditions apply; the golf club can provide current details at the time of booking.
10 · The Library
4 creators · YouTube-indexed
Most relevant
Divot Dudes · 45:43
77K views · 6mo ago
Divot Dudes · 2:41
113K views · 6mo ago
Divot Dudes · 1:10
299K views · 6mo ago
gabbygolfgirl · 64:37
267K views · 3mo ago
Grant Horvat Golf · 72:59
1.8M views · 5mo ago
Brad Dalke · 45:51
726K views · 5mo ago
Divot Dudes · 2:56
104K views · 6mo ago
Divot Dudes · 37:52
47K views · 6mo ago
Save it to your studio, share it with the group, or — if the ballot gods favour you — book it for next season.